Summary on ch- The Address
Answers
Answer:
Summary
The Address’ is a short story highlighting human predicament that follows war. The story beautifully delineates the pain, anguish, and mental torture of the survivors of war. The narrator, Margo Minco, a Jew, returned back to her native city after the War was over. She had already suffered many losses, including the irreparable loss of her dear mother. After the war, she faced the loneliness and challenges alone. She went to Mrs. Dorling to get her mother’s cutlery, crockery, utensils, and other household things; Mrs. Dorling’s cold, indifferent and discouraging behavior further depressed her. She refused to recognize her and asked her to come again.
Hurt and anguished, she went back. After some days she again called on Mrs. Dorling; fortunately, she was not at home; her daughter received her and asked her to come inside the house. The narrator was shocked to see the room s full of things belonging to her mother. The Hanukkah, table-cloth, antique plates, cutlery, crockery, etc. brought back old memories of her mother.
She remembered the days before the war; once she had come to stay at home from school; at that time her mother had confided to her that Mrs. Dorling was taking the valuable household things to keep them safely in case they had to run away during the war. It was at that time narrator’s mother had given her the address of Mrs. Dorling so that she could collect the things from her.
Sitting inside Mrs. Dorling’s house she suddenly made up her mind to forget the things belonging to her mother. She thought her mother’s things had no significance for her as the mother had died during the war. Finally she decided to leave her mother’s things and forget them forever.
Explanation:
After ringing the doorbell of Mrs. Dorling who lived at Number 46, Marconi Street, the protagonist was given a cold reception and Mrs Dorling took much time to recognize her. Mrs Dorling had thought everyone in the protanogist’s family was dead and asked if anyone else had come along with her. Mrs Dorling refused to let the protagonist inside her home and told her to come back sometime later. The protagonist recognized her mother’s green cardigan which Mrs Dorling was wearing. She decided to go back to the train station and thought about her mother and how she told her about Mrs. Dorling who was an acquaintance of hers. During the war, Mrs Dorling would visit their house and take their possessions with her as she didn’t want them to get lost if they ever left the place. Mrs. Dorling had a broad back.
The protagonist decided to go to Mrs Dorling’s home to get back their belongings. When she rang the bell, Mrs. Dorling’s daughter answered the door. She let her in and asked her to wait in the living room. When they were crossing the passage, the protagonist noticed their Hanukkah candle stand that they had never used because it had been unmanageable. When she reached the living room, she was horrified as she saw all her mother’s things that were arranged in a tasteless manner. The furniture was ugly and the room had a muggy smell and it made her disinterested and she wanted to leave the place. Mrs. Dorling’s daughter offered her a cup of tea and the protagonist noticed the old table cloth that had a burn mark on it. When the girl was showing her the silver fork and spoons that actually belonged to the protagonist, she jumped up and walked out of the house. She decided not to visit the place again as it brought back memories of the past and hence, she decided to forget the address.