THE ADDRESS
(Q1.)Who had given the narrator the address, when and under what circumstances?
(Ans) The narrator’s mother had given her the address, years ago during the first half of
the war. The narrator came home for a few days and missed various things in the rooms.
Then her mother told her about Mrs. Dorling and gave her the address.
(Q2.)What did the narrator learn about Mrs. Dorling from her mother?
(Ans) Mrs. Dorling was an old acquaintance of the narrator’s mother. They had not seen
each other for several years. Then she suddenly turned up and renewed their contact.
Every time she left that place she took something with her-table silver, antique plates, etc.
(Q3.)What reason did Mrs. Dorling give for taking away the precious belongings of
the narrator’s mother?
(Ans) Mrs. Dorling suggested to the narrator’s mother that she should store her
belongings at a safe place. She wanted to save all her precious antiques and she explained
that they would lose everything if they had to leave the place due to war.
(Q4.)Why did the narrator wait a long time before going to the address: Number 46,
Marconi Street?
(Ans) Initially after the war, she was not at all interested in her mother’s belongings
lying there. She was also afraid of being confronted with things that had belonged to her
mother, who is now no more.
(Q.5)‘I was in a room I knew and did not know’, says the narrator in the story ‘The
Address’. What promoted her to make this observation?
(Ans) The narrator found herself in the midst of things she was familiar with and which
she wanted to see again. She longed to see her belongings but was disturbed to find them
in a strange atmosphere where everything was arranged in a tasteless way. The ugly
furniture and the stale smell created the feeling that she didn’t know the room.
(Q6.)How did the narrator reconcile herself to the loss of her mother's precious
belongings?
(Ans) The narrator felt that her mother had only sent them for safe custody and Mrs.
Dorling was not to keep and use everything. On seeing these objects, memories of her
former life were evoked. She found no room for these precious belongings in her present
life. So she reconciled to her fate.
(Q7.)Describe the first visit of Mrs. S’s daughter to the house of Mrs. Dorling.
(Ans) Mrs. Dorling did not give Mrs. S’s daughter a warm welcome. She was rather cold
in her behaviour because she understood the reason for her visit. She had no intention of
returning Mrs. S’s belongings. Hence she behaved in a rude and cold manner, and did
not even open the door for her.
(Q8.)Why did Mrs. S ask her daughter to remember the address of Mrs. Dorling?
(Ans)She had asked her daughter to remember the address of Mrs. Dorling, i.e. 46
Marconi Street because she knew that one day she had to go back to her to get her
precious belongings back from her.
(Q9.)Justify the title of the story, “The Address”.
(Ans) 'The Address' is a very apt title as it brings out the pain and anguish inflicted on
the narrator and her mother by the war. The address 46, Marconi Street was important
because her mother had given her valuables to Mrs. Dorling who lived at that address.
STUDY NOTES (ENGLISH){XI B} 1
Although the narrator found the address, she didn’t take her belongings as they were
kept in an ugly setting. She decided to leave her belongings and forget the address.
Hence, the address plays an important role in the story.
(Q10.)‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament (situation) that follows war.
Comment.
(Ans) The war creates many difficult and traumatic situations for human beings.
Civilian life faces tremendous upheaval due to war. The human predicament that follows
is amply illustrated through the experience of the narrator. The war had caused many
physical difficulties as well as emotional sufferings to her. She had lost her dear mother.
She went to 46, Marconi Street to see her mother’s valuable possessions. Mrs. Dorling was
a true opportunist who had used the narrator’s mother’s belongings on the pretext of
storing them for safekeeping. She refuses to recognize the narrator and does not even let
her in. The narrator gets another chance to visit the house. The presence of her mother’s
possessions in a strange atmosphere hurted her. Now these valuables had lost all their
importance for her as they had been separated from her mother. She could get no solace
or comfort from them. She resolved to forget the address. She wanted to leave the
memories of her mother and the war behind. She decided to move on.
THE SUMMER OF THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE
(Q1.)“This was that part that wouldn’t permit me to believe what saw”. What part does
the narrator mean?
(Ans) Aram refers to their poverty. They lived in extreme poverty and it was difficult to
understand how they got food to satisfy their hunger. He frankly admits that every
branch of the family was living in the most amazing and comical poverty in the world.
(Q2.)What conflicting thoughts passed through the narrator’s mind on seeing Mourad
on a beautiful white horse early one morning?
(Ans) The narrator was surprised. He knew that his cousin Mourad couldn’t have
bought the horse. He obviously must have stolen it. However, family pride came in the
way. He refused to believe that Mourad was a thief.
(Q3.)How did Aram define stealing when he had to decide whether or not to ride the
horse?
(Ans) It seemed to him that stealing a horse for a ride was not the same thing as stealing
something else such as money. Since he and Mourad were quite crazy about horses it
wasn’t stealing. He convinced himself with the thought that it would become stealing
only when they offered to sell it.
(Q4.)What traits of the Garoghlanian family are highlighted in the story?
(Ans) The Garoghlanian family though now poor was famous for their honesty even
when they were wealthy. They were proud first, honest next and after that they believed
in right and wrong. None of them would take advantage of anybody in the world. They
would not steal. No member of this family could be a thief.
(Q5.)What two character traits of Mourad are mentioned by the narrator in the initial
part of the story?
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(Ans) Mourad was considered crazy by everybody who knew him except the narrator.
He was impulsive, daring and reckless. He followed his heart more than his mind. He
was quite crazy about horses and had a way with animals. Secondly, he enjoyed being
alive more than anybody else.
(Q6.)“I have a way with a horse”. How do you think had Mourad developed an
understanding with the horse?
(Ans) Mourad had been quite sensitive, tender and affectionate towards the horse. He
would put his arms around it, press his nose into the horse’s nose and pat it. It was not
easy to tame a strange horse and get it to behave nicely. Even John Byro, the rightful
owner admitted that the horse had become better tempered, stronger and well-mannered.
(Q7.)What do you think induced the voice to return the horse to its owner?
(Ans) The boys were impressed by John Byro’s attitude towards their parents and
families. He knew their parents very well and so believed whatever the boys said.
Secondly the fame of their family for honesty was well-known to him. The boys returned
the horse to him for the sake of family's pride and dignity. Their conscience did not allow
them to keep the horse any longer. They were afraid to lose a family reputation which
was known for honesty and integrity.
(Q8.)Do you think John Byro recognized his horse? Why did he not accuse the boys of
stealing the horse?
(Ans) Yes, John Byro did recognize his horse. He examined his teeth and knew for sure
that the horse was his own. He did not accuse the boys and indirectly told them that it
was wrong to steal. He talked about the family’s reputation for honesty and said that he
would never suspect them of stealing.
(Q9.)Mourad had the ‘crazy streak’ of the family in him. What do you learn about him
in the story?
(Ans) Mourad, a thirteen year old boy, fond of riding to the point of looking crazy- sang
joyfully as he rode the stolen horse. He was considered the natural descendent of a crazy
uncle Khosrove. He said he had a way with horses and farmers.
(Q10.)“What?” he roared. Are you inviting a member of the Garoghlanian family to
steal? The horse must go back to its true owner. Who said these words and to whom?
What do we learn about the speaker from these lines?
(Ans) Mourad said these words to Aram when Aram suggested that they should keep
the horse for a year. Mourad was annoyed and said these words. This shows that he was
honest and sincere enough to guard the family’s reputation of being honest.
STUDY NOTES (ENGLISH){XI B} 3
