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The Address
by Marga Minco
Summary in English
The chapter ‘The Address’ is written by Marga Minco. " War" is a terrible thing. It means “destruction and chaos.” It spares none. It kills the feelings of love and sympathy of human beings. It brings a lot of ruin and causes loss of property as well as life. After war, the victims face many problems. They have to suffer a lot both physically and mentally. The second world war broke out in 1939 and ended in 1945. During this war, the germans invaded Holland where 90% of the people were Jews. Many of the Jews fled in fear to other places while thousands thousands were imprisoned in concentration camps and tortured badly. ‘The Address’ story captures the emotions of a young girl (the author herself) who returns at the end of the war. She finds the loss of not only her mother named Mrs S but also the loss of her household things. There was war and her mother had kept her all belongings to an acquaintance of her named Mrs ‘Dorling’ in this hope, that after the cease of war, she would return and get her all-valuables things. She left her place and settled in other country. But after some years, the woman Mrs. ‘S' dies. Now the war has ended. The girl (Mrs 'S' daughter) sees that there is peace everywhere. People have no fear. She remembers the address of the woman where her mother had kept her belongings. She goes to take her belongings on this address named "Mrs. Dorling, House No 46, Marcony Street"
Do you still know me?" I asked. The woman looked at me searchingly I came closer and stood on the step. "No, I don't know you.” “I am Mrs S's daughter.” She kept staring at me in silence. Perhaps I was mistaken. I thought, perhaps it is not her. I had seen her only once, and that was years ago. She was wearing my mother’s green knitted cardigan. She saw that I was looking at the cardigan and half hid herself again behind the door. But I knew now I was right. "Well, you knew my mother?" I asked. Have you come back?" said the woman. I thought that no one had come back.’ “Only me." I regret I cannot do anything for you. I've come here specially on the train. I wanted to talk to you for a moment. It is not convenient for me now, said the woman. She nodded and cautiously closed the door. I stood where I was on the step. I looked at the name-plate again. Dorling it said in black letters on white enamel Number 46. As I walked slowly back to the station I thought about my mother, who had given me the address years ago. She told me about Mrs Dorling. I had never heard of her but apparently she was an old acquaintance of my mother, whom she hadn't seen for years. She had suddenly turned up and renewed their contact. Since then she had come regularly. "Every time she leaves here she takes something home with her," said my mother. She suggested it to me herself. She wanted to save all my nice things. If we have to leave here we shall lose everything, she says. "Have you agreed with her that she should keep everything? I asked. My mother cried. It would simply be an insult to talk like that. And think about the risk she's running, each time she goes out of our door with a full suitcase or bag. After that we spoke no more about it. Meanwhile I had arrived at the station without having paid much attention to things on the way. In the train back I saw Mrs Dorling in front of me again as I had the first time I met her. I had got up late and, coming downstairs, I saw my mother about to see someone out. A woman with a broad back. ‘There is my daughter,’ said my mother. She beckoned to me. The woman nodded and picked up the suitcase under the cost-rack. Does she live far away?" I asked, seeing the difficulty she had going out of the house with the heavy case. In Marconi Street," said my mother. Number 46. Remember that. I had remembered it. But I had waited a long time o there. After the Liberation, I was absolutely not interested in all that stored stuff. But gradually everything became more normal again Bread was getting to be a lighter colour, there was a bed you could sleep in unthreatened. And one day I noticed I was curious about all the possessions that must still be at the address. I wanted to see them, touch, remember. After my visit in vain to Mrs. Dorling’s house I decided to try a second time. Now a girl of about fifteen opened the door to me. I asked her if her mother was at home. ‘No’ she said, ‘my mother’s doing an errand.’ ‘No matter,’ I said,’ ‘I will wait for her.’ ‘Wont you sit down?’ asked the girl. She held open the door of the living-room and I went inside past her. I stopped, horrified. I was in a room I knew and did not know. I found myself in the midst of things I did want to see again but which oppressed me in the strange atmosphere. Or because of the tasteless way everything was arranged. The girl moved a chair. I sat down and stared at the woollen table-cloth. I rubbed it. My fingers grew warm from rubbing. I followed the lines of the pattern. "My mother'll be back soon, said the girl. I've already made tea for her. Will you have a cup? Thank you. I looked up. She poured tea from a white pot. All it had was a gold border on the lid, I remembered. She opened a box and took some spoons out. That's a nice box. I heard my own voice "Oh, you know about them? She had turned round and brought me my tea. She laughed. My mother says it is antique. We've got lots more. ‘See for yourself.’ I had no need to follow her hand. I knew which things she meant. I jumped up. I was forgetting the time. I must catch my train. Don't you want to wait for my mother?" "No, I must go” I walked to the door. At the comer of the road I looked up at the name-plate. Marconi Street, it said. I had been at Number 46. The address was correct. But now I didn't want to remember it any more. I wouldn't go back there because the objects that are linked in your memory with the familiar life of former times instantly lose their value when, severed from them, you see them again in strange surroundings. I resolved to forget the address. Of all the things I had to forget, that would be the easiest.
