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The Address, Class 11 English, Snapshots CBSE (Summary, Detailed Explanation, Extract based Question-Answer, NCERT Solution, word-meaning)

The Address

By Marga Minco

Introduction Of “The Address” Class 11 English Snapshots CBSE



The story “The Address” by Marga Minco is about a young woman returning to her hometown after World War II to regain her family’s belongings. These items were taken by Mrs. Dorling, a woman her mother had entrusted with the valuable possessions before they had to leave due to the war. The story explores themes of loss, memory, and the emotional difficulty of reclaiming the past

It describes the struggle and trauma of a girl who loses everything. At the same time, it highlights the selfishness of the people who take advantage of others' difficult situations.





Summary of the story “The Address” Class 11 English Snapshots CBSE


The narrator’s mother had told her about Mrs. Dorling before they were forced to leave their home. Mrs Dorling offered to carry the expensive items with a promise to keep them safe. The narrator was not familiar with Mrs Dorling, and thus, she doubted her (Mrs Dorling). But her mother assured her that Mrs Dorling was a well-wisher. The narrator remembers her mother talking about Mrs Dorling’s visits, and how she used to carry a few things every time she visited.


After the war, the narrator initially avoided going to Mrs. Dorling’s house. She was afraid of facing those objects. She thought that the memories might make her emotional. She had already lost so much—her family, her home, and her previous life—and wasn’t sure if seeing those items again would bring her comfort or pain.


Suddenly the narrator felt a strong desire to see and touch her mother's belongings. When she arrived at the address, Mrs Dorling answered the door. But she was cold and unwelcoming. She pretended not to recognize the narrator. Mrs Dorling’s behaviour was strange and hurtful. Mrs Dorling clearly indicated that she had no intention of returning the items.


The narrator visited Mrs Dorling’s house again. This time, Mrs Dorling wasn’t at home. But her daughter let the narrator in. As she entered the house, the narrator saw her family’s old belongings. Instead of feeling comforted by them, she felt disappointed. The once-familiar items seemed out of place in the new environment. They no longer felt like hers. The memories tied to those objects resurfaced.


Finally, the narrator realised that getting back those items wouldn’t bring back what she had lost. The belongings she had once cherished now felt strange and distant. She made the difficult decision to leave the house without taking anything. At that moment, she understood that clinging to these possessions wouldn’t heal her pain or bring back the past.


In the end, the narrator decides not to live in the past anymore. She realises that material things, no matter how precious they are, can’t bring back the people or the life she lost. The story highlights the emotional struggle of dealing with loss and the difficulty of moving on from traumatic events. Through her visits to Mrs. Dorling’s house, the narrator comes to understand that it is better to leave the past behind and move on. Healing indeed comes from letting go rather than holding on.


Word- Meaning Of “The Address”, Class 11 English CBSE


Chink – a small narrow opening

Fleetingly – for a short time

Musty – unpleasant smell

Enamel – a hard, shiny substance 

Jamb – the surface of a doorway

Acquaintance – known person

Lugging – carrying or pulling something very heavy with difficulty

Crick – pain in the back

Reprovingly – showing disapproval/critically

Beckoned – call by gesture

Endured – suffered

Hanukkah – The Feast of Lights, a Hebrew festival 

Cumbersome – complicated

Midst – middle

Muggy – humid

Pewter plate – a metal which is a mixture of tin and lead

jingling – ringing


Detailed Explanation and Extract-Based Question-Answer Of “The Address”, Class 11 English, Snapshots, CBSE


Text

‘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 it opening any further. Her face gave absolutely no sign of recognition. She kept staring at me in silence.




Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • When the narrator reached Mrs Dorling’s house, she knocked on the door and Mrs Dorling came out. The narrator asked Mrs Dorling if she recognised her. Mrs Dorling refused. 


  • Then the narrator informed that she was Mrs. S’s daughter. But still, she did not find any sign of recognition in her. Mrs Dorling had put her hands on the door and it appeared to the narrator that she did not want to open it anymore. Possibly she did not want the narrator to look inside.


Q."Do you still know me?" Who spoke these words and to whom?

