GOING PLACES

A R BARTON

Prepared by
Raksha Soni
PGT English
KV No.1, Ajmer
About The Story

The story “Going Places” is a dream journey which every adolescent

undertakes. It is natural for youngsters to indulge in fantasising and hero-
worship when they are on the verge of forging ahead in life and choosing a
career for themselves. They idolize successful people and dream of
following their footsteps. Their dreams drive them away from the
harsh realities of life, but when this fact dawns on them, it
becomes difficult for them to come to terms with life.

Sophie, the central character in the story and an adolescent, also lives in
her pipe dreams. She belongs to a lower middle class family but dreams of
making it big. She dreams of setting up a boutique after completing her
school. It would be the best boutique and it would be visited by celebrities.
She tries to live her dream by cooking up the story of her meeting with
Danny Casey, an Irish soccer player outside Royce’s, a designer store. She
even talks about her next meeting with him when he would give her
autograph. Sophie tries to make her dream a reality by waiting for him,
knowing fully well that he will not come. Even the Knowledge of the stark
reality within her does not deter (stop) her from making her journey in and
out of her dreams.
Theme
‘If dreams were horses, beggars would ride.
‘The story “Going Places” centres around a similar theme. Dreams and
fantasies are a natural and an integral part of our life. Without them life would
lose its meaning. They acquire a prominent place in the life of the adolescents
who view life as a bed of roses and spend most of their time in the world of
their dreams. These youngsters easily take to hero-worship hoping to make it
big in life like their heroes. They dream of their idols and fantasize about
them. Although in their heart of hearts they know the reality, they most often
do not want to accept it and try to turn their dreams into their reality.
The story also highlights the strength of family bonds and relationships. The
family is one anchor which supports you and helps you in times of need. Thus,
Sophie’s family tries its best to help her see reality. Her brother Geoff, with
whom she shares all her secrets and her friend Janise also help her, by not
rejecting her dreams, but by believing in her and wishing she came out of
them comfortably.
The story, ‘Going Places’, describes the aspirations and dreams of the youth
and the pain of unfilled promises and shattered dreams. It deals with the
complexities of human relationships along with the adolescent fantasising and
hero-worship.
Justification of Title
The title of the lesson is justified, as ‘Going Places’ is
an idiomatic expression meaning `to be
successful in one’s career.’ The lesson is about
Sophie’s wish and fantasy to come out of the
drudgery of belonging to the lower strata of
society and to go places. Sophie also goes
‘places’ in her fantasies.
It is a good thing to dream. However, dreams should be
realistic. Merely fantasising and daydreaming will cause
disillusionment. Unless one is hardworking and
persevering, mere dreams will only lead to
disappointment.
SOPHIE
• Sophie Sophie belonged to a poor family. She had a lot of
unfulfilled dreams. She wanted to own a boutique, she
wanted to be an actress, she wanted to be a fashion
designer and much more. She longed to be anything that
was beyond her reach. When she could not achieve them
she satisfied herself by telling lies and enjoying when
people believed her.
Sophie Tells a Lie
• After an interval Sophie came with another sophisticated
lie: She met Danny Casey, a popular football player from
Ireland now a distraction for theEnglish youth. As usual
she made her brother Geoff believe this story by
reminding him he was always the first one she told her
secrets.
 The Lie Spreads
Geoff took the story to their father and then proudly to his friends. The story
reached many and people started asking Sophie about her relations with their
great hero, Casey. They were also told that Sophie was to meet Danny in a park
on a certain day.
Lie or Truth?
Days passed and everyone forgot Sophie and her Casey. By this time the effect
of telling the lie continuously made Sophie believe her own lie. She could not
think of it in clear lights. In a way Sophie became the victim of her own
repeated lies.
Victim of a Lie
The Saturday on which Sophie was to meet Casey finally arrived. Sophie found
her walking to the park to meet Danny Casey. She sat there and began waiting
