Key Points of the Story
- Going Places summary will help you get a better understanding of the story written by A.R. Barton.
- It revolves around fantasies and daydreams.
- The story tells us about the teenage period where people are often found dreaming which is far from reality.
- This period is all about desires and achieving the impossible.
- In addition, teens usually have a hero they look up to or adore in this age.
- However, the main background of the story is indeed a reality.
- It tells us about a girl, Sophie, who belongs to a lower-middle-class family.
- She dreams of owning the best boutique in the whole town.
- However, she lacks money and means.
- Sophie looks up to a young football player, Danny Casey.
- She dreams about him so much, she believes she has actually met him.
- Finally, these fantasies are what cause her disappointment.
Detailed Summary
Sophie and Jansie, two schoolgirls, were on their way home from school. Sophie expressed her dream of owning a boutique, despite Jansie's skepticism about the financial requirements. Sophie was determined to make it happen, even suggesting she'd work as a manager in the meantime. Jansie pointed out that becoming a manager wouldn't be so easy. However, Sophie continued to fantasize about her boutique, envisioning herself as successful as Mary Quant and having the best shop in the city.
Jansie knew that both of them were expected to work at the biscuit factory, making her feel sad and wish Sophie wouldn't discuss such unrealistic dreams. She urged Sophie to be practical, mentioning that shop jobs didn't pay well, and her father wouldn't approve.
Sophie then changed her aspirations to becoming an actress, believing it would bring in real money and allow her to run a boutique as a side business, considering actresses didn't work full-time. Alternatively, she considered becoming a fashion designer.
Upon returning home, Sophie casually mentioned that she would buy a boutique if she ever came into money. Her young brother, Derek, commented that she thought money grew on trees, leading their mother to sigh. The atmosphere in their small, crowded house was filled with steam from the stove, and Sophie felt a tightness in her throat.
She went to find her older brother, Geoff, who had been working as an apprentice mechanic for three years. Sophie longed to know more about Geoff's life, which seemed distant and mysterious to her. She wished to be closer to him and hoped he might one day take her along with him, even though she knew he considered her too young.
Sophie shared with Geoff that she had met Danny Casey in the Arcade, but he didn't believe her and suggested she tell their father. Geoff inquired about Casey's appearance, and Sophie described him as having green, gentle eyes and being relatively short. Geoff eventually told their father about Sophie's encounter with Casey, but their father dismissed it as another of her imaginative stories.
In Geoff's room, Sophie looked at a poster of United's first team squad, which included pictures of Casey. She asked Geoff not to tell anyone about her meeting Casey and requesting an autograph for Derek. They didn't have any paper or a pen at the time, so they planned to meet up the following week to get the autograph.
On a Saturday, they attended a United game, where the team won 2-0, with Casey scoring the second goal. Sophie felt proud, and Geoff was ecstatic.
The following week, Jansie asked Sophie about her meeting with Danny Casey, and Sophie promised to keep it a secret. She was worried her father would be upset if he found out. However, Sophie realized that Geoff hadn't informed her about the planned meeting.
After dark, Sophie waited by the canal, hoping to meet Danny Casey. As time passed, she began to doubt if he would show up, which made her sad and worried about what others would think. Climbing the steps back to the street, she noticed her father's bicycle outside a pub and felt relieved he wouldn't be home when she returned. While walking through the arcade, she envisioned Danny Casey outside Royce's, remembering his gentle, gazelle-like eyes, and waited alone for a long time, reminiscing about his soft, melodious voice and the thunderous applause from the supporters during last Saturday's game.
Theme/ Message
The story explores the themes of dreams, fantasies, and harsh realities through Sophie’s vivid imagination and desire to escape her mundane life. It highlights the contrast between youthful aspirations and the practical constraints of social and economic circumstances. Sophie's longing for a glamorous life reflects her attempt to find hope and identity, even as her dreams clash with reality. The story emphasizes the importance of balancing aspirations with practicality.
Difficult Words
- Incongruity - Mismatch, Inconsistency.
- Melancholy - Sadness, Sorrow.
- Chastened - Humbled, Corrected.
- Despondent - Disheartened, Discouraged.
- Resignation - Acceptance, Submission.
- Approbation - Approval, Praise.
- Exultant - Jubilant, Triumphant.
- Hovering - Floating, Hanging.
- Crisply - Sharply, Clearly.
- Thunderous - Very loud, Roaring.