See Video for Explanation and Summary of the Chapter
Full Explanation with Word Meanings
This short story is a poignant(deeply moving) account of a daughter
who goes in search of her mother’s
belongings things after the War, in Holland. When she finds them, the objects evoke (create) memories
recallings of her earlier life. However, she decides to leave them all behind and resolves (determines) to
move on.
Do you still know me?’ I asked. The woman looked at me searchingly. She had opened the door a chink. I
came closer and stood on the step. ‘No, I don’t know you.’ ‘I’m Mrs S’s daughter.’ She held her hand on
the door as though she wanted to prevent (stop) it opening any
further. Her face gave absolutely
(completely) no sign of recognition. She kept staring (gazing)
at me in silence. Perhaps I was mistaken, I
thought, perhaps it isn’t her. I had seen her only once, fleetingly,
(lightly) and that was years ago. It
was most probable (possible) that I had rung the wrong bell. The woman
let go of the door and stepped to
the side. She was wearing my mother’s green knitted cardigan. The wooden buttons were rather pale (yellow)
from washing. She saw that I was looking at the cardigan and half hid herself again behind the door. But
I knew now that I was right. ‘Well, you knew my mother?’ I asked. ‘Have you come back?’ said the woman.
‘I thought that no one had come back.’ ‘Only me.’ A door opened and closed in the passage behind her. A
musty smell emerged. ‘I regret I cannot do anything for you.’ ‘I’ve come here specially on the train. I
wanted to talk to you for a moment.’ ‘It is not convenient
(comfortable) for me now,’ said the woman. ‘I
can’t see you. Another time.’ She nodded (shook head) and cautiously (carefully) closed the door as though
no one inside the house should be disturbed. I stood where I was on the step. The curtain in front of
the bay window moved. Someone stared at me and would then have asked what I wanted. ‘Oh, nothing,’ the
woman would have said. ‘It was nothing.’ I looked at the name-plate again. Dorling it said, in black
letters on white enamel. And on the jamb, a bit higher, the number. Number 46. As I walked slowly back
to the station I thought about my mother, who had given me the address years ago. It had been in the
first half of the War. I was home for a few days and it struck me immediately that something or other
about the rooms had changed. I missed various things. My mother was surprised I should have noticed so
quickly. Then she told me about Mrs Dorling. I had never heard of her but apparently (clearly) she was an
old acquaintance (known) of my mother, whom she hadn’t seen for years.
She had suddenly turned up and
renewed their contact. Since then she had come regularly. (in routine)
‘Every time she leaves here she
takes something home with her,’ said my mother. ‘She took all the table silver in one go. And then the
antique (ancient) plates that hung there. She had trouble lugging (dragging) those large vases,
(flower pot)
and I’m worried she got a crick in her back from the crockery.
(cup-plate)’ My mother shook her head
pityingly. ‘I would never have dared ask her. She suggested it to me herself. She even insisted. (forced)
She wanted to save all my nice things. If we have to leave here we shall lose everything, she says.’
