THE ADDRESS

by Marga Minco

SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER

Mrs Dorling's Indifferent Attitude
Chapter Sketch Towardsthe Narrator
This story is a touching account of a girl who
goes in search of her mother's belongings after The narrator knocked at the door of a house, but the door was opened onlya
the Second World War in Holland. But even after little. She asked the owner if she knew her. The narrator told her that she was
finding what she so much wanted to touch, to Mrs S daughter. But the owner of the house, Mrs Dorling, denied knowing
see, to feel and remember, she leaves everything
behind as it could not bring her dead mother her. Mrs Dorling's face gave absolutely no sign of recognition and she kept
back. She decides to move on and live with only staring at her without speaking any word.
memories of the former times. The address that
held so much importance till she visited that
The narrator thought that perhaps she was mistaken and had rung the wrong
place, lost its value and the girl realised that it bell. Then the narrator got a glimpse of her mother's green knitted cardigan
could get her nothing but pain. which Mrs Dorling was wearing. This confirmed to her that she had reached
the correct address. But Mrs Dorling excused herself by saying that she could
About the Characters not talk to the girl that day and she should come again later. Then she
The Daughter She is the narrator, who returns to shamelessly closed the door.
Holland to go to the address where her mother's
precious belongings were kept. As normalcy had
returned after the Second World War in Holland,
SomeoneWatching the Narrator
she wanted to see all possessions that were a from the Window
bond between her family and herself.
The narrator stood for some time on the steps even after the door closed•
Mrs S — The Narrator's Mother In the story, the Someone was watching her from the bay window. The girl presumed that
narrator's mother has been called as Mrs S. She
was a simpleton who could not see the someone other than Mrs Dorling must be watching her and must have asked
manipulating and fraudulent nature of why the narrator came there.
Mrs Dorling, her acquaintance. She trusted
Mrs Dorling and allowed her to keep all her
precious belongings for the time being.
The Narrator Remembers What her
Mrs Dorling She has been described as an old Mother had Told her
acquaintanceof Mrs S. After a long gap, she After this refusal, the narrator walked back to the station thinking about her
appeared again during the war. She possesseda
cunning personality. She is most reluctant to mother. Her mother had given her Mrs Dorling's address years ago. It had
recognise the daughter and does not allow her to been in the first half of the war. The narrator's mother told her about
enter the house. Mrs Dorling, an old acquaintance.
she also informed her that every time when Mrs Dorling herself in the midst
The narrator was horrified. She found
came,she took something home with her. The reason Mrs oppressed her as they
of their old belongings,but they a very tasteless
Dorlinggave for her actions was that she wanted to save all were kept in strangesurroundingsand inbelongings lying
the good things, as the narrator's mother would not be able manner. She was hurt to see her family's
to save everything if they had to leave suddenly. The and muggy smell.
in a tastelessway with the ugly furniture
the still life
narrator'Smother had accepted the idea. She was rather The table cloth, the silver cutlery and even her family.
obliged towards Mrs Dorling that she was carrying such showing the apple on the tin plate belonged to
heavyluggage every time she visited, as it was really risky
during the war. The Narrator's Keen Observation of
TheNarrator Remembers When She Mrs Dorling's Daughter
broad back
She was keenly observing the girl, who had a
MetMrs Dorling similarto that of Mrs Dorling. The girl was placing
tea-
white
The narrator arrived at the station without having paid much cups for tea to be served. She was pouring tea from a
attention to things on the way. She was walking in familiar teapot which had a gold border on the lid and then she
placesagain for the first time since the war. She didn't want took out some spoons from the box. All this crockery and
to upset herself with the sight of streets and houses full of cutlery belonged to the narrator's family, but perhaps the
memoriesfrom a previous time. In the train she remembered girl was not awareof this fact. She cracked a joke about
the first time when she had seen Mrs Dorling. It was the eating dinner in those antique plates. The narrator also
morningafter the day her mother had told her about found a burn mark on the table cloth. The nagator
MrsDorling, who was wearing a brown coat and a shapeless indirectlyhinted to the girl that they missed things which
hat.The narrator had asked from her mother if she lived far are either missingfrom their original place or have been
away,as she was carrying a heavy case. Her mother told her loaned to somebody.
that Mrs Dorling lived at Number 46, Marconi Street.