Ans. The narrator spoke these words to Mrs. Dorling.


Q. Who is the speaker or “I”?

Ans. The narrator is the speaker.


Q. Who was looking at whom searchingly?

Ans. Mrs Dorling was looking at the narrator searchingly.


Q. How did Mrs Dorling react when the narrator asked her if she(Mrs Dorling) recognised her?

Ans. Mrs Dorling refused to recognise even when the narrator introduced herself as Mrs S's daughter.


Text

Perhaps I was mistaken, I thought, perhaps it isn’t her. I had seen her only once, fleetingly, and that was years ago. It was most probable 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 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

Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • When Mrs Dorling refused to recognise the narrator, she thought that she might have come to the wrong address. She had seen Mrs Dorling just once and that was also momentarily. 


  • Then suddenly she noticed that Mrs Dorling was wearing a dark green cardigan with wooden buttons. Immediately the narrator realised that the Cardigan once belonged to her mother. The wooden buttons had become somewhat pale because of washing. Now she was sure that she had come to the right address.


Q. Why did the narrator think that she had mistaken and come to the wrong address?

Ans. Mrs Dorling completely refused to recognise her. Moreover, the narrator had also seen her briefly and years ago.


Q . What made the narrator realise that she was at the right address?

Ans. When the narrator found Mrs Dorling wearing a green knitted cardigan with wooden buttons she realised that she was at the right address. She very well remembered that the cardigan once belonged to her mother and Mrs Dorling had brought the same with the promise to keep them safe in her house.


Text

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 for me now,’ said the woman. ‘I can’t see you. Another time.’ She nodded and cautiously 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.

Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • After recognising Mrs Dorling the narrator once again said that she (Mrs Dorling) knew her. In reply, Mrs Dorling said that she thought nobody would come back. 


  • In the meanwhile, somebody opened the passage behind and an unpleasant smell came. On the other hand, Mrs Dorling refused to talk to the narrator saying that she should come some other time. 


  • Mrs Dorling remained unmoved even when the narrator said that she had come to meet her, especially by train. Then the narrator looked at the nameplate upon which “Dorlings” was written and the house number was 46. The same address was given by her mother.


Q. How did Mrs Dorling respond when the narrator asked to talk?
Ans. She refused saying she could not talk to her and asked her to come some other time, and shut the door.


Q. How did the narrator feel while standing on the doorstep? 

Ans. She felt disappointed and frustrated.


Q. What can you infer about the woman’s attitude toward the narrator?
Ans. She seemed to be indifferent and distant.


Q. What made the narrator confirm that she was at the right address?

Ans. When the narrator looked at the nameplate upon which “Dorlings” was written, and the house number was 46. The same address was given by her mother. This confirmed the narrator that she was at the right address.

Text

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, 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


Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • While the narrator was returning to the station, she started thinking about her mother. Once she was at home during the first half of the war. Then the mother had given her the address of Mrs Dorling.


  • When the narrator reached home she noticed that a few things were missing. Then the narrator's mother told her about Mrs. Dorling. Mrs. Dorling was the narrator’s mother's old acquaintance. For a long time, there had not been any contact between Mrs Dorling and the narrator’s mother. But when the war started Mrs Dorling renewed her contact with the narrator's mother and began to visit our house regularly.


Q. What idea do you form about Mrs Dorling?

Ans. Mrs Dorling was a greedy and selfish woman. She was thoroughly dishonest. She refused to even recognise the narrator only because she did not want to return all those objects which she had brought from the narrator's house.


Q. What did the narrator remember while she was returning from Mrs Dorling's house?

Ans. The narrator recalled that her mother had given her when she visited her house in the first half of the war.


Q. What did the narrator notice when she visited her house in the first half of the war?

Ans. The narrator noticed that a few things a few objects were missing from the house.


Q. How did the narrator come to know about Mrs Dorling?

Ans. When the narrator visited her house in the first half of the war, she realised that some objects were missing. Then her mother told her about Mrs Dorling who was her old acquaintance. For a long time, there had not been any contact between Mrs Dorling and the narrator’s mother. But when the war started Mrs Dorling renewed her contact with the narrator's mother and began to visit our house regularly.


