The Address

Class 11th
Answer the following questions
Q 1 "Have you come back? Said the woman. I thought that no one had come back". Does this
statement give some clues about the story question mark if yes what is it?
Ans. The coated statement gives us a clue about the story. It means that the two families were
acquaintances who knew each other and were nearby. During the war were many families left
the land to take refuge in another place while some of the family state back at the same place to
stop Mrs Dorling thought that the family of MRS s died during the war and that was why she
gave such a cold reaction to the girl who gave to visit her.
Q2. The story is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think the girl
underwent during these times?
Ans. The story is based on the pre-war and the post-war period. The family of the girl was rich
before the war and had valuable possessions in their house. When the war started Mrs dorling
established contact with them and started visiting them again. She started taking the
possessions with her whenever she would visit as she believed if they leave the place such
things should not be wasted. The girl suffered a lot , the mother died and she had to live in a
rented place. She found it really difficult to go back to the place where her childhood was spent
and she wanted her belongings back. When she went to meet Mrs Dorling she noticed how the
things were arranged in a tasteless manner. She could no longer connect to them and she lost
her interest in them and partly she was afraid full stop the girl finally decided to leave the house
and forget the address.
Q3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Ans. Mrs dorling kept the valuable items in her house until the war was over as she didn't want
them to lose during the war in case they decided to leave the place. Her mother gave her the
address of MRS dorling 46 Marconi Street. She remembered the address and decided to visit
her anyway. She was afraid to visit the place again as it brought back many past memories.
When she saw all the positions, they were arranged in a tasteless manner and she lost interest
in them. She could not connect with the things as she thought that she would not stay at the
house any longer. She would destroy the good memories she had with those items. She finally
decided to forget the address and not to go back to that place.
Q4. The address is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment
Ans. The war always brings a lot of suffering to human beings full stop; it brings them both
destruction and death. The address is based on the same theme. During the war, all the
belongings taken by Mrs Dorling had promised to keep them safe. the mother of the
protagonist died and all the possessions were left with the acquaintance. Years later the girl
decided to visit the house whose address was given by her mother years ago. The women
showed no sympathy to her and took the time to even recognize her. She thought everyone in
the family had died. The girl wanted to take back her belongings.she didn't allow the girl to enter
the house. She seemed like a woman who didn't have any human emotions. So the wall leaves
the world desolated and it cannot be healed.
Q5. Describe the narrator's first post war meeting with Mrs dorling.
Ans. When the narrator knocked at Mrs dorling 200 and introduced herself as Mrs s daughter
Mrs dorling showed no sign of recognition. She held the door in a way making clear that the
narrator was not welcome. For some time she stared quietly at the narrator at which she felt that
it was not a person that she had been looking for. When Mrs Dorling let her in, the narrator
noticed her wearing earrings and her mother green knitted cardigan. the lady saw her looking at
the Cardigan and hid partially behind the door. When the narrator mentioned her mother she
said that she had thought that none of the people left had come back. The lady Expressed
regret at her inability to do anything for her but the narrator insisted on talking to her having
come all the way for it. However the lady refused to talk to her, claiming it was not a convenient
time coma the narrator had no options but to leave.
Q6. Contrast the character of the narrator's mother and Mrs dorling.
And. The narrator's mother was a trusting woman. She told her daughter about Mrs dorling an
old acquaintance who had suddenly turned up and renewed their contact and since then had
been a regular visitor. The mother did not doubt her kindness and was obliged that she insisted
on taking all her nice things with her to save them. The mother was worried about Mrs Dorling
getting a Creek on her back from carrying the crockery and lagging the large base. When the
narrator showed her scepticism she was annoyed.
On the other hand Mrs Dorling was opportunistic. She renewed her contract primary to take the
antique things the narrator's mother owned. When the narrator came back after years she made
her feel and welcome as she did not wish to part with the things that had belonged to the
narrator's mother. She was rude and abused the narrator and did not allow her to enter the
house.
Q7. Describe the narrator's second visit to Mrs dorling place.
Ans. On her second visit, a girl of about 15 let the narrator in and she noticed an old-fashioned
ions anokha candle holder that belonged to them. In the living room, there was this man. The
room had a strange stressful effect on the atmosphere,the tasteless way everything was
arranged, the ugly furniture or the muggy smell that hung there. She noticed the woollen
tablecloth and recalled the burn mark on it that had never been repaired. When the girl put cups
on the tea table and poured tea from the teapot with a golden border on the lid and the pewter
plate these things clouded her mind with strange emotions. The narrator noticed various things
that brought back memories of the past. The narrator rushed out for her train as the girl went to
get their cutlery. As the narrator walked out she heard jingling of spoons and forks.
Answer the following questions in short
Q1 Where had the narrator come? Why was she back?
Ans. The narrator is a Dutch Jew , who had to leave Holland during the second world war. She
had left along with her mother for safety. Now she was back to where her past things lay. She
wanted to see and touch her belongings in order to relive those memories.
Q2. Whom did the narrator desire to meet in Holland? Why?
Ans. The narrator was told by her mother to remember number 46 Marconi Street where Mrs
dorling lift, she had insisted on keeping their things safely till the war was over. After the war II
the narrator was curious about their possessions that they were still at that address and she
went to meet Mrs dorling.
Q.3 What kind of a welcome did the narrator get from Mrs dorling?
Ans Mrs dorling was cold and indifferent and evidently displeased to see the author. in fact she
tried to prevent her from entering by blocking her entrance. Later she said it was not convenient
for her to talk to the narrator at that point of time and refused to meet her.
Q.4 when did the narrator first learn about the existence of MRS dorling?
Ans. The narrator recalled the time when she was home during the first half of the war. She
noticed that various things were missing. Her mother then told her about Mrs dorling , an old
acquaintance who renewed their contact and came regularly ,each time carrying away some of
their belongings.
Q.5 What was the narrator's mother's opinion about Mrs Dorling ?
Ans. The narrator's mother considered Mrs dorling A benevolent lady, who strives to save their
nice things by carrying some of them away each time she visits. The narrator's mother was
unable to see through the lady who wished to cheat her out of her valuables, instead she felt
grateful to Mrs dorling.
Q6. What did the narrator recall about her first meeting with Mrs dorling
Ans. the narrator saw Mrs dorling for the first time on the morning after the day she came to
know about her. Coming downstairs, she saw her mother about to see someone out.it was a
woman, dressed in a brown coat and a shapeless hat with a broad back she nodded and picked
up the suitcase.
Q7 Why did the narrator return to Marconi Street after a long time?
Ans the narrator returned to Marconi Street after a long time because in the beginning after the
liberation she was not interested in all that stored stuff. She had lost her mother and was also
afraid of being confronted with things that remained as a painful reminder to their past.
Q 8 explain" I stopped, horrified. I was in a room I knew and I did not know."
Ans when the narrator went to Mrs dorling house the second time, a girl of about 15 left her in.
She saw familiar things but arranged differently that lent on film familiarity to the surroundings.
She found herself surrounded by things that she wanted to see again but which had really
oppressed her in that strange atmosphere.
Q 9 why did the narrator not want to remember the place?
Ans the narrator primarily returns for the sake of memories that were linked to the things that
had once belonged to her mother. However she realised the objects linked in her memory with
the familiar life that she had once lived lost their value as they had been removed and put in
strange surroundings.