The Address Class 11 English Snapshot

Key Points of the Story 

• The Address summary will help you learn easily about the story written by Margo Minco. 
• It gives an account of the chaos which follows war. 
• We see what it does to humans and their behaviour. 
• You can feel the pain, grief and mental torture the survivors of war have to go through. 
• It is about the author’s story, who is a Jew and returns to her native home post-war. 
• After suffering many losses, she even loses her mother. 
• Further, it is about how she handles the world alone after going through so much pain. 
• Moreover, we learn about the world’s cruelty towards the oppressed. 
• Upon suffering from further oppression, she realizes a lesson in a tough way. 
• She comes to realize that nothing is kept in materialistic things and she gives everything up. 
• Thus, it shows us about human pain and self-actualization.

Detailed Summary 

The story revolves around a war victim's daughter returning to her hometown in Holland to find her mother's belongings after the war. Upon reaching her destination, she is met with a cold reception. Despite this, she locates the specified address on Marconi Street, House Number 46. A woman answers the door but denies recognizing the daughter, although she is wearing the mother's green knitted sweater, confirming the daughter's suspicions.
Despite the daughter's persistence, the woman refuses to acknowledge her and closes the door. As the daughter walks away, she reminisces about the past. The address was given to her by her mother years ago, after they found their home emptied post-war. Her mother had entrusted their belongings to Mrs. Dorling, an old friend. Years later, the daughter decides to reclaim these possessions. On her first attempt, Mrs. Dorling dismisses her.
Undeterred, the daughter returns for a second visit, only to be greeted by a fifteen-year-old girl. The mother is absent, so the daughter shares her intention to meet her. The girl invites her in and, to the daughter's surprise, she finds her mother's belongings in the house. Although the room is different, the items are familiar. Feeling uneasy, the daughter decides to leave, abandoning her desire to possess her mother's belongings. She contemplates forgetting the address and any hope of reclaiming those items.

Conclusion 

To sum up, The Address Summary, we learn the intricate emotions of humans like trust, hope and betrayal as well as the ill-effects of war.

Difficult Words

Word - Meaning

• poignant–pathetic,
• belongings–things that belonged to her, furniture and crockery, etc.,
• evoke–arouse, stoke up,
• resolves–makes up her mind,
• searchingly–curiously, doubtfully,
• chink–narrow opening,
• prevent–stop, check,
• absolutely–completely,
• recognition– of familiarity,
• staring–looking fixedly, 
• it isn’t her–she is not the same woman or the right place,
• fleetingly–for a moment or a short time, 
• probable–perhaps,
• let go of –freed,
• musty–smelling damp,
• emerged–came out,
• convenient–comfortable,
• nodded–shook her head in agreement or approval,
• cautiously–carefully,
• bay window–a window forming a recess,
• enamel–paint. smooth hard coating of colour,
• jamb–side post of the door or window,
• struck–occurred,
• various–several, 
• apparently–clearly, 
• acquaintance–same, familiar person, 
• in one go– in one trip,
• antique–old-fashioned,
• lugging–dragging heavy load,
• vases–flower pots, ornamental vessel,
• crick–muscle problem,
• shook–moved, 
• insisted–pressed hard,
• entirely – fully, 
• convinced–assured,
• reprovingly–in a scolding manner,
• upset–disturb discomfort,
• precious–good old days, valuable,
• beckoned–motioned, called with the movement of hand,
• nodded–shook her head,
• initially–at the start, at first,
• liberation–freedom,
• stored stuff–old things,
• confronted–face to face with,
• endured–survived,
• gradually–by and by,
• unthreatened–with no fear,
• glancing–watching, 
• curious–eager about,
• possessions–goods, articles,
• doing an errand–gone out on purpose,
• Passage–covered verandah or gallery,
• cumbersome–heavy,
• horrified–tilled with fear,
• oppressed–troubled,
• tasteless way–clumsy, disorderly,
• muggy–damp,
• scarcely–hardly, at all,
• pattern–design,
• edge–border,
• poured–put, filled the cup with,
• lid–cover, 
• antique–of olden times and precious,
• fancied–liked,
• pewter–zinc, an alloy made of tin and lead. 
• cutlery–knives, forks, spoons. etc.,
• intently–keenly, closely,
• Jingling–metallic sound, 
• objects–things,
• instantly–at once,
• severed–separated,
• shreds–small pieces, remains,
• resolved–determined,