for Casey’s coming. Minutes ticked away and Danny delayed his coming.
Sophie’s excitement gave way to doubts. She began to doubt if he would really
come or not. She grew sad for his not coming. And then, when she thought the
other way, she realized that it was all a lie. Realization came to her. She saw
how big a burden it was for her to put herself in such a situation. She rose and
walked back.
Value Points.
❖ Sophie-poor, mediocre family
❖ Aspires to have a boutique; but no means, no resources
❖ Could become manage or an actress
❖ She is a day dreamer
❖ Wants to see the vast would
❖ Father does not permit
❖ Dreams of meeting Danny Casey
❖ Imagines meeting him in the arcade
❖ Extent of fantasy-feels she has really met him
❖ Tells her brother who doesn’t believe her
❖ Father feels it is another of her wild stories.
❖ She goes again to meet Danny but he doesn’t come.
❖ Imagines meeting him again in the arcade
Sophie protagonist in ‘Going Places’.
1. belongs to the weak socio-economic background.
2. doesn’t have a decent house.
3. distaste – absurd situation – incongruity.
4. escapes from her boring, working-class existence.
5. Sophie – romantic nature.
6. fond of hero worship and fantasizes meeting Irish player Danny
Casey.
7. so much obsessed with meaning-starts believing her
imagination as real.
8. nobody believes her-feels disappointed.
9. In her adolescent mind “fantasy and real world merge to an
extent – actually goes sits on a bench by canal waiting date to
show up.”
10. despondent and dejected – yet dreams on.
Jansie her friend simple – a sharp
contrast to Sophie’s romantic nature.
❖ practical-realistic-balanced-honest.
❖ wishes Sophie becomes sensible and
practical.
❖ tries to pull her back to reality-
earmarked to work in a biscuit factory.
❖ Cannot be trusted with secrets-gossips.
❖ Nosey
❖ Contented
Geoff
1. Symbolizing freedom for Sophie – brother.
2. apprentice mechanic.
3. dresses up shabbily, carelessly-not conscious of his good
looks.
4. understands the harsh realities of life adult.
5. independent-evasive-reserved-man of few works.
6. Sophie jealous of his silence.
7. keen desire to enter into the deep recesses of the mind.
8. imagines he goes to places she has never been.
9. meets exotic – interesting people.
10. Sophie trusts – shares secrets with him. Geoff – big fan
of Danny Casey.
Danny Casey
Young Irish football prodigy-brilliant player-celebrity-
playing for the English club United. Sophie’s hero figure.
Parent’s Outlook and Level of Indulgence
Sophie’s Dad
1. strong, very practical hardworking.
2. signs of labour reflected face.
3. humble living – years to make his family comfortable.
4. feels helpless due to the paucity of resources.
5. does not indulge in self-pity.
6. realistic does not humour Sophie for her concocted stories.
7. reminds her of their appalling living conditions.
8. makes the best of his life — weekly pilgrimage to watch
United.
Sophie’s Mother
1. bent-burden of household chores.
2. oblivious to comfort-needs.
3. suffers harsh realities of life.
4. sigh symbolic of suppressed desires.
5. upset on hearing rows.
Sophie belonged to the lower middle strata of
society.
❖ Father worked hard.
❖ His labour reflected on his face .
❖ Mother-bent-crooked burdened with household work
Brother Geoff-an apprentice mechanic.
❖ A small house-displayed humble living-dirty liven-the
room smelling of stone
❖ Janise-referred-ear marked for the biscuit factory
❖ When Sophie dreamt of having a boutique-father
❖ Reminded-poverty stricken family needed a decent house
❖ All indicators prove poor financial status.
Like Sophie
World of fantasy make you realize what you cannot
have in reality.
It is a way to escape from unpleasant or stressful
situations
Controlled daydreaming fosters imagination,
enhances creativity.
Like Janise
Daydreaming shuts one out of reality
Person becomes absentminded
One is able to achieve goals only when one lives in
reality and struggles.
ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1. The story ‘Going Places’ draws a beautiful contrast between fact
and fiction. Comment.
Ans. Barton’s story ‘Going Places’ takes us into the world of fantasy which offers
an escape from reality. Sophie’s character is a vivid portrayal and beautifully
brings out the contrast between fact and fiction. In reality, this young girl
belongs to a lower middle-class family that is struggling for survival. In her
dreams and fantasy, she becomes a part of a ‘glamorous world’.

