Class 11 English Notes Chapter 2 (The Address) – Snapshots Suppl. Reader English Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 2 of your Snapshots book, 'The Address' by Marga Minco. This is a poignant story, often studied for its themes and emotional depth, making it important for your exams. Pay close attention to the details.

'The Address' by Marga Minco: Detailed Notes for Exam Preparation

1. Introduction & Context:

• Author: Marga Minco (a Dutch journalist and writer).
• Setting: Post-World War II Holland. The backdrop of the war and the Holocaust is crucial to understanding the characters' situations and motivations.
• Genre: Short story, semi-autobiographical elements reflecting experiences during the Nazi occupation.
• Core Idea: The story explores the themes of loss, memory, the painful aftermath of war, and the complex relationship between people and their possessions. It delves into the emotional journey of a young woman trying to reconnect with her past, only to realize the futility and pain associated with it.

2. Characters:

• The Narrator (Protagonist): A young Jewish woman (implied) who survived the war but lost her mother. She returns to reclaim her family's belongings. She is sensitive, observant, and undergoes significant emotional development throughout the story. Initially hopeful, she becomes disillusioned and ultimately decides to move on.
• Mrs. S (The Narrator's Mother): Mentioned only in flashbacks and through the narrator's memories. She was trusting, perhaps naive, and deeply attached to her possessions. She entrusted her valuable belongings to Mrs. Dorling for "safekeeping" during the war.
• Mrs. Dorling (Antagonist): An acquaintance of the narrator's mother. She took the family's valuable items during the war. Her behaviour post-war is cold, unwelcoming, and opportunistic. She clearly has no intention of returning the items and uses them as her own. She represents the insensitivity and exploitation that can occur during troubled times.
• Mrs. Dorling's Daughter: A girl of about fifteen. She is unaware of the true origin of the items in her house and treats them casually. Her presence highlights the disconnect between the objects' past significance and their present reality. She is polite but ignorant of the situation.

3. Plot Summary:

• Pre-War Context (Flashback): The narrator recalls visiting home during the war and noticing valuable items missing. Her mother explains that Mrs. Dorling, an old acquaintance, is taking them to her house (Number 46, Marconi Street) for safekeeping, fearing they might lose everything if they have to flee. The narrator remembers Mrs. Dorling visiting frequently and carrying items away.
• Post-War: First Visit: Years after the war and her mother's death, the narrator decides to visit the address her mother gave her: Number 46, Marconi Street.
  • Mrs. Dorling opens the door slightly. She doesn't immediately recognize the narrator or pretends not to.
  • The narrator notices Mrs. Dorling wearing her mother's green knitted cardigan. This confirms she is at the right place and that Mrs. Dorling possesses her mother's things.
  • Mrs. Dorling is unwelcoming, claims she cannot talk, and shuts the door, leaving the narrator outside.
• Post-War: Second Visit: The narrator decides to try again sometime later.
  • This time, Mrs. Dorling is not home. Her daughter opens the door and invites the narrator in to wait.
  • Inside, the narrator is confronted with her family's belongings – the woollen tablecloth, the silver cutlery, the pewter plates, the Hanukkah candle holder – all arranged tastelessly in a small, stuffy room.
  • The objects evoke memories, but seeing them used so casually in this strange environment makes them feel alien and disconnected from her mother and her past life.
  • She observes the burn mark on the tablecloth and the daughter polishing the silver, confirming their identity.
  • The experience is deeply unsettling and painful. The objects have lost their emotional value for her in this new context.
• Resolution: Overwhelmed and disillusioned, the narrator abruptly decides to leave. She realizes that the belongings are irrevocably linked to a past filled with pain and loss. She chooses to forget the address and leave the objects behind, symbolizing her decision to let go of the past and move forward.

4. Key Themes:

• Loss and Trauma of War: The story powerfully depicts the devastating impact of war – loss of family, home, identity, and the emotional scars left behind.
• Memory and the Past: Objects act as triggers for memory, but the story questions whether clinging to these physical remnants is helpful or merely prolongs the pain. The narrator's memories are bittersweet and ultimately lead to a sense of alienation.
• Human Nature: Contrasts the trusting nature of the narrator's mother with the opportunistic and insensitive behaviour of Mrs. Dorling. It explores greed and lack of empathy in difficult times.
• Materialism vs. Emotional Value: The belongings held deep emotional value for the narrator's mother and initially for the narrator herself. However, seeing them misused and decontextualized strips them of this value, reducing them to mere objects. Mrs. Dorling values them only for their material worth or utility.
• Letting Go and Moving On: The narrator's final decision to leave the belongings and forget the address signifies a painful but necessary step towards healing and focusing on the future, rather than being anchored to a traumatic past.

