1. The Third Level
Writer: Jack Finney
Story in a nutshell:
The story moves in the modern times
and the period of 1890 or something. The main character in the story is
Charley, a man of 31 years.
He often travels to his place of
working through the subway (passageway) of Grand Central Station. Here, there
are only two levels from where the trains leave for different destinations. The
time tables and railway officials mention only these two levels.
But one day, Charley discovers a
third level, which is quite different from the other two levels. Here people
have dressed themselves in the manner used by the people in 1890s. Tickets are
bought in the old currency of that period. The modern currency is not valid there.
The engines of the trains are the old locomotives of that old time. One can
travel from here to anywhere in the United States.
Charley wants to buy two tickets for Galesberg
from here. But Charley did not have the old currency of the 1980s with him. The
booking clerk did not accept the modern currency from him. So the other day,
Charley managed to get some old style currency to buy two tickets for
Galesberg, one for his wife and the other for himself. Then he goes to the
Grand Central Station. But he finds no third level there. Here the story ends.
Thus we find the story moving round a fantasy and reality.
Q1. How does Jack Finney describe the Grand Central like the roots of a
tree?
Ans. Jack
Finney describes the Grand Central is growing like a tree. He finds new
corridors and staircases coming out in front of him. He compares them to the
roots of a tree, which are often invisible.
Q2. Describe four unusual things which Charlie finds at the third level?
Ans.
Everything was quite different at the third level for Charlie. The room was
smaller. There were fewer ticket windows. The lights were dim and flickering
because they were open-flame gas-lights. There were brass spittoons on the
floors.
Q3. Describe the men at the third level as seen by Charlie in his
reverie.
Ans. The people Charlie saw in his
reverie were dressed in the old style of the year 1890-something. They wore derby hats and four buttoned suit with
small lapels. Men had beard, side-whiskers and mustaches.
Q4. Why was Charlie not able to purchase tickets from the third level?
How did he manage to purchase them?
Ans. Charley was unable to purchase
tickets from the window because he had modern currency. It was invalid as old
style bills were accepted at the booking window. The next day Charley managed
to get old style bills to purchase two tickets.
Q5. What is the first day cover. Elaborate it.
Ans. When a new stamp is issued, the
stamp collectors buy some. They use them on envelopes, write their own
addresses and post them into the mailbox. They also put a blank paper inside
the envelopes. It is done on the first day of the sale of the new stamps. They
keep the date-stamped envelope in record.
Q.6. How did the psychiatrist friend react to his description of the
third level at the Grand Central Station?
Ans. His friend, Sam did not believe
it and said that it was the product of his imagination only. He called it a
waking dream wish fulfillment.
Q.7. How does the writer defend
himself at the allegation of escaping in fantasy by way of stamp collecting?
Ans. The writer defends himself from
the allegation of escaping from the real world. He admits that it is a
temporary refuse from reality. He adds that his grandfather was also in the
habit of collecting stamps. Life was peaceful and without much problems. There
was no need of escaping from real life in those days.
Q.8. What
proofs does the writer get that Sam is living in Galesberg in 1984?
Ans. The envelope mailed to Charlie’s
grandfather was showing July 18, 1894. A note was also written by Sam,
admitting his arrival at Galesberg through the third level. He also invited
Charlie and his wife Louisa to reach there.
Q9.Do you think the third level was a medium of escape for Charlie?
Ans. The third level was really a
medium of escape for Charlie., who was also a victim of stressful life of the
modern age. People get themselves lost in the world of their imagination by
various means of escape. Stamp collecting is one of them. The person.
Long Answer-type Qs.
Q1. How often did Charlie get lost at the Grand Central Station?
Ans. One day Charley worked for more
time at office. So he was late for home. So he took the subway from the Grand
Central to reach the second level of it. From there he was to catch a train. He
started walking quickly. He reached the second level. But, all of a sudden, he
lost his way there. He entered a corridor that had a left turn. It was also
slanting somewhat downwards. It was like a tunnel. He met no one on the way.
There was dead silence. Even he could
hear the sound of his own footsteps. Then the corridor took a sharp left
turn. After coming down a flight of stairs he reached the third level of the
Grand Central Station.
Q2. What unusual things did he notice there at the third level? How was
it different from the other two levels?
Ans. Everything was quite different
at the third level for Charlie. The room was smaller. There were fewer ticket
windows. The lights were dim and flickering because they were open-flame
gas-lights. There were brass spittoons on the floors. Everything there at the
third level was old and belonged to the eighteen-ninety-something. Nothing was
there which could be called belonging to the modern times. The furniture at the
third level was of ancient time. A man
was using an old type of watch which he kept in his vest pocket. The dresses of
the men and women were also of very old style. He also saw an old type of
engine. It was a locomotive with a funnel shaped chimney. Old-style bills were
accepted there. He could not purchase tickets as he had modern type of bill.
Q3. ‘The modern consumerist world is full of fear, insecurities, stress
and wars.’ What are the ways in which we try to combat them? Answer with
reference to The Third Level.
This is a fact that we live in a
world that is full of fear, insecurities, stress and wars. Charley is the
product of the same kind of world. Charley must have been a victim of stress
and anxiety. That’s why, unknowingly he developed a habit of slipping
in to the world of the third level. He must have had a dormant (hidden) desire
of such a platform from where one could go anywhere in the U.S.A. That was the
reason he wished to purchase two tickets for Galesberg. So one day his waking
dream wishful thinking got materialized in his reverie (day dream).
There are many ways to combat (fight)
these types of stress. People can do creative writing and lose themselves in
imagination. They can enjoy the beauties of nature. They can make several
hobbies like listening to music, dancing, painting and gardening. But they
should not become habitual of non-desirable habits like drinking wine and
taking drugs or intoxicants.
