NCERT Solutions Class 11, English, Snapshots (Supplementary Reader), Chapter- 2, The Address
Reading With Insight
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?
Solution:
Yes, this statement gives some clue about the story. During the early part of the war Mrs Dorling had shifted the important belongings of her acquaintance Mrs S. from her house to 46, Marconi Street. These included table silver wares, antique plates and other nice things such as the iron anukkah candle-holder, woollen table cloth and green knitted cardigan with wooden buttons. Since Mrs S. had died during the war, Mrs Dorling did not expect anyone to come back and claim her costly belongings as she thought no one else knew her address.
The statement indicates the greedy and possessive nature of Mrs Dorling. She did not open the door to the daughter of her former acquaintance nor did she show any signs of recognition. She did not let the girl in. She refused to see her then saying it was not convenient for her to do. The narrator had gone to this address with a specific purpose—to see her mother’s belongings.
Even when she told Mrs Dorling that only she had come back, the woman with a broad back did not soften a bit. Thus the clash of interests is hinted at by the aforesaid statement.
2. The story is divided into pre-War and post-War times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?
Solution:
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.
3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Solution:
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.
4. ‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment.
Solution:
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.