Text

‘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 plates that hung there. She had trouble lugging those large vases, and I’m worried she got a crick in her back from the crockery.’

My mother shook her head pityingly. ‘I would never have dared ask her. She suggested it to me herself. She even insisted. 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 convinced. She looked at me reprovingly and after that we spoke no more about it.




Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer

 

  • The narrator’s mother Informed that whenever Mrs Dorling visited her she used to carry some objects. Once she carried all the silverware and then antique plates. 


  • Her mother sympathised with Mrs Dorling saying she was taking the risk while going out with the objects. She also informed the narrator that Mrs Dorling got backache as she used to carry heavy objects. 


  • The narrator’s mother further said that it was Mrs Darling who herself offered to carry all the expensive items to keep them safe. Mrs Dorling convinced her saying that they would lose all the items in case they had to leave the place.


  • The narrator did not seem to be convinced. Therefore, she asked her mother if Mrs Dorling would keep the objects. This made her mother a bit irritated. She replied if it was necessary, and that it would have been an insult to Mrs Dorling.


  • When she noticed that the narrator was not convinced, she looked at her somewhat angrily. Therefore, the narrator stopped discussing the topic.


Q. What did Mrs Dorling suggest to the narrator's mother.?

Ans. Mrs Dorling offered to carry all the expensive items to keep them safe. Mrs Dorling convinced her that they would lose all the items if they had to leave the place. As the narrator’s mother was a very easygoing person, she agreed to Mrs Dorling’s offer.

 

Q. What idea do you form about the narrator's mother?

Ans. The narrator’s mother was a very simple-hearted and easy-going person. That’s why she allowed Mrs Dorling to carry all the expensive items.


Q. How did the narrator’s mother feel about Mrs. Dorling taking the items?
Ans. She trusted Mrs Dorling and was grateful for the help.


Q. What made the narrator feel suspicious about Mrs. Dorling?
Ans. Mrs Dorling seemed too eager to take everything.


Q. Why did the narrator’s mother get frustrated with her?
Ans. The narrator questioned if Mrs. Dorling would return the belongings.


Q. What did the narrator’s mother think would insult Mrs Dorling?
Ans. Questioning if she would return the items. 


Q. How did the narrator’s mother defend Mrs. Dorling’s actions?
Ans. The narrator’s mother trusted Mrs Dorling completely. She believed Mrs Dorling was doing them a favour by keeping their valuable things safe. To her, Mrs Dorling’s actions were practical and thoughtful, especially considering the uncertainty they were facing.


Q. When does the conversation between the narrator and her mother take a turn?
Ans. The conversation changes when the narrator questions whether Mrs Dorling would return the items. This seems to irritate the mother, who feels that doubting Mrs. Dorling’s intentions is both unnecessary and insulting, leading the narrator to stop pushing the topic.


Q. Why did the narrator stop questioning her mother about Mrs. Dorling?
Ans. The narrator realised that her mother was becoming upset and defensive. She decided to drop the subject to avoid further tension. Even though she still had doubts about Mrs. Dorling, she did not want to escalate the conversation and upset her mother any more.


Text


Meanwhile, I had arrived at the station without having paid much attention to things on the way. I was walking in familiar 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 myself with the sight of streets and houses full of memories from a precious 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.’


Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • The narrator arrived at the station without paying much attention to the surroundings on the way. Walking in familiar places for the first time since the War, she did not want to go further than necessary, as the sight of streets and houses filled with memories from a precious time could be upsetting.


  • On the train back, the narrator saw Mrs. Dorling in front of her again, just as she had met her first time. The memory of that first meeting was still fresh in her mind.


  • It had been the morning after the narrator’s mother told her about Mrs. Dorling. The narrator had got up late, and upon coming downstairs, saw a woman with a broad back.


  • The mother introduced the narrator by saying, “There is my daughter,” and beckoned her over. Mrs Dorling nodded and picked up the suitcase from under the coat rack. She was wearing a brown coat and a shapeless hat.