‘Have you agreed with her that she should keep everything?’ I asked. ‘As if that’s necessary,’ my mother
cried. ‘It would simply be an insult to talk like that. And think about the risk she’s running, each
time she goes out of our door with a full suitcase or bag.’ My mother seemed to notice that I was not
entirely (completely) convinced. (fully
sure) She looked at me reprovingly rebukingly and after that
we
spoke no more about it. Meanwhile in between I had arrived at the
station without having paid much
attention to things on the way. I was walking in familiar known places
again for the first time since
the War, but I did not want to go further than was necessary. I didn’t want to upset sad myself with the
sight of streets and houses full of memories from a precious costly
time. In the train back I saw Mrs
Dorling in front of me again as I had the first time I met her. It was the morning after the day my
mother had told me about her. I had got up late and, coming downstairs, I saw my mother about to see
someone out. A woman with a broad back. ‘There is my daughter,’ said my mother. She beckoned to me. The
woman nodded and picked up the suitcase under the coat-rack. She wore a brown coat and a shapeless hat.
‘Does she live far away?’ I asked, seeing the difficulty she had going out of the house with the heavy
case. ‘In Marconi Street,’ said my mother. ‘Number 46. Remember that.’ I had remembered it. But I had
waited a long time to go there. Initially after the Liberation I was absolutely not interested in all
that stored stuff, and naturally I was also rather afraid of it. Afraid of being confronted with things
that had belonged to a connection that no longer existed; which were hidden away in cupboards and boxes
and waiting in vain until they were put back in their place again; which had endured all those years
because they were ‘things.’ But gradually everything became more normal again. Bread was getting to be a
lighter colour, there was a bed you could sleep in unthreatened, a room with a view you were more used
to glancing at each day. And one day I noticed I was curious about all the possessions that must still
be at that address. I wanted to see them, touch, remember. After my first visit in vain to Mrs Dorling’s
house I decided to try a second time. Now a girl of about fifteen opened the door to me. I asked her if
her mother was at home. ‘No’ she said, ‘my mother’s doing an errand.’ ‘No matter,’ I said, ‘I’ll wait
for her.’
I followed the girl along the passage. An old-fashioned iron Hanukkah1 candle-holder hung next to a
mirror. We never used it because it was much more cumbersome than a single candlestick. ‘Won’t you sit
down?’ asked the girl. She held open the door of the living-room and I went inside past her. I stopped,
horrified. I was in a room I knew and did not know. I found myself in the midst of things I did want to
see again but which oppressed me in the strange atmosphere. Or because of the tasteless way everything
was arranged, because of the ugly furniture or the muggy smell that hung there, I don’t know; but I
scarcely dared to look around me. The girl moved a chair. I sat down and stared at the woollen
table-cloth. I rubbed it. My fingers grew warm from rubbing. I followed the lines of the pattern.
Somewhere on the edge there should be a burn mark that had never been repaired. ‘My mother’ll be back
soon,’ said the girl. ‘I’ve already made tea for her. Will you have a cup?’ ‘Thank you.’ I looked up.
The girl put cups ready on the tea-table. She had a broad back. Just like her mother. She poured tea
from a white pot. All it had was a gold border on the lid, I remembered. She opened a box and took some
spoons out. ‘That’s a nice box.’ I heard my own voice. It was a strange voice. As though each sound was
different in this room. ‘Oh, you know about them?’ She had turned round and brought me my tea. She
laughed. ‘My mother says it is antique. We’ve got lots more.’ She pointed round the room. ‘See for
yourself.’ I had no need to follow her hand. I knew which things she meant. I just looked at the still
life over the tea-table. As a child I had always fancied the apple on the pewter plate. ‘We use it for
everything,’ she said. ‘Once we even ate off the plates hanging there on the wall. I wanted to so much.
