Question.1: Have you come back? said the woman. I thought that no one had come back.

Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it? Answer: Yes, the words of this statement made by Mrs. Dorling to the narrator give us many clues about the story. The given statement shows how the war caused devastation in the lives of the people of Holland. During the pre-war times and when the war was not in its full fury, Mrs. Dorling visited Mrs. S, the narrators mother frequently. Mrs. Dorling used to exploit her fears and insecurity. After each visit she took awayantiques and other valuable items from the narrators mother assuring her that she would keep those things safe during the war. Mrs. S trusted her to take care of the valuables while the narrator was not convinced of Mrs. Dorlings intentions. The narrator and her mother, Mrs. S had to leave Holland to save their lives during the war. After the war was over, Mrs. S was dead. The narrator came back and went to Mrs. Dorlings addre ss in search of her mothers belongings. Mrs. Dorling was shocked and surprised to see narrator standing at her door when she made the above statement. Mrs. Dorlingsstatement clearly proves she knew the narrator already although she refused to recognize her. Rather she behaved rudely and unfriendly. This particular behaviour of Mrs. Dorling towards the narrator reveals her uncharitable,unfaithful nature and reluctance to return Mrs. Ss belongings to her daughter, which she had been using all these years. Question.2: The story is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times? Answer: (Not important question for Exam pt. of view) Question.3: Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address? Answer: Once the war was over the narrator went to Mrs. Dorlings address in search of her mothers belongings. But the woman pretended not to recognize her. Nor does she show any intention of returning the things which she had taken from the narrators mother. The narrator was shocked to see the nicebelongings of her mother lying unceremoniously in unpleasant surroundings in Mrs. Dorlings house. She felt nostalgic and resolved that she would not try to possess them. Their true owner was no longer in this world and the things seemed to have lost their worth. She felt that it was better to forget the address of the uncharitable Mrs. Dorling, which symbolizes a tragic past. Question.4: The Address is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment. Answer: War brings with it death and destruction. Marga Mincos short story The Address describes human predicament that follows war. War in Holland had caused an upheaval in the lives of its people. People lost their lives, properties and homes. Mrs. S too was a victim of war. Even before the warwas in its full fury, Mrs. S felt insecure and afraid of losing her home and valuables. Her situation was exploited by her acquaintance Mrs. Dorling, who took away the valuable items and antiques assuring that she would keep them safe until the war was over. In fact, Mrs. Dorling had no intentions of returning the valuables as she was sure that Mrs. S and her family would not survivethe war. So when the narrator, Mrs. Ss daughter, went to Mrs. Dorlings house to claim those articles to which her mothers precious memories were associated, she became surprised to see the narrator, at her address, 46 Marconi Street and even pretended not to recognize her. The narrator was shocked to see the nice belongings of her mother lying unceremoniously in unpleasant surroundings in Mrs. Dorlings house. She felt nostalgic and the things appeared to have lost their worth in absence of their true owner. Therefore, she decided to leave those things and forget the address forever.

Thus the story presents the upheaval in the lives of the narrator and her mother caused by the war. The story shows how war brings a dehumanizing effect on human beings. It kills the finer feelings of love and sympathy. It makes man cruel and selfish. Question 1.Why did the narrator go to Number 46, Marconi Street? Answer: This was the address of Mrs. Dorling, the woman who had carried the valuable items from the narrators mother to her home giving assurance to keep them in her safe custody during war time. Before dying narrators mother gave this address to the narrator. So the narrator went there to claim the belongings of her mother. Question 2. "I was in a room I knew and did not know", says the narrator in the story 'The Address'. What prompted her to make this observation? Answer: The narrator found her in the midst of things she was familiar with and which she did not want to see again. However, she found these things in a strange atmosphere where everything was lying in a tasteless manner. The ugly furniture and the muggy smell created the feeling as if, she did not know the room. Question 3. "Of all the things I had to forget, that would be the easiest." What does the speaker mean by that? What is its significance in the story? Answer: The word "That" here stands for the address of Mrs. Dorling i.e., Number 46 Marconi Street. The story moves around the address which is also the title of the story. It is significant because, the address was very important for the narrator in the beginning of the story although, at the end she resolves to forget it as she wants to break off with the painful past and move on with the present into the future. Question 4. Who is Mrs. Dorling? Do you justify her behaviour in the story? Answer: Mrs. Dorling is an acquaintance of Mrs. S, the narrators mother. In the story Mrs. Dorling exploits Mrs. Ss fears and insecurity during the war. She insists Mrs. S and took away all her valuable things after giving assurance that she would keep them safe until the war was over. In fact, Mrs. Dorling had no intentions of returning the valuables as she was sure that Mrs. S and her family would not survive the war. So when the narrator, Mrs. Ss daughter, went to Mrs. Dorlings house to claim those articles to which her mothers precious memories were associated, she even pretended not to recognize her. In stead of returning those articles to the narrator, she shamelessly used them which actually belonged to the narrators mother and also behaved rudely to the narrator. So, in the context of the above Mrs. Dorlings behaviour can not be justified.

Question 5. Why did the narrator of the story The Address feel that she had rung the wrong bell? How was she then assured that she was at the right place? Answer: When the narrator rung the door bell, a woman appeared half-hidden by the door. She refused to recognize the narrator even though she was told that the narrator was Mrs. Ss daughter. This made the narrator think that she had rung the wrong bell.

But the woman remarked Have you come back? I thought that no one had come back. indicated her recognizing the narrator. Also when the narrator saw the lady wearing her mothers knitted green cardigan, the narrator got assured that the lady was Mrs. Dorling and she was at the right place. Question 6. Comment on the significance of the title of the story 'The Address'. OR, Justify the title of the short storyThe Address. Answer: Marga Minco very aptly titled the story 'The Address'. The narrator and her mother were victims of war. They had to flee from their house leaving all their nice belongings with Mrs. Dorling after getting an assurance from her for the safe custody of those things during the war. The narrators mother had told the address of Mrs. Dorling 46, Marconi Street to her daughter before she died during the war. When the war was over the narrator came back and went to Mrs. Dorlings address in search of those 'nice things' with which the fond memories of her mother were associated. But when the narrator reached there, she found all those things were lying in a very tasteless manner. Mrs. Dorling even pretends not to recognize her nor did she show any intention of returning those articles which she was using shamelessly. Sadly then the narrator feels this address has no meaning at all as the precious memories of the true owner were no longer cherished at their new address. The narrator in the end resolves to forget 46, Marconi Street forever. Hence, the title The Address is quite appropriate and bears a definite meaning for the story.