  • The narrator, noticing the woman’s struggle with the heavy case, asked her mother if she lived far away. The mother replied that she lived on Marconi Street, at number 46, and told the narrator to remember the address.

Q. Why did the narrator feel reluctant to explore the familiar streets and houses?

Ans. The narrator didn’t want to upset herself by revisiting places filled with memories of a precious time before the War.


Q. What were the narrator’s first impressions of Mrs. Dorling?

Ans. The narrator’s first impression was of a woman with a broad back, wearing a brown coat and a shapeless hat, struggling with a heavy suitcase.


Q. Why was it important for the narrator to remember Mrs. Dorling’s address?

Ans. The narrator’s mother emphasized remembering the address because Mrs. Dorling had been carrying the valuable items from the house with a promise to keep them safe.


Q. What does the narrator’s hesitation to explore familiar places reveal about her emotional state?

Ans. The narrator’s hesitation suggests that she was emotionally sensitive and didn’t want to confront memories connected with the past. She thought that it might be painful for her.


Q. What was the significance of the narrator seeing Mrs. Dorling again on the train?

Ans. It triggered memories of her first meeting.


Q. Why did the narrator ask if Mrs. Dorling lived far away?

Ans. She saw how difficult it was for her to carry the heavy suitcase.


Text

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.

Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer



  • According to the narrator, she remembered the address but waited a long time before going there. After the war was over, she had no interest in the stored belongings.


  • She feared being confronted by objects that once belonged to a connection that no longer existed. The objects were hidden in cupboards and boxes, waiting in vain to be returned to their place.


  • Those objects had survived all those years simply because they were "things," . On the other hand, life had moved on. She had lost so much with time.


  • Gradually, life became more normal for her. Bread became lighter in colour, Now she could sleep in a safe bed. Eventually, she grew curious about the possessions still at that address. Se wanted to see them, touch them, and remember them.



Q. Why was the narrator hesitant to confront the stored items after the Liberation?

Ans. The narrator was afraid of being reminded of a connection that no longer existed, as the items carried emotional weight from the past.


Q. What does the narrator mean by the items ‘waiting in vain’ to be put back in their place?

Ans. She felt the items were waiting to return to their original use, but since the relationships and life associated with them were gone, it would never happen.


Q. How did the narrator’s feelings toward the stored items change over time?

Ans. Initially, the narrator had no interest in the items and was afraid of them. But as life became more normal, her curiosity about the possessions and the memories they held returned.


Q. What everyday details suggest that the narrator’s life had started to return to normal after the war?

Ans. The narrator noticed that bread was lighter in colour. Now she had a bed she could sleep in safely, and also she could view outside from her room.


Q. What motivated the narrator to finally consider visiting the possessions?

Ans. As her life stabilised, the narrator’s curiosity about the items grew, and she felt a desire to see, touch, and remember the past through them.

Text

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.


Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer



  • After her first unsuccessful visit to Mrs Dorling’s house, the narrator decided to try again. This time, a girl about fifteen years old opened the door. When the narrator asked if her mother was at home, she said her mother was out running an errand.


  • The narrator said it didn’t matter and decided to wait for Mrs. Dorling, following the girl down the hallway.


  • As they walked, the narrator noticed an old-fashioned iron Hanukkah candle holder hanging next to a mirror. She remembered that her family never used it because it was too cumbersome compared to a single candlestick.


  • The girl invited her to sit down and opened the door to the living room. The narrator stepped inside but was horrified by what she saw.


  • The room was filled with familiar items she didn’t expect to see again. But the strange atmosphere, the tasteless arrangement, the ugly furniture, and the muggy smell made her feel uncomfortable. That’s why she thought that she was in a room she knew and did not know.


  • She sat down, stared at the woollen tablecloth, and began rubbing it. Her fingers grew warm as she traced the lines of the pattern. She started looking for a burn mark that had never been repaired.




Q. Why did the narrator decide to visit Mrs. Dorling’s house again?

Ans. Her first visit had not worked out.


Q. Why did the narrator feel disturbed when she entered the living room?

Ans. The strange atmosphere, the tasteless arrangement, the ugly furniture, and the muggy smell made the narrator feel disturbed and uncomfortable. The atmosphere of the room made everything feel strange and oppressive.


