The Address Summary Class 11th English

The story The Address is all about the human predicament that follows the war. The story
narrates how a daughter goes to her native place in Holland in search of her mother’s
belongings after the war.

At the beginning of the story, it is narrated how the protagonist was given a cold reception
when she went to her native place after the war in search of her mother’s belongings. After
ringing the bell of House Number 46 in Marconi Street, a woman opened the door. On being
introduced, the woman kept staring at her in silence. There was no sign of recognition on
her face. The woman was wearing her mother’s green knitted cardigan. The narrator could
understand that she had made no mistake. She asked the woman whether she knew her
mother. The woman could not deny this.

The narrator wanted to talk to her for some time. But the woman cautiously closed the door.
The narrator stopped there for some time and then left the place. In the subsequent
sections, the memories of the narrator’s bygone days come to light. Her mother had
provided the address years ago during the war. She went to the home for a few days. She
could find that various things were missing. At that time her mother told her about Mrs
Dorling. She happened to be an old acquaintance of the narrator’s mother. Lately, she had
renewed contact with her and had been coming there regularly. Every time she left their
house she took something home with her. She told that she wanted to save all their nice
possessions. The next day the narrator saw Mrs. Dorling going out of their house with a
heavy suitcase. She had a fleeting glimpse of Mrs. Dorling’s face. She asked her mother
whether the woman lived far away. At that time the narrator’s mother told about the
address: Number 46, Marconi Street. After many days the after the war, the narrator was
curious to take record of the possessions that must still be at Number 46, Marconi Street.
With this intention, she went to the given address. The concluding part of the story
describes the second visit of the narrator. As the narrator’s first visit yielded no result so she
planned to go once again. Interestingly, a girl of fifteen opened the door to her. Her mother
was not at home.
The narrator expressed her wish to wait for her. The girl accompanied her to the passage.
The narrator saw an old fashioned iron candle holder hanging next to a mirror. The girl
made her sit in the living room and went inside. The narrator was horrified to find herself in
a room she knew and did not know. She found herself in the midst of familiar things which
she longed to see again but which troubled her in the strange atmosphere. She had no
courage to look around her. But she no longer had the desire to possess them. She got up,
walked to the door, and left the room. She resolved to forget the address and moved on.

The Address Class 11 summary in hindi

ले खिका के बारे में :

मार्गा मिनको (जन्म 31 मार्च 1920) एक डच पत्रकार और ले खक हैं । उसका असली उपनाम मे न्को था, ले किन एक अधिकारी ने
गलती से पहला स्वर बदल दिया और तभी से इनका नाम मीनको हो गया।

जीवनी
गिने केन में एक रूढ़िवादी यहद
ू ी परिवार में जन्मीं, मिनको ने 1938 में ब्रेडशे कौरं ट पर एक प्रशिक्षु पत्रकार के रूप में काम
करना शु रू किया।

द्वितीय विश्व यु द्ध के शु रुआती हिस्से में मिनोको ब्रेडा, अमर्सफोर्ट और एम्स्टर्डम में रहती थी। उन्होंने तपे दिक के एक हल्के
रूप का अनु बंध किया और यूट्रेक्ट और एमर्सफोर्ट में अस्पतालों में उनका इलाज हुआ। 1942 की शरद ऋतु में वह एम्स्टर्डम
और अपने माता-पिता के पास लौट आईं, जिन्हें जर्मन व्यवसायियों ने शहर के यहद ू ी क्वार्टर में जाने के लिए मजबूर किया था।

बाद में यु द्ध में , मिनको के माता-पिता, उसका भाई और उसकी बहन सभी को निर्वासित कर दिया गया, ले किन खु द को गिरफ़्तार
करने से बचने के लिए उसने बाकी यु द्ध को छुपाने में बिताया और वह परिवार का एकमात्र उत्तरजीवी थी। उसे एक नया नाम,
मार्गा फेसे स भी मिला, जिसका पहला भाग उसने उपयोग करना जारी रखा।

मिनको ने कवि और अनु वादक बर्ट वोते न (जिनकी 1992 में मृ त्यु हो गई) से शादी की, जिनसे वह 1938 में मिले थी और जिनके
साथ वह यु द्ध के दौरान छिप गयी थी। यु द्ध के बाद, उन्होंने कई समाचार पत्रों और पत्रिकाओं पर काम किया। उनकी दो
बे टियां हैं , जिनमें से एक ले खक जे सिका वे टेन हैं ।

SUMMARY BEGINS

यह कहानी बताती है कि यु द्ध के बाद एक बे टी अपनी मां के सामान की तलाश में हॉलैं ड में अपने मूल स्थान पर कैसे जाती है ।