The Narrator Remembers About
Initiallythe Narrator was Reluctant to Polishingthe Silver Cutlery
Seethe Family's Old Belongings The narrator remembersthe time when her mother was
The narrator had remembered the address, but waited a long alive and the narrator was at home either bored or ill. Her
time to go there. Initially after the war was over, she was not mother asked her to polish the silver cutlery. She was
interestedin all their belongings lying with Mrs Dorling. She surprised to hear that the cutlery that they were usino was
wasafraid to see the things that had belonged to her dead made of silverand even Mrs Dorling's daughter was
mother.She did not want to see their belongingslying in surprised to hear that they were using silver cutlery for
Mrs Dorling's house in boxes and cupboards and needing to everyday eating.
be put back in their old places again. She was scared that the
thingsmight make her very nostalgic. But gradually her life The Narrator's Final Resolution
becamenormal again and one day, she became curious to The narrator decided that she could not stay there any
know about all the possessions. more. The addresswas correct but the narrator didn't
want to remember it any more. She felt that the objects
TheNarrator Decides to Visit Again were linked to a memoryof a time which no longer
Afterher first visit did not yield any result, she decided to existed. They had lost their value in the strange
visita second time. This time a girl of about fifteen opened surroundings.
the door, as her mother was not at home.The narrator asked She comforted herself by thinking that her present house
about Mrs Dorling. She was told that Mrs Dorling was not at was too small to accommodate all the old stuff. She left the
home. She followed the girl along the passage. She noticed an house, leaving all her family's belongings behind.
old-fashionediron candle-holder which they never used.
Theywent into the living-room.
 e WORD MEANINGSpages in the
CHAPTER The given page numbers
correspond to the Prescribed
HIGHLÄGHTS NCERT textbook.
• The narrator decides to visit the address that was Word Meaning
given to her by her mother, where all her family's
precious possessions were kept safely by Mrs PAGE 10
Dorling. poignant arousing sadness
• The first time when the narrator visited the arouse
evoke
address, Mrs Dorling behaved in the most absurd
manner. She refused to recognise the narrator resolves decides
and did not let her enter the house. So the chink narrow opening
narrator returns empty-handed. fleetingly for a short time
• The narrator is remindedof her mother(Mrs S) sweater with buttons
cardigan
who had given this address to her years ago,
when inspite of war, they were living in Holland PAGE 11
and she saw Mrs Dorling who was introducedto stale
musty
her as an old acquaintance of her mother.
bay window large window sticking out of the wall of a house
• The narrator noticed many precious items
missing from their places. Then Mrs S told her jamb doorpost
that Mrs Dorling was helping her by taking her struck occurred to
table cloth, silver cutlery, antique plates, large apparently evidently
vases and crockeryto her house to keep in safe acquaintance known person
custody, in case they had to leave the house appeared
turned up
suddenly.
antique a collectable object, old and often valuable
• The narratordecided to revisitthe house of Mrs
Dorling as she felt the urge to see all her mother's table silver cutlery(knives, forks and spoons) made of silver
belongings. She wanted to touch them, feel them lugging carrying
and remember them. crick strain
• On her second visit to 46, Marconi Street, she
could get entry into the house as Mrs Dorling's 15 PAGE 12
year-old daughter opened the door. Her mother reprovingly with disapproval
was not at home. beckoned called
• The girl led her to the living room where,to the stored stuff belongings kept in a safe place
narrator's dismay, things belonging to her mother confronted come face to face with
were arranged in a bad manner.
endured survived
• Mrs Dorling's daughter innocently told the
errand work involving going out of the house
narrator that they were using all the antique
plates, crockery and cutlery. PAGE 13
The narrator took an impulsive decision to leave hanukkah used in the Jewish festival of lights
everything behind as the precious objects owned
cumbersome unmanageable
by her mother had lost their value. Also, these
objects associated with her mother were now in oppressed saddened
strange surroundings. still life painting of an arrangement of flowers and/or fruits
• The narrator decided to forget her past as it fancied desired
brought back bitter memories. Her motherwas no pewter tin alloy
more there to revive the pleasant memories.