But it wasn’t anything special.’ I had found the burn mark on the table-cloth. The girl looked
questioningly at me. ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘you get so used to touching all these lovely things in the house,
you hardly look at them any more. You only notice when something is missing, because it has to be
repaired or because you have lent it, for example.’ Again I heard the unnatural sound of my voice and I
went on: ‘I remember my mother once asked me if I would help her polish the silver. It was a very long
time ago and I was probably bored that day or perhaps I had to stay at home because I was ill, as she
had never asked me before. I asked her which silver she meant and she replied, surprised, that it was
the spoons, forks and knives, of course. And that was the strange thing, I didn’t know the cutlery we
ate off every day was silver.’ The girl laughed again. ‘I bet you don’t know it is either.’ I looked
intently at her. ‘What we eat with?’ she asked. ‘Well, do you know?’ She hesitated. She walked to the
sideboard and wanted to open a drawer. ‘I’ll look. It’s in here.’ I jumped up. ‘I was forgetting the
time. I must catch my train.’ She had her hand on the drawer. ‘Don’t you want to wait for my mother?’
‘No, I must go.’ I walked to the door. The girl pulled the drawer open. ‘I can find my own way.’ As I
walked down the passage I heard the jingling of spoons and forks. At the corner of the road I looked up
at the name-plate. Marconi Street, it said. I had been at Number 46. The address was correct. But now I
didn’t want to remember it any more. I wouldn’t go back there because the objects that are linked in
your memory with the familiar life of former times instantly lose their value when, severed from them,
you see them again in strange surroundings. And what should I have done with them in a small rented room
where the shreds of black-out paper still hung along the windows and no more than a handful of cutlery
fitted in the narrow table drawer? I resolved to forget the address. Of all the things I had to forget,
that would be the easiest.
Exercises
1 Mark Questions
Ans. The narrator’s family had to move out of their country because of war.
Q.2. Why does the narrator come back to her native place in Holland?
Ans. The narrator comes back to her native place in Holland in search of her mother’s belongings.
Q.3. Whose address did the narrator’s mother give to her?
Ans. The narrator’s mother gave her the address of a woman named Mrs Dorling.
Q.4. Who was Mrs Dorling?
Ans. Mrs Dorling was the narrator’s mother’s old acquaintance.
Q.5. In the beginning, the narrator did not want to come and see her mother’s belongings. Why?
Ans. The narrator was afraid of being confronted with the past things.
Q.6. Who opened the door when the narrator visited Mrs Dorling the second time?
Ans. Mrs Dorling’s daughter, a girl of fifteen years, opened the door this time.
Q.7. What did the narrator see when she went into Mrs Dorling’s room?
Ans. She found herself among the things which she had known.
Q.8. How did the narrator recognise that the woollen table-cloth had belonged to her mother?
Ans. She recognised that table-cloth because of a burn mark which had not been repaired.
Q.9. How did the narrator recognise the tea pot?
Ans. The narrator recognised the tea pot because of the colour of the pot.
Q.10. Who did the most of the things in Mrs Dorling’s room belong to?
Ans. The most of the things in Mrs Dorling’s room belonged to the narrator’s mother.
Q.11. What was the cutlery made of?
Ans. The cutlery was made of silver.
Q.12. Why did the narrator come out without seeing the silver cutlery that had once belonged to her mother?
Ans. The narrator did not want to revive the old and painful memories.
Q.13. What address was written on Mrs Dorling’s house?
Ans. There was written the address ‘Mrs Dorling, Number 46’.
2 Mark Questions
Ans. The narrator’s mother has given her the address of a woman. She had given most of her belongings to this woman. The narrator comes to this woman’s house. When she opens the door, the narrator finds that she is wearing her mother’s green cardigan. This makes her sure that she has come to the right address.
Q.2. What was the woman’s reaction when the narrator introduced herself?
Ans. The woman had expected that after the war no one would come back. But when the narrator introduced herself, she was shocked. She asked her whether she had come back. She had thought that no one had come back.
Q.3. Did the woman welcome the narrator to her house?
Ans. No, the woman was shocked that the daughter of a family had returned to that place after the war. The narrator told her that she wanted to talk to her. But she replied that it was not convenient for her to talk to her then and asked her to come some other time. Saying this, she shut the door.
Q.4. What was the name of the woman? Where did she live?
Ans. The narrator’s mother had given her the woman’s address. Her name was Mrs Dorling. She lived at house No. 46, in Marconi Street.
Q.5. When had the narrator’s mother given her the address? What had she noticed when she was home for a few days?
