The Third Level-Jack Finney-English for Class XII-A Podcast in Hindi

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 1880s 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.

Detail for Answering Qs.

The subway of the Grand Central Station of New York: There is  a subway to reach the two levels of the 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.

Charley tells Sam, his psychiatrist friend, about his experience of the third level of the Grand Central station. 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.

Sam explains that the modern world is full of tensions and worries. There is fear, insecurity, war and worry. So the writer must have desired to have an escape from the bitterness of the real world. That’s why Charley slipped in fantasy.

The writer’s friends also comment on his hobby of stamp collecting. He also admits that it is a ‘temporary refuge from reality’. They say that he has developed it only to have escape from the real world.

The writer defends himself from the allegation of escaping from the real world. He admits that it is a temporary refuge 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. He also gives example of President Roosevelt who used to collect stamps. Thus his stamp collecting has nothing to do with his description about the third level at the Grand Central Station.

How he happened to walk in to the Third Level: Once he worked late at his office. He wanted to reach home in short time.  Therefore he decided to take the subway of the Grand central Station because it is faster than a bus.

His own description: He describes himself as an ordinary person of thirty one years. He was wearing a tan gabardine suit and a straw hat with a fancy band that day. On the way he met dozens of men who looked like him. He did not want to escape at all. He just wanted to reach home quickly to meet his wife Louisa.

He entered the first level where anyone can take the trains like Twentieth Century. After that he moved on to the second level from where the suburban trains leave. After some time, he lost his way.

He continued his effort to come out of the second level. He thinks that 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. He also discovers a long tunnel which is perhaps unknown to people. 

Once he walked into that a mile long tunnel and reached the Roosevelt hotel. Another time he found himself in an office building on forty-six Street, three blocks away. He began to think that there is perhaps a long tunnel about which nobody knows in the city. It may lead to Times Square and maybe another to Central Park.

Long  Ans. -type Q

Charley’s Arrival at the Third Level:

How did Charley reach the third level of the Grand Central?

One day Charley worked for more time at office. So he was late for home. 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.

What unusual things did he notice there at the third level? How was it different from the other two levels?

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.

About the people:

He saw less people at the third level. They 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. A woman wore a dress with sleeves like the legs of a sheep. Her skirt

reached to the top of her shoes.

Something more about the unusual things at the third level:

Charley found many things unusual on reaching the third level. The room was small and there were fewer booking windows. The lights were dim. They flickered because they were open-flame gas lights. There were brass spittoons on the floor. Everything was in the style of the old time that was 1890-something. Men seemed to be fashionable about keeping beards, side whiskers and even mustaches. The trains were driven by the locomotives having funnel shaped chimneys.

A news boy was carrying some copies of the newspaper ‘The World.’ Its edition was of June 11, 1894. 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. He tried many a time to find out the third level there but could not find it.

After that: Then he told all about the third level to his wife and she became worried about her husband. Now Charley got busy in stamp collecting. His grandfather had a good collection of first day covers.

What is a first day cover?

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.

One day he saw such a first day cover. It was mailed to his grandfather at his house in Galesburg. The postmark on it was of July 18, 1894. There was not a blank paper inside it but it was a written one. It had a note from his psychiatrist friend, Sam Weiner.

In the note Sam had admitted that he had found the third level at the Grand Central station. He also wrote that he reached Galesberg through the third level. The letter was signed by Sam.

‘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.

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. 

Short Answer-type Qs. On the Lesson

Q.1. How did the psychiatrist friend react to his description of the third level at the Grand Central Station?

Q. 2.  How does the writer defend himself at the allegation of escaping in fantasy by way of stamp collecting?

Q. 3. What gave the writer idea that the Grand Central was growing like a tree? (Imp)

Q.4. What unusual things did the Charley notice at the third level?

Q. 5. Describe the people whom Charley saw at third level?

Q.6.What happened when the writer asked for two tickets at the booking window of the third level?

Q.7. Why did the writer suspect that Sam Weiner had gone to Galesberg?

Q.8. How did the writer define a ‘first-day cover’?

Q.9. What proofs does the writer get that Sam is living in Galesberg in 1984?

(The envelope mailed to his grandfather showing July 18, 1894, inside the note written by Sam, admitting his arrival at Galesberg through the third level, also invited Charlie and his wife Louisa also to come there)

Q.10. Do you think the third level was a medium of escape for Charlie?

 Q.11. How often did Charlie get lost at the Grand Central Station?

 Q.12. What convinced Charlie that he had reached the third level at the Grand Central Station and not the second level?

(dress of the people, currency, locomotive)

Long Answer-type Qs. (125-150 words each)

Q1. What do you conclude from Sam’s letter to Charlie?

Q2. How did Charley reach the third level of the Grand Central? How was it different from the other levels?

Q3. What unusual things did he notice at the third level?

Q4. 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.