• The narrator walked out of Mrs Dorling's house, PAGE 14
deciding that she would never come back to this jingling light metallic sound
house to see or take away her family's severed cut off
possessions as she had no place to keep all of it. shreds tiny pieces
 NCERT of black-out paper still hung along the windows and
no more than a handful of cutlery fitted in the narrow
table drawer?' This means that even after the war she

FOLDER is living almost in poverty in the same small room in

which she sheltered during the war, the windows of
which were having black-out paper still remaining.
Thus she has suffered and is still suffering much
(Herewe have given answers to all the short hardship, besides being deprived of her rightful
type questions of the and long
answer NCERT textbook.) possessions by Mrs Dorling.
3 Why did the narrator of the story want to
i "Have you come back?" said the woman. forget the address?
"Ithought that no one had come back." Ans The narrator went to the house of the lady who had
Doesthis statement give some clue safely kept many valuable items of her mother during
story? If yes, what is it? about the the war days, The address of the lady given by her
Ans Yes,it does give some clue about the story. The dead mother in those days helped her in searching out
statement indicates that the two families the house of the lady. But, after finding the belongings
knew
other. When the Second World War was going each of her mother being kept and used in an improper
on,
the narrator's family, being Jews, left their home way, she lost all her emotional attachment to them.
to
take refuge in places far away to escape persecution Everything was arranged in a tasteless way. The ugly
by the Nazis. Some people who remained there furniture and the unpleasant smell evoked the
thought that those people who had left their homes memory of the war again and reminded her again of
would never come back. That is why the woman felt her dead mother. So she justified her action of not
surprised to see one of them back. The narrator and wanting to take the belongings by saying to herself
her mother were trusting and loving human beings. that she lived in a small rented room. She had no place
to keep all these things. That's why she wanted to
Her mother frusted Mrs Dorling with her precious
forget that address.
belongings when she fled her home. But Mrs Dorling
abusedher trust and did not want to return them 4 'The Address' is a story of human predicament
now. That is why she made this statement. that follows war. Comment.
2 The story is divided into pre-war and Ans Marga Minco's short story, 'The Address', describes
post-war times. What hardships do you think the human predicament that follows war. War had
the girlunderwent during these times?
caused a big change in the lives of the people of
Holland, as they lost their lives and homes. Mrs S was
Ans The narrator has gone through much hardship, as also a victim of the war.
implied or specifically mentioned at various places
When the narrator, Mrs S' daughter, went to
in the chapter. First, her mother has died, as implied Mrs Dorling's house to claim those articles with which
by her statement near the end, 'Afraid of being her mother's precious memories were associated,
confronted with things that had belonged to a Mrs Dorling was surprised to see the narrator at her
connection that no longer existed'. Then she also door and even pretended not to recognise her.
says, 'But gradually everything became more normal
Later, the narrator was shocked to see the nice
again. Bread was getting to be a lighter colour, there
belongings of her mother lying in Mrs Dorling's
was a bed you could sleep in unthreatened, a room house. She felt sad and the things appeared to have
with a view you were more used to glancing at each lost their worth in the absence of their true owner.
day.' This implies that, during the war, they were Therefore, she decided to leave those things and
forced to eat bread which was black, they were forget the address forever.
always afraid of being caught and sent to a
Thus, the story presents the big change in the lives of
concentration camp like other Jews and they could
the narrator and her mother caused by the war. The
not even look out of the window, as it was covered story shows how war brings a dehumanising effect on
with black-out paper.
human beings. It kills the feelings of love and
She also says near the end, 'what should I have done sympathy. It makes persons cruel and selfish.
with them in a small rented room where the shreds
 explanation did Mrs Dorling givefor
6 What of Mrs S?
taking the belongingsvisited Mrs S, she
EXAM Ans Every time
Mrs Dorling
something with her.