5. Symbolism:

• The Address (Number 46, Marconi Street): Represents the tangible link to the painful past and the stolen belongings. Forgetting the address is symbolic of the narrator's choice to sever that link.
• The Belongings (Cardigan, Silver, Tablecloth, etc.): Symbolize the lost life, the narrator's mother, family history, and cultural identity. Their displacement and misuse reflect the disruption caused by the war.
• Mrs. Dorling's House: Represents the appropriation and devaluation of the narrator's past. It's a place where cherished memories are stored in a "muggy smell" and arranged without love or understanding.

6. Title Significance:

• 'The Address' is central to the plot – it's the clue given by the mother, the destination of the narrator's quest, and ultimately, the symbol of the past she decides to forget. The story revolves around finding, visiting, and finally discarding this address.

7. Tone and Mood:

• The story has a predominantly somber, poignant, and reflective tone. There's an underlying sense of sadness, loss, and disillusionment.

Exam Relevance:

• Be prepared to discuss the narrator's emotional journey and her final decision.
• Analyze the characters of Mrs. Dorling and the narrator's mother.
• Explain the significance of the setting (post-war Holland).
• Discuss the key themes, especially the relationship between memory, objects, and trauma.
• Understand the symbolism used in the story.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. What is the address the narrator's mother gave her?
   a) Number 46, Baker Street
   b) Number 64, Marconi Street
   c) Number 46, Marconi Street
   d) Number 14, Market Street

2. What item of clothing did the narrator recognize Mrs. Dorling wearing during the first visit?
   a) Her mother's blue silk scarf
   b) Her mother's green knitted cardigan
   c) Her mother's favourite apron
   d) Her mother's leather gloves

3. Why did the narrator's mother give her belongings to Mrs. Dorling?
   a) She sold them to Mrs. Dorling for money.
   b) Mrs. Dorling offered to store them for safekeeping during the war.
   c) They were a gift to Mrs. Dorling.
   d) Mrs. Dorling was moving and needed furniture.

4. During the narrator's second visit, who lets her into the house?
   a) Mrs. Dorling
   b) A neighbour
   c) Mrs. Dorling's daughter
   d) No one, the door was unlocked.

5. Which specific damage mark did the narrator notice on the woollen tablecloth?
   a) A large ink stain
   b) A tear near the edge
   c) A burn mark from a candle
   d) Several moth holes

6. What feeling overcomes the narrator upon seeing her family's belongings in Mrs. Dorling's house?
   a) Joy and relief at finding them
   b) Anger and a desire for revenge
   c) Nostalgia mixed with alienation and distress
   d) Indifference, as they no longer mattered

7. What does the narrator ultimately decide to do about the belongings?
   a) Confront Mrs. Dorling and demand them back
   b) Secretly take a few small items
   c) Leave them behind and try to forget the address
   d) Ask Mrs. Dorling's daughter to return them later

8. The story 'The Address' is set against the backdrop of:
   a) World War I
   b) The Dutch Golden Age
   c) Post-World War II period
   d) The Cold War

9. Mrs. Dorling's attitude towards the narrator can best be described as:
   a) Warm and welcoming
   b) Guilty and apologetic
   c) Cold, dismissive, and unwelcoming
   d) Confused and forgetful

10. The central theme explored in 'The Address' relates to:
    a) The excitement of finding lost treasures
    b) The difficulties of navigating a new city
    c) The celebration of surviving the war
    d) The complex relationship with memory, loss, and material possessions after trauma

Answer Key:

1. c) Number 46, Marconi Street
2. b) Her mother's green knitted cardigan
3. b) Mrs. Dorling offered to store them for safekeeping during the war.
4. c) Mrs. Dorling's daughter
5. c) A burn mark from a candle
6. c) Nostalgia mixed with alienation and distress
7. c) Leave them behind and try to forget the address
8. c) Post-World War II period
9. c) Cold, dismissive, and unwelcoming
10. d) The complex relationship with memory, loss, and material possessions after trauma

Study these notes carefully. Understanding the narrator's internal conflict and the symbolism is key to mastering this chapter. Let me know if any part needs further clarification.