11th Standard Supplementary Reader Textbook - Snapshots. Lesson No. 2: The Address - Marga Minco. Glossary, Summary, Questions and Answer...
11th Standard Supplementary Reader Textbook - Snapshots.
Lesson No. 2: The Address - Marga Minco.
Glossary, Summary, Questions and Answers -
Glossary -
1. Poignant - causing sadness, touching.
2. Staring - to look at somebody for a long time.
3. Cardigan - a piece of clothing like a jacket ( worn by women), or a gown.
4. Musty - bad odor or smell.
5. Jamb - a side post of a doorway.
6. Lugging - to carry with great difficulty.
7. Vases - a container for holding cut flowers, and flowerpots.
8. Reprovingly - disapprovingly.
9. Beckoned - to show somebody with hand or finger movement.
10. Confronted - to think about.
11. Endured - to suffer.
12. Errand - a short journey to get something for somebody, task, tart.
13. Hanukkah - the feast lights, a hebrew festival in December.
14. Muggy - hot, humid weather.
15. Pewter - a grey metal that is made from tin and lead, alloy.
16. Cutlery - the knives, forks, and spoons used for eating food.
17. Jingling - to make a sound.
Summary -
In The Address by Marga Minco, the narrator recounts her experience of returning to a familiar place after the war, searching for remnants of her lost past. The war likely refers to World War II, which had devastating effects on Jewish families, including the narrator’s. Her family had to flee due to the Nazi persecution of Jews, but before they left, her mother, Mrs. S, entrusted many of their valuable household items to Mrs. Dorling, a former acquaintance.
Mrs. Dorling came regularly to the narrator’s home to collect their valuable belongings, assuring Mrs. S that she would keep them safe. Mrs. Dorling's relationship with Mrs. S was opportunistic—she took advantage of the vulnerable situation to acquire their possessions, knowing that Mrs. S’s family might not survive or return.
After the war, the narrator, who is a survivor, returns to 46, Marconi Street, the address Mrs. Dorling had given her mother. She hopes to reclaim some of her family's belongings. However, when she arrives, she finds that Mrs. Dorling is reluctant to acknowledge her. Mrs. Dorling's daughter answers the door, but the narrator feels uncomfortable seeing the once-familiar objects in an unfamiliar setting, stripped of their emotional connection.
The significance of 46, Marconi Street lies in its representation of the narrator’s lost past. The address symbolizes the link between her present life and the memories of her pre-war existence. However, after her visit, the narrator realizes that the objects no longer hold the same meaning and emotional values, actually, she fails to connect with the belongings because they were not tidily placed and used as they used to, and suddenly she feels uninterested as they only remind her of the painful losses. She ultimately decides to let go of the past, understanding that material possessions cannot replace the family and life she lost during the war.
In summary:
The war: Likely World War II, affecting Jewish families.
Mrs. S: The narrator’s mother entrusted belongings to Mrs. Dorling.
Mrs. Dorling: An opportunistic acquaintance of Mrs. S who took their possessions.
Significance of 46, Marconi Street: It symbolizes the narrator's lost past, which she ultimately decides to leave behind to heal from the trauma.
READING WITH INSIGHT -
1. " 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 - Yes, Mrs. Dorling’s statement, "Have you come back? I thought that no one had come back," provides a significant clue about the story. It suggests that Mrs. Dorling believed the narrator’s family, being victims of the war (likely World War II), had perished or would not return. This implies that Mrs. Dorling had taken their valuable possessions with the expectation that no one would survive to claim them. It highlights her opportunistic nature and her assumption that the narrator's family, like many others, would be lost in the devastation of the war. This also reveals the broader theme of loss and betrayal, as the narrator is forced to confront the grim reality of people exploiting the vulnerable during times of war.
2. The story is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?
Ans - In The Address by Marga Minco, the girl faced immense hardships both during and after the war. Pre-war, she endured the trauma of losing her family, their belongings being taken away, and witnessing the horrors of persecution. Post-war, she grappled with the emotional pain of visiting her former home, where her family’s possessions were kept by someone else, reminding her of the irreparable loss and displacement she experienced.
3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Ans - In The Address, the narrator wants to forget the address because it symbolizes the painful memories of her past. Visiting the house and seeing her family’s belongings in a stranger’s possession made her realize that recovering material things couldn't bring back her lost loved ones. Forgetting the address was her way of letting go of the emotional burden and moving on from the trauma of the war.
4. " The Adress" is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment.
Ans - The Address by Marga Minco is a poignant portrayal of the human predicament following war. It highlights the emotional and psychological struggles of survivors, focusing on the narrator's experience of loss, displacement, and alienation. The war not only took away her family but also her sense of belonging. The story shows how material possessions become meaningless in the face of such profound loss, and how survivors grapple with the trauma of rebuilding their lives in a changed world.
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