Mrs
She
S by
said that
keeping
she
them
tookaway
wanted
with
to save
her. If

PRACTICE all the things of

somehow they had
everything. Mrs S
to leave, then they would
willingly agreed to the idea.
feel convinced that Mrs
lose

7 Did the narrator right person to keep all

SHORT ANSWER Dorling was the their
valuables in safe custody?
Type Questions 13Marks each! was not impressed by Mrs Dorling's
Ans No, the narrator latter appeared to herto
behaviour and activity. The
away all their valuables.The
i What happened when the narrator visited be more keen on taking Dorling's
Mrs Dorling for the first time? narrator did not like Mrs sudden excessive
interest in her mother's precious possessions.
Ans After the war, the narrator visited Mrs Dorling for
the first time at Number 46, Marconi Street. But Questions put by the narrator to her motherindicate
Mrs Dorling denied recognising her and showed no this.
intention of returning the belongings of the
narrator's family. Mrs Dorling did not even talk to 8 Under what circumstances did the narrator's
her. mother allow their valuable possessions tobe
carried away?
2 When did the narrator realise that she was at Ans The narrator's family was Jewish. At the time of
the right address? occupation by the Nazis during the war, her mother
Ans The narrator realised that she had come to the right was afraid that either they may have to leave
address when she noticed that Mrs Dorling was suddenly or be imprisoned. In either case, their
wearing her mother's green knitted cardigan. Its valuable possessions would be lost. So her mother
wooden buttons had gone pale from washing. was happy when Mrs Dorling (obviously not a Jew)
suggested that she would safely keep their
3 Why did Mrs Dorling refuse to even talk to the possessions with her until after the war.
narrator?
Naturally, the mother assumed that when she
Ans Mrs Dorling was selfish and wanted to permanently returned after the war, she could take back her
keep Mrs S's valuable possessions. That is why, at the
possessions. Under these circumstances, she allowed
beginning of the war, she suggested to Mrs S, who
trusted her, that she could safely keep the items for
Mrs Dorling to gradually take away the possessions.
her. In fact, she physically carried them to her house. 9 What was Mrs S' opinion about Mrs Dorling?
So, when the narrator returned, she understood that Ans Mrs Dorling was an old acquaintance of MrsS.
the narrator had come for her belongings, so she They had revived their contact recently. MrsS trusted
refused to talk to her. her completely and to her she was a very helpful
4 What had the narrator noticed during her lady.
visit to her house during the first half of the Mrs Dorling offered to help Mrs S at the time ofwar
by keeping her valuable possessions safely withher
Ans During the first half of the war, when the narrator and hence she had high respect for her.
was home for a few days, it struck her immediately 10 What was the narrator's first impression
that something or other about the rooms had about Mrs Dorling?
changed. She missed various things like the table
Ans The narrator was home when she noticed someofthe
cloth, silver, cutlery, the antique plates that hung in
the dining room, some large vases etc. family possessions missing. Upon enquiring, she
found out about Mrs Dorling.
5 What did the narrator's mother tell her about Her mother informed her that Mrs Dorling was
Mrs Dorling? taking these possessions to her home for safekeeping
Ans The narrator's mother told her that Mrs Dorling was till the end of the war. She was initially apprehensive
an old acquaintance. They had not seen each other about the lady but the rebuking look from her mother
for many years but now she had renewed the was enough to drop the topic. Her first encounter
relationshipand was a frequent visitor at her with her was also a brief one. She could only catcha
mother's place. glimpse of her broad back.
