Q1: "Have you come back?" said the woman. 'I thought that no one had come back.' Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it?
Ans: This statement gives us a hint that both the woman and the narrator know each other. The narrative revolves around a girl trying to find her mother's old possessions with an adult lady. The girl's mother had anticipated an upcoming war and had gradually moved all her valuable belongings to the residence of her acquaintance, Mrs. Dorling. Since her mother had died during the war, Mrs. Dorling did not expect anyone to return and claim those precious belongings. When the girl came to collect them, she was shocked. The given statement shows that the lady is selfish and does not want to return the antiques that do not even belong to her. She doesn't even recognize the girl as her former acquaintance and refuses to let her inside her home.
Q2: The story is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?
Ans: The story "The Address" is divided into pre-war and post-war periods. Before the war, the narrator lived in another city, far from her home, and visited her mother only occasionally. During the early phase of the war, her mother constantly feared that they might have to leave their house and lose all their valuable belongings. The narrator stayed in a small rented room in the city, where the windows were covered with blackout paper, blocking her view of the outside world. The fear of death was always present.
After the liberation, life gradually returned to normal. Bread became lighter in colour, and she could finally sleep peacefully without the constant fear of death. She could once again look out of her window freely. One day, she felt a strong desire to see her mother's belongings, which she knew were kept at number 46, Marconi Street. When she went there, Mrs. Dorling neither recognized her nor allowed her to enter, instead asking her to come another time-clearly trying to avoid her. Longing to see, touch, and recall her mother's possessions, the narrator decided to visit the place once more despite the emotional pain it caused her.
Q3: Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Ans: The narrator went to the house of the lady who had kept many of her mother's valuable items during the war. The address had helped her locate the house, but she now wanted to forget it. After visiting the place, she found that her mother's belongings were kept in a strange and lifeless manner. They had lost all their emotional value for her. The narrator lived in a small rented room and had no place to keep those things. The lady treated her very rudely and even refused to recognize her. She did not allow her to enter the house. That was why the narrator wanted to forget that address. It reminded her of her mother, their home, the valuable belongings, and the happy times before the war - all of which she could never regain. She, therefore, decided to forget the address and move on.
Q4: 'The Address' is a story of human predicament that follows war.
Ans: The phenomenon of war brings lot of suffering for human beings. It brings with it death and destruction. It kills the feelings of love and sympathy. The story Address is based on this theme. The story 'The Address' describes a girl's life in post-war and pre-war times. The war created many obstacles for the narrator both physically and emotionally. She lost her house where they lived. The narrator's mother leaves all her valuable things with an acquaintance during the war. The mother dies and many years later, the narrator comes to the woman to have a look at her mother's belongings. But the woman shows no human feelings towards her. Rather, she behaves in a very hard hearted manner. She does not even let the narrator come in and sit a while. The presence of her mother's possessions in strange atmosphere pained her. Now these valuables had lost all their importance for her as they had been separated from her mother. Many pre-war post-war perceptions can be seen in the story. Starting from the loss of life to the selfish and cruel nature of a woman, so many varied emotions are portrayed through this short story.