Q. What did the Hanukkah candle holder represent to the narrator?

Ans. The Hanukkah candle holder had sentimental value for the narrator. It once belonged to her. She remembered that they never used it because it was too bulky and impractical.


Q. Why was the narrator reluctant to look around the room?

Ans. She hesitated to look around because the room, though filled with familiar objects, felt overwhelming and unsettling due to the strange arrangement and atmosphere, making it hard for her to face her old memories.


Text

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.’




Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer



  • Mrs Dorling’s daughter mentioned that her mother would be back soon and said she had already made tea for her. She offered the narrator a cup of tea. The narrator thanked her and glanced up. The girl was setting the cups on the table, her broad back reminding the narrator of her mother i.e. Mrs Dorling.

  • She poured tea from a white pot that the narrator recalled had a simple gold border on the lid.

  • Opening a small box, she took out some spoons. The narrator commented on the box. Her own voice sounded strange in the room. Each word felt out of place.

  • The girl turned with a smile, handing over the tea, and laughed as she explained the box saying her mother often mentioned it antique. She gestured around the room, pointing out more objects, adding, “See for yourself.”

  • The narrator didn’t need to look. She already knew which items she was talking about and instead focused on the still life over the tea table.

  • As a child, the narrator had always been fascinated by the apple on the pewter plate. The girl went on to say that they used the antiques for all kinds of things. She even recalled a time when they ate off the plates hanging on the wall.



Q. What might the burn mark on the tablecloth mean to the narrator?

Ans. The burn mark symbolised a piece of her past, something flawed but familiar, which hadn’t been fixed, much like the unresolved emotions and memories tied to her previous life.


Q. What does the girl’s offer of tea and her laughter reveal about her character?

Ans. The girl’s offer of tea and her laughter show that she’s hospitable and approachable. She seems quite comfortable and enjoys making others feel comfortable. Her casual attitude also suggests that she’s friendly.


Q. How does the narrator’s memory of the tea pot’s gold border contribute to the atmosphere?

Ans. The narrator’s memory of the tea pot with the gold border makes her nostalgic.


Q. What does the difference between the girl’s attitude toward the antiques and the narrator’s childhood fascination with them tell us?

Ans. The difference highlights how time and familiarity change the way people view things. As a child, the narrator found the antiques fascinating. But the girl treats them casually. It suggests that when we grow up around something, it becomes ordinary.


Q. Why does the narrator feel no need to look around when the girl points out the antiques?

Ans. The narrator doesn’t need to follow the girl’s gesture because she is familiar with the objects in the room. This familiarity suggests that the narrator has spent years with those objects.


Q. What does the narrator’s observation of the girl’s broad back suggest?

Ans. The narrator notices that the girl's broad back resembles her mother’s. It indicates a subtle family likeness.


Q. What does the narrator's reaction to hearing her own voice imply?

Ans. The narrator feels her voice sounds unusual. It reflects her discomfort or awkwardness in the setting.


Q. What does the narrator’s childhood fascination with the apple in the pewter plate suggest?

Ans. The narrator’s fascination with the apple in the pewter plate reflects a childhood tendency to appreciate small, beautiful details in the surroundings.

Text


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.’

Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer



  • The narrator noticed a burn mark on the tablecloth, and the girl glanced at her, a little confused.


  • According to the narrator how, over time, one gets so used to having all these lovely things around that you barely notice them anymore. It’s only when something goes missing that we realise


  • As she spoke, the narrator thought her own voice sounded almost out of place. She recalled an old memory.

  • She remembered one day her mother asked if she could help polish the silver. The narrator did not know anything about silverware.  Therefore, she asked her mother which silver she was talking about. Then her mother said it was the usual spoons, forks, and knives they used every day.


  • The narrator found it funny because she hadn’t even realized that the everyday cutlery was made of silver.



Q. What does the narrator’s ignorance about the silver cutlery reveal?

Ans. The narrator’s ignorance about the silver cutlery suggests that she had not paid proper attention to the items she had been using regularly. It shows how people become so accustomed to their environment that they fail to notice what they use daily.