 Il What impression do you form
basis of her conversation with of Mrs S on the 18 Why was the narrator oppressed?
Mrs Dorling as well Ans The narrator was successful in entering Mrs
as her own daughter?
Ans Mrs S appears to be a kind-hearted, Dorling's house when she visited the second
lady. She was fond of collecting trustful and generous time, but she felt horrified. after entering. Her
valuables. She trusts Mrs
Dorling and allows her to take away family's belongings were lying arranged in a
belongings till the war got over. She her precious tasteless way with the ugly furniture. An
her daughter's suspicious nature.
does not approve of unpleasant smell prevailed in the room. She
didn't dare to look around. The strange
12 Why did the narrator reach the station without atmosphere oppressed her.
having paid much attention to things on the 19 "Youonly notice when something is
way?
Ans When Mrs Dorling denied entry or talking to the missing......"What human trait has been
narrator, Mrs Dorling returned to the station without brought out by the narrator through
having paid much attention to things on the way. Though these lines?
she passed through all places familiar to her, she did not Ans The narrator was absolutely correct when she
want to upset herself with the sight of the streets and said that we tend to notice things only when
houses full of memories of earlier times. they are missing. It is human nature to take
things for granted. We seldom ponder over the
13 Describe Mrs Dorling. 'things' lying around us because they are there.
Ans Mrs Dorling, a broad backed woman, was apparently an Their true worth is realised only when we don't
old acquaintance of Mrs S, whom she hadn't seen for find them in front of our eyes.
years. Mrs Dorling had suddenly turned up and renewed
their contact. Mrs Dorling was a very shrewd lady. She How had the narrator discovered that
took away all the precious belongings of Mrs S and had no their daily cutlery was made of silver?
intention of returning them. Ans Once, when the narrator was visiting her
mother, she was asked by her mother to help her
14 NAThat did Mrs S ask her daughter to remember? polish the silver cutlery. She was surprised at
which silver her mother was mentioning. Then
Ans One day, when the narrator noticed that most of the items only she discovered that the cutlery they used
from their house were missing, she asked her mother every day was made of silver.
about it. The narrator's mother told her that she had
handed over all her precious items to Mrs Dorling for
safekeeping. Further, she gave the narrator the address as LONG ANSWER TypeQuestions
Number 46, Marconi Street and told her to remember it.
16Marks eachl
15 Why did the narrator hesitate for a long time to
claim her belongings? I What human values did Mrs S possess,
Ans When the war was over, the narrator began to feel a little
unlike Mrs Dorling? Explain with the
secure, but she started missing her family's belongings. On
reference to the chapter, 'The Address'.
second thought, she was rather afraid to see and touch all Ans Mrs S was the mother of the narrator. She was a
those objects that reminded of her dear mother who was very simple and trusting lady. During the first
no longer alive. half of the war, Mrs S feared that she would lose
everything if they had to leave their home in an
16 "I was absolutely not interested in all that stored emergency. In her distress, she found an old
stuff."Who was not interested? Why? acquaintance, Mrs Dorling, who proposed to
stuff take care of her belongings. As simple as she
Ans Initially, the narrator was not interested in the stored
mother. She was too horrified was, Mrs S trusted her acquaintance completely.
that earlier belonged to her
her dead She gave to her all the valuable things that she
to see the things which would remind her of
which once belonged to her had. The narrator asked her mother about
mother. Now, the things
feeling. Mrs Dorling, as she was neither sure about the
mother did not give her a good lady nor about her idea. At this, Mrs S looked at
Mrs Dorling's
17 Why did the narrator decide to visit her reprovingly and they never talked about it
house the second time? thereafter.
curiosity started All this shows that Mrs S was a gem of a person,
Ans The narrator grew impatient and her
those belongings that unlike Mrs Dorling, who deceived her and
troubling her. She wanted to see all
She wanted to touch betrayed her trust. Mrs Dorling took advantage
were once possessed by her mother. them, so she decided
of their helpless situation and behaved
them, to feel them and to remember inhumanly.
to visit Mrs Dorling's house again.