Ans. The narrator’s mother had given her the woman’s address many years ago, during the first half of the war. When she was home for a few days, she noticed some change. She found various things from the home missing.
Q.6. What had the narrator’s mother told her about Mrs Dorling?
Ans. Her mother had told her that Mrs Dorling was an old acquaintance. She had not seen her for many years. She had suddenly turned up and renewed their contact. Since then she had visited the narrator’s family regularly.
Q.7. Why did Mrs Dorling take away a number of things from the narrator’s family?
Ans. Those were the war days. Life was uncertain in that city. Whenever Mrs Dorling visited the narrator’s mother, she took away something or the other. She took away all the table silver things, the crockery and other things. She told the mother that these things would be safe with her.
Q.8. Why did the narrator not want to go further than was necessary?
Ans. The narrator was back in her native town. She was walking in familiar places again for the first time since the war. But she did not to go further than was necessary. She did not want to upset herself with memories from a previous time.
Q.9. When had the narrator met Mrs Dorling for the first time?
Ans. It was the morning after the narrator’s mother had told her about Mrs Dorling. When she came downstairs, she saw her mother seeing off a woman. She was Mrs Dorling. She was wearing a brown coat and a shapeless hat. She was going out of the house with a heavy suitcase.
5 Mark Questions(Essay type Questions
Ans. The narrator of this story is a young girl. Her family had to leave their native city in Holland because of war. After the war, she goes back to meet a woman whose address is given to her by her mother. Most of the belongings of her mother had been taken away by that woman when they left Holland. The narrator goes there in order to meet the woman and have a look at the belongings of her mother. When she knocks at the door, the woman opens the door. The girl introduces herself. The woman is shocked that the daughter of her acquaintance has come back. She told her that she had thought that no one had come back. This statement tells about the difficulties which people had to suffer during the war. A lot of people had to leave their native place and had not come back. The narrator too has not come back permanently. She has come only to meet the woman.
Q.2. The story is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?
Ans. The story is divided into two parts. After the war, the narrator goes back to her native country. But through the recollections of the narrator we know about the conditions in the past. In the pre-war days, the life of people was tough. The war was about to begin. It was clear that many would have to leave their country. The narrator’s mother was acquainted to a native woman. She took away a number of her mother’s possessions. She told her that she would save all those things. It would be easier for her to leave the country without the possessions. We also know that there was shortage of things in the days immediately before the war. People could not get good bread. They could not sleep at night without disturbance. After the war, the narrator goes back in order to have a look at her mother’s possessions. Thus we see that she had to undergo a number of hardships.
Q.3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Ans. The narrator of the story is a young girl. Her family had to leave their native place in Holland because of the war. Before leaving, a woman had taken away most of her mother’s possessions. She had told her that those things would be safe with her. After the war, the narrator goes back to Holland. She wants to see the belongings of her mother and to refresh her memories. Her mother has given her the address of that woman. It is “Number 46, Marconi Street”. The narrator goes there. The first time she visits the house, the woman says that she is busy and asks her to come later. The narrator goes again the next day. This time, the woman’s daughter takes her in. The narrator finds a number of belongings of her mother. Her old and painful memories come back. She comes out without seeing all the things. She thinks that old things have lost their value for her. She wants to break all connection with her past. So she wants to forget that address.
Q.4. ‘‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war.’ Comment.
Ans. This is a touching story. It tells us how war affects the lives of common people. Often people have to leave their cities and countries because of war. They have to leave their belongings behind. The narrator of the story is a young girl. Her family also suffered on account of the war. They had to leave their native place in Holland because of war. The narrator’s mother could never forget her home and her belongings. Before the Snapshots onset of the war, she had given her belongings to a woman. Then many years after the war, the narrator comes back to that city. Her mother has given her the address of the woman. The purpose of her visit is to see her mother belongings and revive her memories. She comes to the woman’s house. She finds certain things which she recognises. These things bring back painful memories. So she does not wait to see more things and leaves the house. Thus the story tells us about the predicament that follows war.
Multiple Choice Questions:
(A) the woman’s daughter
(B) the woman’s husband
(C) the woman’s sister
(D) the woman’s son
Ans. (A) the woman’s daughter Snapshots
Q:2 Who is the writer of the story ‘The Address’?
