Back to Back by W. W. Jacobs (1843)
Back to Back is a classic short story by W. W. Jacobs. It tells the story of two men, Bill and Sam, who are both in the same boat, literally and figuratively. They are both down on their luck and have been reduced to living on a boat in the Thames. The two men are very different in character, with Bill being the more optimistic and outgoing of the two, while Sam is more pessimistic and introverted. Despite their differences, the two men become friends and decide to work together to make a living. They come up with a plan to make money by selling goods from the boat, but their plan is quickly foiled when they are arrested for stealing. After being released from jail, the two men decide to try their luck at gambling, but their luck runs out and they are soon back to square one. In the end, the two men realize that they are better off together than apart and decide to stay on the boat and make a living together. The story ends with the two men looking out at the river, content in their newfound friendship.
By W. W. Jacobs · First published 1843 · Genre: Humor, Fiction, Short Story · 4,727 words
First lines
Mrs. Scutts, concealed behind the curtain, gazed at the cab in uneasy amazement. The cabman clambered down from the box and, opening the door, stood by with his hands extended ready for any help that might be needed. A stranger was the first to alight, and, with his back towards Mrs. Scutts, seemed to be struggling with something in the cab. He placed a dangling hand about his neck and, staggering under the weight, reeled backwards supporting Mr. Scutts, whose other arm was round the neck of a third man. In a flash Mrs. Scutts was at the door.
"Oh, Bill!" she gasped. "And by daylight, too!"
What this Textopian page supports
Back to Back is listed on Textopian as a novel by W. W. Jacobs, dated 1843 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: W. W. Jacobs
- Date: 1843 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Fiction, Short Story, Literary Fiction
- Length: 4,727 words
- Structure: 1 section, 176 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Back to Back by W. W. Jacobs
- 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 Back to Back?
- How does this novel by W. W. Jacobs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The book is a humorous short story by W. W. Jacobs, known for his humorous writing style.
- Fiction — The book is a work of fiction, as it is a short story.
- Short Story — The book is a short story, as it is a relatively short work of fiction.
- Literary Fiction — The book is a work of literary fiction, as it is a short story written by a renowned author.
Tags
'ave · 'im · Humorous stories · Short stories · bag · bed · closed · club · colour · coming · company · day