Sophie is basically a dreamer who finds an escape route in her fantasies. She
dreams of buying a boutique one day and shares the thought with her friend
Jansie. Jansie is practical and realistic. She tries to make her see reality but
Sophie refuses to accept it and thinks that it would be easy for her to earn a lot
of money. She dreams of becoming a manager or an actress or a fashion
designer. In her dreams and fantasy world, Sophie dates Danny Casey, an
upcoming Irish football player. She tells her family about her imaginary
meeting with Danny making it seem so realistic and true. So much so, she even
makes them believe that she would be meeting him again.

In her dream world, she forgets her humble background, her small house;
Sophie ‘goes places’ only in her dreams that are far removed from reality. She is
a symbol for all adolescents who undertake a journey to the world of dreams.
Q2. Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie highlighting their
temperament and aspirations.
Ans. Sophie and Jansie are good friends. They also study together in school.
Both the girls belong to very humble and not very ‘well-off families. Both aspire
to become something in life. They are earmarked for work in a biscuit factory as
soon as they finish school. But both the girls are in sharp contrast as far as their
thoughts and temperament are concerned. While Sophie dreams of big and
beautiful things, Jansie has her feet firmly planted on the ground. She advises
Sophie to be sensible and not try to think beyond reality, but Sophie does not
listen. She wants to be a boutique owner, a fashion designer, an actress and a
manager, all in the same breath. She is a romantic dreamer who fantasizes
about the young Irish footballer Danny Casey.
Sophie in her dreams hero-worships Danny and describes her imaginary
meeting with him very vividly and looks forward to another meeting with him
shortly. She shares her secret with her brother Geoff, whom she is close with.
Jansie is a sharp contrast. She is practical and a realist. She has no far-fetched
dreams and remains close to reality. In the end, it is Sophie who gets a jolt but
that does not make her wiser. She becomes a victim of her own dreams and
disappointments.
Q3. Has Sophie met Danny Casey? What details of her
meeting with Danny Casey did she narrate to her
brother?
Ans. No, Sophie never met Danny Casey. It was one of her wild
imaginations that she met Danny Casey, of the football star. She
told her brother, Geoff, she met Danny Casey at the market
place at Royce’s window. When Geoff showed his disbelief, she
gave him Danny’s description. She told him that Danny Casey
had green gentle eyes and was not very tall. She said she wanted
to have his autograph but unfortunately none of them had a pen.
She had a conversation with Danny and found him to him very
lovely. Sophie said she was going for a date with Danny, the next
week.
Sophie’s imagination is so vivid that she creates each and every
minute detail and describes it to her brother so as to make him
believe her.
Q4.Sophie was a dreamer. The lesson ‘Going Places’ reminds us that
mere dreams will not help us to accomplish anything? What
qualities, do you think, would help Sophie to realise her dream?
Ans. Sophie represents a teenager who is lost in the world of
imagination. She was fond of daydreaming and, as a result, she
lost her touch with the reality of life.
She dreams to own a boutique, whereas she has no financial
background. She doesn’t accept the reality that she came from a
poor background. There is no harm in aiming high. One should be
ambitious in life. But along with aspirations, we must have clear
planning to achieve that goal. Sophie needs to be practical in her
life and analyse her situation. She should be hardworking and
determined to achieve what she wants in life. But only dreaming
doesn’t help. To succeed in life, actions are required. Sincere and
continuous efforts, along with a proper action plan, bring the
desired result. Sophie needs to be practical and patient to have her
dreams materialised.
Q5.It is normal for adolescents to fantasise and indulge
in hero-worship. How far is it true of Sophie?
Ans. Teenage is the time of hero-worship and fantasising. When
one finds a celebrity one starts admiring that person so much that
the celebrity becomes one’s hero and one starts fantasising about
him/her. A similar thing happened with Sophie. She liked Danny
Casey, the Irish football star. She used to go with her family to see
his match and was attracted by his personality. She liked Danny
Casey to the extent, she started fantasising about him. Her wild
imagination got converted into hallucination and she started
imagining to meet Danny Casey in person. She enjoyed this
fantasy so much that she went to the extent of going for a date
with Danny, who was her hero.
Sophie, in fact, represents an adolescent lost in the world of
fantasies and hero-worship.
Q6.Sophie lives in a world full of dreams which she
does not know she cannot realise. Comment.
Ans. No doubt Sophie lives in a world of dreams which she
cannot realise. She dreams of opening a boutique which requires
a lot of money. But the kind of family background she has, it is
not possible for her to have that many finances. Moreover, she
has high aspirations and very high esteem about herself. Despite
her poor socio-economic background, she doesn’t accept the idea
of working in a biscuit factory which is obvious for a girl of her
qualifications and background. Rather she believes that she
would get a job not less than that of a manager or would become
an actress.
Sophie, like any adolescent, indulges in daydreaming and fantasy
to the extent that she completely ignores the reality of her life.
Q7.Sophie always dreamt of a life of sophistication and
elegance.

Her brother Geoff was very close to her and she used to confide in
him. Geoff used to speak less and Sophie believed that he had his
own world in which he was moving and which was far away. She
wanted to be part of that world. She imagined being introduced to
that glorious world by her brother as she believed her to be most
suited for that. She believed that one day she would accompany
Geoff to the world which was waiting for her. Geoff in his black
leather and she in her elegant yellow dress would be welcomed by
the people in that world with a standing ovation and applause.
Sophie, as per her habit, is dreaming of a world of elegance and
sophistication for which she believed herself to be most suitable.
Q8.What made Sophie imagine her meeting with Danny Casey?
What does it tell us about her life and her relationship with her
family?

