The Address

ABOUT THE WRITER

This story is a moving short story of Margo Minco. During World War 2, Germany invades Holland. A women with her daughter has to flee from her home. The mother dies. Long after the war the daughter comes back to her town. She meets the woman with whom her mother had left all her belongings. The woman even refuses to recognize her. Nor does she show any intention of returning the things she has in her possession. She (The narrator ) gives up the idea of getting them back again. She decides to leave all of them behind. She resolves to forget the address where those belongings lie unceremoniously in unpleasant surroundings.

MAIN POINTS OF THE CHAPTER

Mrs S ’s Daughter visits no. 46, marconi streetThe narrator was at number 46, Marconi Street. She was the daughter of Mrs S . She pressed the bell. A women opened the door. She looked at the newcomer searchling. She was Mrs. Dongling. The narrator introduced herself. The women’s face showed absolutely no sign of recognition. She kept staring at her in silence. The girl had once seen the women years ago. She realised that perhaps she had rang the wrong bell. But soon her doubt was set to rest. The women was wearing her mother’s green knitted cardigan. She was at the right place.

THE WOMEN REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE THE GIRL The girl asked the women if she still

knew her. Mrs Dorling replied that she did not. She stood their dumbfounded. The narrator then told her that she was the daughter of Mrs S. The women asked “Have you come back?” It was clear that she was not pleased to see the girl again. The girl replied that she was the only one who survived and came back. The woman expressed regret that she could not do anything for her. The narrator told her that she had come specially for her by train she wanted to talk to her for a moment. But the lady showed her helplessness. She was not ready to entertain the girl she could come at another time.

THE NARRATOR THOUGHT OF HER MOTHER The Narrator got lost in old

memories. She thought about her mother. She had given her the address of Mrs Dorling years ago. Holland was war – stricken. It had been in the first half of the war. She remembered how she came home for a few days. She noticed that various things in the house were missing. Her mother then told her about Mrs Dorling. She had never heard of her before. Clearly, Mrs Dorling must have been an old acquaintance of her mother. Suddenly Mrs Dorling started coming regularly to their house.

MRS DORLING’S FREQUENT VISITS

Mrs Dorling came frequently. Everytime she visited, she took something with her. One day she took all the silverware. Then she took away the antique plates hung on the wall. Mrs S told her daughter that Mrs Dorling wanted to save all her articles. It was war time. If they had to leave the place, they would lose everything. The daughter wanted to know if there was a written agreement that Mrs Dorling would return all the articles safely. The girl could not trust anyone so blindly. Mrs S replied that it was not necessary. Mrs S was thankful to Mrs Dorling for what she was doing for her all that happened years ago.

SECOND VISIT TO MRS DORLING’S HOUSE

The narrator’s first visit was not rewarding. She paid a second visit to see Mrs Dorling. This time she found her 15 year-old daughter in the house. Mrs Dorling was not there. She decided to wait for Mrs Dorling.

THE DAUGHTER SEES HER MOTHER’S BELONGINGS

The narrator found herself in the midst of things. Once they belonged to her mother. She wanted to see them again. All those things were taken away by Mrs Dorling and kept here in her house. She was pained to note that they were arranged tastelessly. The ugly furniture and the muggy smell upset her. The girl brought tea for her. Then she opened a box and took some spoons out of it. The narrator also looked at the antique plates. She knew that all the cutlery, knives, forks and spoons were of silver. Her mother had told her about them when she was alive.

WORD - MEANINGS

Picked up - lifted upRack - frame of wooden bars used for holding

things Case - boxInitially - in the beginningLiberation- freedomStored - that has been preservedStuff - thingsConfront - faced withConnection- relationIn vain - uselessly Endured - tolerated

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Gradually – slowly Unthreatened – without any threat or fear View – sight Used to – habitual Glancing – looking at Possessions – belongings Hanukkah – a jewish festival of lights Cumbersome – heavy Living room – sitting room Past her – went in front of her Mark – sign Midst – among Oppressed – troubled Muggy – smell of dampness Pewter plate – plate made of zinc

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Lent – given to someone Pulled – dragged Instantly – at once Fleetingly – lasting for a moment Knitted – made through knitting needles Cardigan – a kitted woolen jacket Pale – dim Musty – smelling unpleasant Emerged – rose

The Tale Of A Melon City

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vikram Seth was born in Calcutta, India, in

1952, the oldest of three children. His father, Prem Seth was a shoe company executive and his mother, Leela Seth, served as a judge. Seth left India to study at oxford university in England earning degrees in philosophy economics, and politics. He enrolled at stanford university in California, intending to complete a Ph.D. in economics. While at stanford, Seth was a wallace stegner fellow creative writing. He wrote the poems collected in mappings during this time. From 1980 to 1982, Seth was in china for 2 years for travell and economic research. While there, he studied lake details the hitch hiking trip through nepal and tibet that seth took while a student in china; and The golden gate is about young proferrionals is San Francisco searching for love in identity.

Translation has played an important part in Seth’s life, reflecting the multicultural sources of his material. His earliest book of poetry includes works translated from Chinese classical Chinese poetry and language at Nanjing University.

OTHER BOOKS OF VIKRAM SETH From Heaven Lake The humble administrator’s garden All you who sleep tonight etc.

ABOUT THE POEM

“The tale of melon city” by Vikram Seth is a satire about a king, his ministers and the kingdom. The poem shows the stupidity of the king and his kingdom. Once the king, ordered his ministers to build an arch over the main street to impress visitors and tourists. The arch was constructed. When the king was returning from bouldevard, the arch knocked down his crown. The king was furious and ordered immediately the execution of the builders of the arch. When the builders were taken to the gallows, they shouted out that the work man were at fault. The king stopped the proceedings and asked men to hang the workmen. The workmen then shouted out that the masons were to be blamed.

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The masons in turn blame the architect . The architect points out that the king had made some amendments in the plans. The king is trapped and put into a tricky situation; he therefore calls his wisest man for advice. The wise man says the culorit is the arch which knocked of the king’s crown so it should be punished. The king then looked for a man who was tall enough to fit the noose. None but the king was fit and ultimately he was hanged. The ministers then announced that anybody who passes the city gate would choose the next ruler. An idiot was asked and he said a melon. Consequently , a Melon was crowned and the people of the kingdom did not worry about who or what their king was. They only wanted to do what their heart desires.

WORD - MEANINGS Enforce – ensure observance of

laws and rules Quavering – quivering as from

weakness or fear Rejoice – feel happiness or joy Amendment – the act of amending

or correcting Fault – a wrong action attributable

or ignorance or inattention

Reverently – with reverence Gallows – an instrument of

execution consisting of a wooden frame from which a condemned person is

Placid – free from disturbance by heavy waves

WORD - MEANINGS Scaffold – a platform from which criminals are executed Counsel – a lawyer who pleads cases in court Arch – a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an

opening Idiot – a person of subnormal intelligence Triumphal – relating to or celebrating a triumph Spectator – a close observer Culprit – someone who perpetrates wrong doing Proclaim – declare someone to be something Majesty – impressiveness in scale or proportion

WORD - MEANINGS Architect – someone who creates plans to be

used in making something Shameful – deserving or bringing disgrace or

shame Gallows – wooden frame from which a

condemned person is executed by hanging

CREATED BY- SAMSHAD ALI