 2 Betrayal of trust is an evil which may afflict Ans Number 46
people of any time or any age. Discuss this Marconi Street
Amsterdam
statement in the context of the chapter
'The Address'. 20th September, 1945
Ans Yes, betrayal of trust is an evil which may afflict Dear Mrs Jansen
surprised to get this letter
people of any time or any age. In this materialistic How are you? You must be week before.
world 'trustworthiness' has become a rare quality, from me, as we had just met a tell you
Actually,
as everyone wants to achieve maximum material that I wanted to then but
there is something I
gain. People do not mind cheating others for their the courage to do so. hope this letter
couldn't gather
own personal greed. can help me speak my heart out.
inquired about the
In the present story Mrs Dorling is one such Do you remember how you always
character. She is greedy and she could make out wonderful stuff at my house and I always said that it
how insecure Mrs S felt about her personal belongs to me? The truth is, it doesn't. They are the
valuables. Mrs Dorling is cunning enough to take belongings of my deceased friend. Last month, her
advantage of the situation by offering to keep Mrs daughter came to me asking for her stuff back. I refused
S' valuables in her safe custody, through inside came over me, I don't
to even recognise her. What
she knew that she would never return these know!
possessions. When Mrs S' daughter (the narrator)
comes to Mrs Dorling's house to have a look at I feel like a thief now. I have acted so selfishly and
her family's possessions, Mrs Dorling first denies treated the child with rudeness. Her mother had made
having recognised her. She refuses to even talk to me the guardian of her possessions. I have cheated the
the girl. This behaviour is really shameful. She departed soul and betrayed her trust.
betrayed Mrs S' trust. I have decided to make amends. I am going to return all
the stuff to her daughter. I feel very guilty and sorry.
3 People like Mrs Dorling forget the ultimate Please help me out. Tell me what more I can do to undo
end of man. For some earthly gain, people the bad things that I have done.
discard their values. Elucidate. Yours lovingly
Ans In this chapter, Mrs Dorling has been shown as a Mrs Dorling
person who is smart, greedy and unreliable. She
offers to help Mrs S, which was not help actually. 5 The chapter is about an autobiographical noteat
In reality, she wanted to take away all her one level, while at another it portrays how futile
valuables as she was greedy. She had renewed her war is. What are your views regarding war? Isit
contact with Mrs S not because she was close to fruitful?
her but because she saw it as an opportunity to Ans Undoubtedly, when war comes, it also brings suffering
get some material gain because of the outbreak of and disasters with it. It takes away so many lives,
war. leaving people with nothing in their hands. It changes
Mrs Dorling herself suggested to keep Mrs S' the lives of the people drastically by affecting their
valuable possessions in her safe custody and later fortunes forever.
on refused to even recognise Mrs S' daughter After the war is over, everything will become normal
who wanted to have a look at those possessions. again and people will sleep in their beds unthreatened.
The need of the hour is that people should be But the wounds given by the war do not heal easilyor
taught values from their childhood. Children quicldy. The crude and cunning nature of human
should be taught to help others without any behaviour is brought out in war.
personal benefits. Moral education should be part People have to leave their homes, the place where they
of education from the schooldays. The elders spend all their cherished moments. They lose many
should lead by example by displaying the human loved ones. Sometimes their life is completely destroyed.
values of trust, love and sympathy. Hence, how can something that causes so much of
4 Imagine you are Mrs Dorling. You are filled damage, not only of life and property but also of human
with guilt at what you have done. You are emotions and bonds, be called fruitful? War is
uncomfortable with what had happened. synonymous with destruction. We must always aim
towards establishing peace. There is nothing in this
Write a letter to your friend describing world that cannot be done with peace. Non-violenceis
your feelings and your desire to make the way to form stronger relationships with others.
amends.