1. What does the third level refer to? What is the
significance of the third level? (2001; 2004, Delhi)
Answer:
The third level refers to the subway of the Grand Central Station that takes
passengers to Galesburg, Illinois. The third level on the station was a medium
of escape for Charley, the narrator, from the harsh realities of modern life.
It provided him a base where he could interweave fantasy and reality.
2. How did Charley make sure that he was not in the
present time? (2002 Delhi)
Answer:
When Charley reached Third Level of the Grand Central Station, he found
everything delved deep in the old style. In order to confirm, he went to the
shop at a newspaper seller. He glanced at the stack of the papers and saw a
newspaper named 'The World' of June 11, 1894. This confirmed that he was in the
year 1894.
3. How did Charley often get lost on the Grand Central
Station? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The Grand Central Station was growing like a tree pushing out endless
corridors, doorways and stairs like roots. It had intricate and tangled
pathways. The network of passages was so complicated that instead of reaching
his destination, one did tend to move up and down to look for entries and
exits. So, Charley often got lost on this station.
4. Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to
Galesburg? (2011 Outside Delhi)
5. What did Charley learn about Sam from the stamp and
coin store? (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
From the stamp and coin store, Charley came to know that Sam had bought old
style currency worth eight hundred dollars. This money was sufficient to set
him up in a little hay, feed and grain business in Galesburg.
6. How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central? How was it different from the other levels? (2009 Delhi; 2012, Comptt. Delhi) (2010 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
One night Charley worked till late at the office. Then he was in a hurry to get
back to his apartment. So he decided to take the subway from Grand Central. He
went down the steps and came to the first level. Then he walked down to the
second level from where the suburban trains left. He ducked into an arched
doorway that headed to the subway. Then he got lost. Knowing that he was going
wrong he continued to walk downward. The tunnel turned a sharp left and then
taking a short flight of stairs he came out on the third level at the Grand
Central Station. The general layout of the third level was different from that
of the second level. It had comparatively smaller rooms, fewer ticket windows
and lesser train gates. The information booth in the centre was made of wood
and looked old. The place with its brass spittoons did not look very bright.
Dim gaslights flickered and men wore derby hats and four-button suits. It was a
rather strange world of sideburns, beards and fancy moustaches. Then he caught
a glimpse of an old locomotive and also saw an 1894 issue of ‘The World’
newspaper.
7. Do you think that the third level was a medium of
escape for Charley? Why? (2005; 2008 Delhi)
Answer: The fears, anxieties and insecurities of the modem world are taking a toll on man’s mind. He feels helpless and frustrated and seeks temporary respite from life’s harsh realities. Charley too was unable to cope up with his fast paced and stressful life so his flight to the third level was undoubtedly a medium of escape for him. It is nothing but a creation of Charley’s own mind. He wants to escape from the modern world’s insecurity, fear, worries and stress and so seeks an exit, a medium to get away into the world of dreams and fancies.
8. What is being inferred from Sam’s letter to
Charley? (2003 Delhi)
Answer: The way
Charley came across Sam’s letter was surrounded in mystery. Among his oldest
first-day covers, he found an envelope. The envelope containing the letter bore
the address of his grandfather. It was written on July 18, 1894. The postmark
showed the Picture of President Garfield. Generally the first day covers have
blank papers in them, but this one contained a letter. The letter was addressed
to Charley. The introductory part of the letter confirms Charley’s belief in
the existence of the third level. It also suggests that those who find the
third level can travel across to Galesburg and enjoy the festivities, songs,
music and peaceful world of the 1890s. So the author uses Sam’s letter as a
unique combination of the real and fantasy world. Clearly, the letter was a product of
Charley’s imagination.
Competency-based Long Answer Questions:
1. The story reveals refuge from reality to illusion. Jack Finney portrays Charley’s transition from reality to imaginary world through the story.
As Charley you decided to write a letter to Sam for advice as you have fantasies about the third level at Grand Central station. You may begin this way:
Dear friend Sam,
I worked late night at the office and was in hurry to reach my apartment to be with my wife Louisa.....
Ans. Dear friend Sam,
I worked late night at the office and was in hurry to reach my apartment to be with my wife Louisa. I thought of taking the subway since it seemed faster than bus. Grand Central Station was mysterious and mushrooming with subways, staircases and corridors that led to many ways and places. Moving through the tunnel I recounted my past experience that appeared safe and quite normal. I had been to the Grand Central Station hundreds of times. However, at times, I was almost lost in new doorways and corridors. Once, I entered a tunnel and came out in the lobby of a hotel. Another lime, I reached in an office building. I thought it was the second level. But I had reached the third level. I realised this as there were fewer ticket windows; the information booth was of wood and old-looking. The lights were flickering as they were open-flame gaslights. There were brass spittoons on the floor. The locomotive had a funnel-shaped stack.
Modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and tension. I want to escape from the harsh realities of modem world. I hope you would also agree with the escape theory. Please suggest some remedies.
Charley
No comments:
Post a Comment