Ans. Sophie is a young girl who lives in her world of imagination. Like
adolescents, she dreams of unbelievable and far-fetched things. Though she
belongs to a lower middle-class family, she fantasises a world of
sophistication. She has seen Danny Casey playing and has started hero-
worshipping him. She not only imagines talking to him but also goes all the
way to have an imaginary date with him. In fact, it was her longing and
dreaming to be part of an exotic world. Her family knows very well about
her imaginary world and always tries to draw her away. Her father never
believed in her stories and says, ‘One day you are going to talk yourself into
a load of trouble’. Even her younger brother Derek says She thinks money
grows on trees when Sophie is fantasising about opening a boutique. Her
elder brother Geoff also does not believe in her story about Danny Casey
initially. This clearly shows that except for her elder brother
Geoff, Sophie doesn’t connect well with her family.
Q9.‘I can see the future and now I will have to live with this burden’,
says Sophie. What is the burden being referred to? What light does
it throw on Sophie’s life?
Ans. Sophie lives in her world of imagination. She tells her brother that she
met football star Danny Casey in the arcade outside Royce and would be going
for a date with him. Her father does not believe that she has met Danny Casey.
Geoff though believes in her meeting, warns her that Danny Casey is a popular
star and has many girlfriends.

Sophie has probably meet Danny Casey and exchanged a few words and asked
for an autograph. It is just the imagination that Sophie fantasises to have a
date with Danny Casey. When Danny does not show up for the date, Sophie
faced a dilemma of having to uphold the fact that she has really met Danny
Casey. She is aware that nobody would believe her. She is deeply sad at the
realisation that her life was not going to change.
Her life of poverty would not change into the glamorous world of
her dreams. This is a heavy burden for her. She finds it very
difficult to cope with her reality.
VALUE BASED QUESTIONS
Q1. Sophie lives in her fantasies. Many girls today daydream and their
daydreaming merges into reality. Write an article of 120-150 words on the
dangers of daydreaming.
Ans. Going Places is a story of unrealistic dreams and how we love to
indulge in them knowing all the while that they have little possibility of
coming true. Sophie goes places in her dreams. Sophie merges her reality
with her dreams. She makes up a story of how she met Danny Casey, an
Irish football player, whom she had seen playing in a lot of matches.
Sophie gets so involved in the story that it merges with reality and she
starts waiting for the Irish player.
Obviously, he does not arrive and then reality hits her. Fantasy is a
pleasant relief at times but when it takes a serious turn it may prove
disastrous.
Dreams help us aim higher and they must be pursued. Hard work and a
touch of reality can help each one of us move closer to achieving what we
dream. However, if we merely dream as Sophie does, we will only face
disappointment.
Sophie’s dreams are all connected to the world of glamour. Many
children today aspire for things beyond their means. What values
need to be inculcated in children so that they learn to be better
human beings and not purely materialistic?
Ans. Going Places recounts the pangs of a growing adolescent girl Sophie.
Sophie dreams of opening a boutique, becoming an actress or a fashion
designer. Her friend Jansie reminds Sophie that she would need money for all
that and saving for something like that would take a long time.
Sophie is very fond of her brother Geoff who is reticent and carries an air of
mystery which intrigues her. She felt that when he was silent, he was
journeying through unknown exotic and unknown places which were beyond
her reach. Geoff symbolises a pathway to a world of sophistication and
excitement, a world which was beyond her. She wants to be a part of that
world.
Many youngsters are drawn to the world of materialism and glamour, thanks
to the media and sometimes peer pressure. It is important to be practical and
to be realistic. If we run after things that we cannot afford, it will lead to
disillusionment. We should work hard and strike a balance so that we are able
to achieve what we aspire for.
The theme of the story ‘Going Places’ is adolescent fantasy and hero-
worship. Every teenager has some or the other hero in his/her life. Based on
your reading of the story, write an article on the topic: ‘Are teenagers
justified in their act of hero-worship’.
Ans. Hero-worship’ is a very common phenomenon in teenagers. They
idolise, even literally worship their herds or role models. A huge crowd
gathered outside the studios and stadia to take pictures or autographs of the
celebrity film stars or sports stars. No doubt it is good to admire and
appreciate these achievers, but there must be some limit. The fans should
not waste their time because adolescence is the time when the foundation of
the success of life is laid in the form of career.
Moreover, aping and doing what they see their stars doing is not to give
them any benefit. In that way, adolescents just waste their time and
resources. In fact, teenagers should select their role model very carefully
and should have self-control and determination. They should imbibe all the
good qualities of these heroes and try to be like them by putting in their
sincere efforts. They should plan out their career and set their priorities.
They must have some inspiring people as their role models to make their
lives meaningful.