Harrison's Slight Error
Harrison's plan to exact revenge on the youth who took his seat on the train backfires when he discovers that the youth is actually Venables' brother, who has been invited to join the school. Harrison is tasked with putting the furniture back into Venables' study, which he had previously ordered to be removed. When he protests, claiming to be fagging for Welch, Venables reveals that term hasn't started yet and therefore Harrison's excuse is invalid. Harrison is left feeling embarrassed and outmaneuvered by Venables, who seems to have the upper hand in their interaction.
By P. G. Wodehouse · First published 1922 · Genre: Comedy, Short Story, Fiction · 3,040 words
First lines
The one o'clock down express was just on the point of starting. The engine-driver, with his hand on the lever, whiled away the moments, like the watchman in The Agamemnon, by whistling. The guard endeavoured to talk to three people at once. Porters flitted to and fro, cleaving a path for themselves with trucks of luggage. The Usual Old Lady was asking if she was right for some place nobody had ever heard of. Everybody was saying goodbye to everybody else, and last, but not least, P. St. H. Harrison, of St. Austin's, was strolling at a leisurely pace towards the rear of the train. There was no need for him to hurry. For had not his friend, Mace, promised to keep a corner seat for him while he went to the refreshment room to lay in supplies? Undoubtedly he had, and Harrison, as he watched the struggling crowd, congratulated himself that he was not as other men.
What this Textopian page supports
Harrison's Slight Error is listed on Textopian as a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, dated 1922 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: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Short Story, Fiction
- Length: 3,040 words
- Structure: 1 section, 69 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Harrison's Slight Error 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 Harrison's Slight Error?
- How does this short story by P. G. Wodehouse fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Comedy — P. G. Wodehouse is famous for his comedic stories, and 'Harrison's Slight Error' is no exception, filled with light-hearted and hilarious situations.
- Short Story — 'Harrison's Slight Error' is a short narrative, fitting the short story genre.
- Fiction — As 'Harrison's Slight Error' is not based on true events and involves fictional characters and situations, it fits into the Fiction genre.
Tags
comedy · humor · satire · romance · British literature · short story · witty · lighthearted · social class · misunderstanding · character-driven · plot twist