(A) William Saroyan
(B) Ranganathan
(C) R.K.Narayan
(D) Marga Minco
Ans. (D) Marga Minco
Q:3. The narrator has come back in search of
(A) a lost necklace
(B) her relative
(C) her mother’s belongings
(D) her house
Ans. (C) her mother’s belongings
Q:4 What was the house number where the narrator had come?
(A) Number 9211
(B) Number 420
(C) Number 22
(D) Number 46
Ans. (D) Number 46
Q:5. The narrator recognised the woman as she was wearing her mother’s _______.
(A) ear-rings
(B) green cardigan
(C) coat
(D) shoes
Ans. (B) green cardigan
Q:6 What did the woman say when the narrator told her that she had come to meet her?
(A) she welcomed her
(B) she asked her to come another time
(C) she offered her a cup of tea
(D) she insulted her
Ans. (B) she asked her to come another time
Q:7 What was written on the name plate?
(A) Darling
(B) Dorling
(C) Dearling
(D) Durrling
Ans. (B) Dorling
Q:8 When had the narrator’s mother given her the address of Mrs Dorling?
(A) before the war
(B) after the war
(C) in the first half of the war
(D) in the last week of the war
Ans. (C) in the first half of the war
Q:9 Where did the narrator go back when the woman refused to meet her?
(A) to a hotel
(B) to the station
(C) to the house of a friend
(D) back to her country
Ans. (B) to the station
Q:10 Why had Mrs Dorling taken away the mother’s belongings?
(A) she said that those were safe with her
(B) she had stolen them
(C) she had bought them from the mother
(D) she had grabbed them
Ans. (A) she said that those were safe with her
Q:11 Who was Mrs Dorling?
(A) the narrator’s aunt
(B) her sister
(C) her grandmother
(D) her mother’s old acquaintance
Ans. (D) her mother’s old acquaintance
Q:12 What had Mrs Dorling been carrying when the narrator saw for the last time before coming to her house?
(A) a heavy suitcase
(B) a table
(C) a fan
(D) a box of crockery
Ans. (A) a heavy suitcase
Q:13 In the beginning, the narrator did not want to come and see her mother’s belongings. Why?
(A) she had no train fare to go to that city
(B) she was afraid of being confronted with the past things
(C) she did not know what those things were
(D) she was afraid of Mrs Dorling
Ans. (B) she was afraid of being confronted with the past things
Q:14 In the end, why did the narrator come away without looking at all the things for which she had come?
(A) the girl refused to show them to her
(B) the narrator was afraid of Mrs Dorling
(C) she did not to revive the old and
(D) she did not recognise all the things painful memories
Ans. (C) she did not to revive the old and painful memories
Q:15 Who opened the door when the narrator visited Mrs Dorling the second time?
(A) Mrs Dorling’s mother
(B) Mrs Dorling’s son
(C) Mrs Dorling’s daughter
(D) Mrs Dorling’s father
Ans. (C) Mrs Dorling’s daughter
Q:16 When the narrator went into the room, she found herself in the middle of
(A) things which she had known
(B) horrible things
(C) old furniture
(D) old books
Ans. (A) things which she had known
Q:17 When the narrator looked round the room, she found many things which ________.
(A) were very costly
(B) had previously belonged to her mother
(C) were stolen
(D) were cheap
Ans. (B) had previously belonged to her mother
Q:18 How did the narrator recognise that the woollen table-cloth had belonged to her mother?
(A) because of its colour
(B) because of the name of the manufacturer written on it
(C) because her mother had mentioned it
(D) because of a burn mark which had not been repaired
Ans. (D) because of a burn mark which had not been repaired
Q:19 How did the narrator recognise the tea pot?
(A) there was her mother’s name on it
(B) the gold border on the lid
(C) the name of the manufacturer
(D) the colour of the pot
Ans. (D) the colour of the pot
Q:20 The spoons, forks and knives which the girl showed to the narrator, were made of ________.
(A) silver
(B) gold
(C) copper
(D) brass
Ans. (A) silver
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