Q. Why does the narrator feel her voice sounds unnatural during the conversation?

Ans. Possibly the narrator feels uncomfortable in the new situation. This makes her voice sound unfamiliar or strange to her. 

Q. What does the memory of polishing the silver suggest about the narrator’s past relationship with her home?

Ans. The memory shows that the narrator wasn’t much involved in the daily household work. Thus, she didn’t realise the value of the items she used. It reflects how she might have taken her surroundings for granted and was less aware of their significance.


Q. How does the narrator’s comment about noticing things when they’re missing relate to human behaviour?

Answer: The narrator’s remark highlights a common human tendency to overlook familiar things until they’re gone. It reflects how people often take everyday objects or moments for granted and appreciate them only when they’re no longer around.


Text


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.

Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • Mrs Dorling’s daughter laughed again and told the narrator that she did not know what they ate with. The narrator just gave her a curious look.  

  • Then the girl moved towards the sideboard, ready to open a drawer. She said that she would check. Suddenly, the narrator stood up saying she had forgotten the time, and that she needed to catch his train. With her hand still on the drawer, the girl asked if she would not wait for her mother. 

  • The narrator shook her head, saying she had to leave, and headed for the door. As she made her way down the hallway, the sound of spoons and forks clinking reached her ears.



Q. Why did the narrator suddenly decide to leave?

Ans. The narrator felt uncomfortable when the girl started searching for the utensils. She did not dare to confront the utensils which once belonged to her. So, she gave the excuse of catching her train. She wanted to make a quick exit before she got more uncomfortable.


Q. Why did the narrator bring up being late for her train?

Ans. Mentioning the train was likely a polite way for the narrator to avoid lingering in the house. It gave her an easy out from an uncomfortable situation without directly rejecting the girl’s offer.


Q. How did the girl react when she couldn’t answer her own question about the utensils?


Ans. The girl hesitated, then went to the sideboard and opened a drawer, trying to find the utensils, showing that she wasn’t sure where they were kept but wanted to help.



Q. What does the sound of the jingling utensils represent for the narrator?

Ans. The sound of the utensils was a reminder of the past. It again caused discomfort for the narrator. That's why, she decided to leave before facing any deeper emotional ties to objects in the house.

Text

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. 




Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer


  • At the corner of the road, the narrator saw the signboard that said Marconi Street. She remembered she had been at Number 46, and the address was right.

  • But now, she didn’t want to think about it anymore. She didn’t want to go back. She realized that things connected to old memories lose their meaning when we see them in strange, new places.

  • Taking those things back to her small rented room, where blackout paper still hung by the windows and only a few utensils fit in the drawer, didn’t make sense to her.

  • She decided it was best to forget the address.



Q. Why did the narrator decide not to go back to Number 46?

Ans. The narrator felt that the objects connected to her past had lost their meaning when seen in a new, unfamiliar place. Therefore, she decided never to visit Number 46.


Q. What did the narrator realize about objects from the past?

Ans. She realized that objects tied to old memories lose their value when they are seen outside of their familiar context, making them seem unimportant or out of place.


Q. Why did the narrator not want to take the objects to her rented room?

Ans. The narrator did the narrator not want to take the objects to her rented room because it was too small and she didn’t have enough space for them. The room didn’t feel like the right place for these memories.


Q. What made it easy for the narrator to forget the address?

Ans. The narrator believed it would be easy to forget the address because she was determined to move on from her past, and letting go of the memories tied to that place felt like the right step.


Q. What detail about the rented room shows it was simple and bare?

Ans. The detail that the blackout paper still hung on the windows suggests that the room was basic, with little comfort or decoration, emphasizing its simplicity.


NCERT Solution of “The Address” Class 11 English, Snapshots 

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?