कहानी की शु रुआत में , यह बताया गया है कि कैसे ले खक का उसकी माँ के सामान की तलाश में यु द्ध के बाद उसके मूल स्थान पर
जाने पर उसका स्वागत किया गया। मार्कोनी स्ट् रीट में हाउस नं बर 46 की घं टी बजाने के बाद, एक महिला ने दरवाजा खोला।

परिचय किये जाने पर, महिला चु पचाप उसे घूरती रही। उसके चे हरे पर पहचान का कोई निशान नहीं था। महिला ने अपनी मां के
हरे रं ग का बु ना हुआ कार्डिगन पहना हुआ था। कथाकार समझ सकता है कि उसने कोई गलती नहीं की थी। उसने महिला से
पूछा कि क्या वह इसकी मां को जानती है । महिला इस बात से इनकार नहीं कर सकती थी।
ले खिका कुछ समय के लिए उससे बात करना चाहती थी। ले किन महिला ने जल्दी से दरवाजा बं द कर दिया। कथावाचक वहां
कुछ दे र के लिए रुक गयी और फिर वहां से निकल गयी। इसके बाद के खं डों में , कथाकार के बीते दिनों की यादें प्रकाश में आती
हैं । उसकी मां ने यु द्ध के दौरान वर्षों पहले पता प्रदान किया था। वह कुछ दिनों के लिए घर चली गई।

उसने दे खा की गहर की विभिन्न चीजें गायब थीं। उस समय उसकी माँ ने उसे श्रीमती डार्लिं ग के बारे में बताया। वह ले खिका
की माँ की पुरानी परिचित थी। हाल ही में , उसने उसके साथ सं पर्क नवीनीकृत किया था और नियमित रूप से वहाँ आती रही थी।
हर बार जब वह ले खिका के घर से जाती तो वह अपने साथ कुछ घर ले जाती। उसने बताया कि वह अपनी सभी अच्छी सं पत्ति
बचाना चाहती थी।

अगले दिन कथावाचक ने दे खा कि श्रीमती डार्लिं ग एक भारी सूटकेस के साथ अपने घर से बाहर जा रही हैं । उसे श्रीमती
डार्लिं ग के चे हरे की क्षणभं गुर झलक मिली। उसने अपनी मां से पूछा कि क्या वह महिला बहुत दरू रहती है । उस समय
कथावाचक की मां ने पते के बारे में बताया: नं बर 46, मार्कोनी स्ट् रीट। यु द्ध के कई दिनों बाद, कथाकार के पास इस बात का
रिकॉर्ड रखने के लिए उत्सु क था कि अभी भी 46 नं बर, मार्कोनी स्ट् रीट में होना चाहिए।

इस इरादे से , वह दिए गए पते पर गई। कहानी का समापन भाग कथाकार की दस ू री यात्रा का वर्णन करता है । जै सा कि
कथाकार की पहली यात्रा का कोई परिणाम नहीं निकला, इसलिए उसने एक बार फिर जाने की योजना बनाई। दिलचस्प है,
पं दर् ह की एक लड़की ने उसके लिए दरवाजा खोला। उसकी मां घर पर नहीं थी।

कथावाचक ने उसकी प्रतीक्षा करने की इच्छा व्यक्त की। लड़की उसके साथ कमरे में चली गई। कथावाचक ने एक पुराने जमाने
के लोहे के मोमबत्ती धारक को एक दर्पण के बगल में लटका हुआ दे खा। लड़की ने उसे लिविं ग रूम में बै ठाया और अं दर चली
गई।

कथाकार खु द को एक ऐसे कमरे में पाकर भयभीत था जिसे वह जानता था और नहीं जानता था। वह खु द को परिचित चीजों के
बीच में पाती है जिसे वह फिर से दे खने के लिए तरसती है ले किन जो उसे परे शान करती है । उसके आसपास दे खने की उसकी
हिम्मत नहीं थी। ले किन उसे अब उनके पास रखने की इच्छा नहीं थी। वह उठी, और घर से बहार चली गयी। उसने एड् रेस भूलने
की ठान ली और आगे बढ़ गई।

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:

The quoted statement indicates that the two families knew each other. When the war was going on some people left their
homes to take refuge in distant lands. Few people who remained there thought that those people who had left their land
would never come back. That is why the woman feels surprised to see one of them returning back. Usually people care
more for material things than for human beings. But it cannot be said of all human beings. The narrator and her mother were
totally different in their nature. They were trusting and loving human beings. Thus, the given statement gives some clue
about the story.
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:

