Deep Waters by P. G. Wodehouse
The story revolves around George Callender, an author who writes plays, and Arthur Mifflin, a clever playwright who helps boom George's work. The narrative begins with George taking swimming lessons from Mary Vaughan, the leading lady in his play, Fate's Footballs. However, it is revealed that George has been pretending to be unable to swim as part of a publicity stunt for his play. Meanwhile, Arthur Mifflin overhears a conversation between George and Mary, where she accuses him of forgetting how to swim. Arthur intervenes, explaining that he was the one who came up with the idea of George taking swimming lessons as a publicity stunt. He claims that George's chivalrous nature led him to pretend to be unable to swim in order to protect his friend's reputation. The story takes a turn when Mary apologizes to George for her earlier accusations, and they share a romantic moment together. The narrative concludes with George entering the box on the two hundredth night of Fate's Footballs' London success, accompanied by Mary. Throughout the story, the author employs satire and social commentary, poking fun at the conventions of theater and the people involved in it. The character of Arthur Mifflin is particularly notable for his cleverness and ability to manipulate situations to his advantage.
By P. G. Wodehouse · First published 1927 · Genre: Humor, Short Stories, Fiction · 7,557 words
First lines
Historians of the social life of the later Roman Empire speak of a certain young man of Ariminum, who would jump into rivers and swim in 'em. When his friends said, "You fish! " he would answer, "Oh, pish! Fish can't swim like me, they've no vim in 'em. "
Just such another was George Barnert Callender.
What this Textopian page supports
Deep Waters is listed on Textopian as a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, dated 1927 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: P. G. Wodehouse
- Date: 1927 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Short Stories, Fiction, Romantic Comedy
- Length: 7,557 words
- Structure: 1 section, 198 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Deep Waters by P. G. Wodehouse
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Deep Waters?
- How does this short story by P. G. Wodehouse fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Metropolitan Touch by P. G. Wodehouse
- Absent Treatment by P. G. Wodehouse
- The Good Angel by P. G. Wodehouse
- A Damsel In Distress by P. G. Wodehouse
- The Manoeuvres Of Charteris by P. G. Wodehouse
- Without The Option by P. G. Wodehouse
Genres
- Humor — Wodehouse's writing is famously characterized by humor, wit, and comedic situations. 'Deep Waters' is no exception, featuring humorous mishaps and character follies throughout.
- Short Stories — 'Deep Waters' is a collection of short stories, making this an omnipresent element of the work.
- Fiction — The stories featured in the book are all fictional narratives based on the author's creation.
- Romantic Comedy — Although not the dominant genre, romantic entanglements and their comic repercussions feature in many of the stories.
Tags
comedy · humor · romance · satire · British literature · early 20th century · social class · misunderstandings · character-driven · lighthearted · witty dialogue · eccentric characters