NCERT English Class 11 | Chapter 2 | The Address | Question Answer |

READING WITH INSIGHT                                                                                PAGE 15

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, this sentence reveals some information about the plot. Mrs Dorling had moved the key items of her acquaintance, Mrs S., from her residence to 46 Marconi Street during the early part of the war. Table silver dishes, antique plates, and other wonderful items like the iron Hanukkah candle holder, woollen table cloth, and green knitted sweater with wooden buttons were among them. Mrs Dorling did not expect anyone to return to recover her valuable possessions after Mrs S. died during the war since she assumed no one else knew her address.

Mrs Dorling's selfish and possessive attitude is revealed in this statement. She didn't open the door or exhibit any signals of familiarity with the daughter of a previous acquaintance. She refused to let the young lady in. She declined to see her at the time, claiming that it was inconvenient for her. The narrator had come to this address with a definite goal in mind: to look through her mother's stuff.

Mrs Dorling's broad back did not soften even when she told her that she was the only one who had returned. As a result, the aforementioned statement alluded to a conflict of interests.

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 narrator resided in a different city far away from home during the prewar period, and she only visited her mother for a few days. During the first part of the war, the narrator's mother was always concerned that they would be forced to flee the area and lose all of their prized possessions. The storyteller resided in a little rented room in the city. Blackout material was used to cover the windows. Outside her window, she couldn't glimpse the beauty of nature. The threat of death was quite real.

Everything returned to normal after the release. The bread was becoming lighter in colour. She didn't have to worry about dying in her bed. Every day, she could look out the window of her room. She was excited to view all of her mother's belongings, which she knew were stored at number 46, Marconi Street, one day. She travelled to that location. Mrs Dorling did not recognise her and refused to let her in, which disappointed her. She invited her to return at a later date. She was clearly attempting to irritate her. Her want to see, touch, and remember her mother's belongings was strong. As a result, she had to go through the trouble of returning to the location.

3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?

Answer: The only time the narrator remembered the address her mother had given her was when she was a child. Marconi Street was number 46. Mrs Dorling, a friend of her mother's, lived there. She had kept the narrator's mother's prized possessions there. The narrator was compelled to visit the location after her mother died. She wanted to see, touch, and remember those things. She made two trips to the listed address. In her second effort to enter the living room, she was successful.

She found herself in the midst of things she wished she could revisit. In the unusual environment, she felt stifled. Everything was put together in an unappealing manner. The ugliness of the furnishings, as well as the humid odour that pervaded the space, appeared to be rather unpleasant. These artefacts invoked memories of a more familiar life in the past. However, since they had been separated from her mother and placed in new surroundings, they had lost their worth. She didn't want to see, touch, or recall these things any longer. She made the decision to forget the address. She made the decision to move on because she wanted to leave the past behind.

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

Answer: Human beings are put in many tough and unpleasant situations as a result of the conflict. It can be tough to know what to do at times. The narrator's story vividly illustrates the human crisis that follows war. She had experienced many physical and emotional hardships as a result of the conflict. Her mother had passed away. She went to Marconi Street, number 46, to see her mother's valuables. Mrs Dorling's behaviour exemplifies how greedy and heartless human beings may become.

Human beings are placed in a variety of tough and unpleasant conditions as a result of the war. Knowing what to do can be tough at times. Through the narrator's experience, the human crisis that follows conflict is vividly depicted. She had been through a lot of physical and emotional hardships as a result of the war. Her beloved mother had passed away. She visited her mother's valuables at 46 Marconi Street. The behaviour of Mrs Dorling exemplifies how greedy and heartless human beings may become.


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