The story, “The Address” is divided into pre-war and post-war times. There are clear indications of the hardships which the
narrator, a young girl, had to undergo during these times. The girl came from a rich family. The family had a lot of valuable
belongings. Then the war broke out. Mrs. Dorling renewed her contact and started visiting their house. She took away all
their possessions on the ground that she wanted to save all their nice things in case they had to leave the place. After the
war was over. Things became almost normal. Now the girl was living all alone in a rented house. She wanted to meet Mrs.
Dorling and ask for the valuables. When she went to meet Mrs. Dorling she found that Mrs. Dorling was using her mother’s
things recklessly. Suddenly, she lost interest in the things that had belonged to a connection that no longer existed. She
decided to leave it all behind and resolved to move on.
Question 3:

Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Answer:

The narrator went to the house of the lady who had kept many valuable items of her mother during the war days. The
address of the lady helped her in searching out the house of the lady. But now she wanted to forget the address as after
visiting the house of the lady she found how the belongings of her mother were kept in a strange manner. These had lost all
their emotional value for the narrator. The narrator now lived in a small rented room. She had no place to keep all these
things. The lady treated her very insolently. She even refused to recognise her. She did not let her come into the house.
That was why she wanted to forget that address.
Question 4:

‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment

Answer:

The phenomenon of war brings lot of suffering for human beings. It brings with it death and destruction. It kills the feelings of
love and sympathy. The story Address is based on this theme. The narrator’s mother leaves all her valuable things with an
acquintance during the war. The mother dies and many years later, the narrator comes to the woman to have a look at her
mother’s belongings. But the woman shows no human feelings towards her. Rather, she behaves in a very hard hearted
manner. She doesnot even let the narrator come in and sit a while. She closes the door. Thus, we find that war leaves the
world desolate not only on the physical level but also on the emotional and spiritual level.

Extra Q/A

What was the narrator in the story the address in search of and why?

The narrator was in search of her mother’s household things such as the cutlery, silver ware, crockery, antique pieces, etc,
which her mother had given to Mrs. Dorling to take care of before they ran away for safety reasons during the war. Now, the
war had ended. Life had returned to normalcy. She had come back to her native city. She needed those things back;
besides she felt emotionally connected to her mother’s things. Those things had become very important to her after her
mother’s death. So, she wanted to repossess those things.

2.The address is a short story of human predicament that follows war. Comment.

It is true ‘The Address’ is a short story highlighting human predicament that follows war. The story beautifully delineates the
pain, anguish, and mental torture of the survivors of war. The narrator, Margo Minco, a Jew, returned back to her native city
after the War was over. She had already suffered many losses, including the irreparable loss of her dear mother. After the
war, she faced the loneliness and challenges alone. She went to Mrs. Dorling to get her mother’s cutlery, crockery, utensils,
and other household things; Mrs. Dorling’s cold, indifferent and discouraging behavior further depressed her. Finally she
decided to leave her mother’s things and forget them forever.

3.How did the narrator come to know about Mrs. Dorling and the address where she lived?

The narrator's mother must have given Mrs Dorling's address to the narrator before her death. She must also have told the
narrator that she was the same lady whom she had seen taking the household articles such as cutlery, upholstery, furniture,
etc, during her vacation from school. Besides, she had meticulously kept the address given to her by her mother. She had
looked at the address so many times she had memorized it.  After the war was over, the first thing the narrator did was visit
Mrs Dorling to take her mother’s belongings back.
4.What did the cutlery used by Mrs.Dorling's daughter remind the narrator?

The cutlery used by Mrs Dorling actually belonged to the narrator's mother. She had been its caretaker during the war when
the narrator along with her mother had to flee to save their life. After the war when the narrator went to see Mrs Dorling, she
saw her mother's belongings at Mrs Dorling's house. When she saw the cutlery she relived the memory of the day when her
mother had once asked her to polish the same cutlery. The sight of the cutlery filled her with emotions.

5.Compare and contrast the character of Mrs Dorling and Mrs S

Mrs Dorling was a greedy woman who did not return the belongings to the narrator. She herself had offered to take Mrs S's
things to her home to take care of them as long as they would be away. Mrs S had  entrusted the task of taking care of her
things before leaving to save their life from Nazi soldiers. After the war when the narrator returned, and went to her house to
take her mother's things back, she did not welcome her with a smile. She kept her standing at the door, and asked her to
come some other day. Her selfish, inconsiderate and avaricious behavior hurt the already hurt narrator. Her intentions of
misappropriating the author's mother's goods were quite clear.

Mrs S was a great Jew woman who became victim of war. She had been living peacefully in Holland with her daughter, the
author when they had to leave in hurry to save their life. Mrs S was a perfect homemaker. She had an admirable collection
of household things such as crockery, cutlery, and upholstery. She took meticulous care of them, and often cleaned them.
Mrs S had given her precious and expensive household things to Mrs Dorling with the intention of taking them back after the
war was over. The unfortunate Mrs S didn't live long enough to go back to Holland, and claim her things back from Mrs
Dorling.