Ans. Of course, these words of Mrs Dorling give us clues about the story. Even before the war turned ugly, Mrs Dorling began to visit the narrator’s mother. As time went on, these visits became more frequent. Whenever Mrs. Dorling visited the narrator’s house, she took away something with her like silverware, vases, or antique plates. The narrator’s mother trusted her completely, but she ( the narrator) always had her doubts. Eventually, the family had to flee to survive. By the time the war ended, the narrator’s mother had passed away. After the war, the narrator went to Mrs. Dorling’s house at 46 Marconi Street, hoping to get back some of her mother’s belongings. When the narrator rang the bell, Mrs. Dorling answered the door. But she was surprised to see a young woman at her door. She didn’t recognise her at first. But she was pretending. When the narrator saw Mrs Dorling wearing her mother’s green cardigan, she said that she (Mrs Dorling) knew her. In reply, Mrs. Dorling coldly said, "Have you come back?" ….” I thought no one had come back”. These words reveal the true character of Mrs Dorling and also hint at what the story is about.

It is clear that Mrs. Dorling never expected either the narrator or her mother would survive. She didn’t invite her inside and acted distant and unfriendly, eventually brushing her off and telling her to come back some other time.



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 “The Address” is set in two different times—before and after the war. It starts with the narrator visiting 46 Marconi Street to see Mrs. Dorling. She has returned to her hometown after the war, but her mother has passed away. She’s there to try and get back her mother’s belongings, which Mrs. Dorling had taken during the war, supposedly to keep them safe. The story then flashes back to the early days of the war, when life began to unravel. War was changing everything for the narrator and her mother. It was during this time that Mrs. Dorling started showing up at their house. Each time she visited, she took something with her—first, it was the silverware, and later, the antique plates and vases. The narrator’s mother trusted Mrs. Dorling and believed her possessions would be safer with her, but the narrator always had her doubts and didn’t fully trust her.


After the war, life slowly returned to normal. People could finally sleep without fear, and there was food and security again. But the narrator couldn’t shake a feeling of unease. She went to Mrs. Dorling’s house, hoping to retrieve her mother’s things. But when she arrived, Mrs. Dorling greeted her with a cold, distant attitude and acted like she didn’t even recognize her. It was clear Mrs. Dorling had never expected to see either the narrator or her mother again after the war.


3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?


Ans. The narrator decides to forget the address because she has realised that life is an ongoing process, and we can not remain stuck to our past. 

The narrator had gone to 46 Marconi Street, hoping to meet Mrs. Dorling and recover her mother’s things. 

Before the war, her mother had trusted Mrs Dorling with all of their valuable belongings, believing they’d be safe with her. After the war, she goes back to see Mrs. Dorling, but the woman barely acknowledges her. She coldly asks, “Have you come back?” and refuses to engage, making it clear she’s not interested in helping or returning the items. When the narrator visits Mrs Dorling’s house the second time, she isn’t at home. Mrs Dorling’s daughter opens the door and lets her in. When she looks around the house, she notices her mother’s belongings like cutlery, antique plates, vases etc. But they appeared to be out of place now in the strange atmosphere. She thought without her mother, they had lost their importance.

At this moment, the narrator realises that clinging to these possessions won’t bring her mother back. So, she decides to let go and forget the address entirely, knowing it no longer holds any meaning for her.


4. The Address' is a story of the human predicament that follows war. Comment.

Ans. “The Address” tells the painful story of what people go through after a war. In Holland, like everywhere else, the war left people feeling unsafe—not just for their lives but for everything they owned. Mrs. S and her daughter were forced to flee their home, and in a desperate attempt to protect their most valuable belongings—silver cutlery, antique plates, vases—Mrs. S (the narrator’s mother) handed them over to a woman named Mrs. Dorling. When the war finally ended and things started to calm down, life slowly returned to some sort of normal. But by then, the narrator's mother had passed away. Now alone, the daughter returned to her old town, hoping to retrieve her mother’s possessions. When she arrived at Mrs Dorling’s house, she was greeted with coldness. Despite knowing exactly who she was, Mrs Dorling pretended not to recognise her and told her to come back another time.

The war had taken a toll on the narrator and her family, leaving her to face the world by herself. She had no one to turn to, and the one person they had trusted, Mrs Dorling, proved to be ungrateful and unwilling to admit that she owed anything to the narrator or her mother.

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