CBSE Class 11 English Chapter 2: The Address NCERT Solutions

Solution: Yes, the statement provides a significant clue about the story's context and the character of Mrs. Dorling. It reveals that Mrs. Dorling had taken charge of Mrs. S.'s (the narrator's mother's) valuable belongings during the war, including items like table silver, antique plates, a candle-holder, a tablecloth, and a green knitted cardigan. Because Mrs. S. had died during the war, Mrs. Dorling did not anticipate anyone returning to claim these possessions. Her surprise and the statement itself suggest she had perhaps hoped to keep them permanently. Furthermore, the statement hints at Mrs. Dorling's ungracious and possibly greedy nature, as she immediately denies recognition and entry to the narrator, showing no warmth or empathy despite their past acquaintance.

Solution: The story implies the narrator, referred to as the 'girl', underwent significant hardships during both pre-war and post-war periods. Before the war, she lived in a rented room, suggesting a modest or perhaps unstable living situation. During the war, her life was marked by fear and uncertainty; she lived in a small room with blackout paper covering the windows, cutting off any view of the outside world and symbolizing her confined and fearful existence. The constant threat of death loomed large. After the war, while conditions improved (bread became lighter, and she could sleep without fear), the emotional scars remained. The hardship of revisiting the past through her mother's belongings at Mrs. Dorling's address, only to be met with coldness and denial, added another layer of emotional distress.

Solution: The narrator initially sought out the address, 46, Marconi Street, to reconnect with her past and her mother through the belongings stored there. However, upon visiting the house and seeing the items arranged in a tasteless manner within a strange, muggy atmosphere, she felt oppressed. These objects, once familiar and cherished, had lost their value and emotional significance when separated from her mother and her former life. They now evoked painful memories of loss and the unsettling reality of war's aftermath. Consequently, she resolved to forget the address and the painful associations it held, choosing instead to leave the past behind and move forward with her life.

Solution: The story "The Address" effectively portrays the difficult and often unpleasant situations, or human predicament, that arise in the aftermath of war. The narrator experiences profound emotional suffering, including the loss of her mother and the unsettling encounter with Mrs. Dorling. The war not only caused physical displacement and loss but also exposed the darker side of human nature, as exemplified by Mrs. Dorling's greedy and callous behavior in refusing to recognize the narrator and hoarding her mother's possessions. The narrator's pain is further amplified when she sees her mother's cherished items in an unfamiliar, cold environment, realizing they no longer offer solace but serve as painful reminders of what was lost. This highlights how war can disrupt lives, alter relationships, and change the perceived value of material possessions.

Solution: When the narrator identified herself as Mrs. S.'s daughter, Mrs. Dorling reacted with a distinct lack of warmth or recognition. She placed her hand on the door, as if to prevent it from opening any wider, and stared at the narrator without uttering a word. Her body language and expression clearly indicated that she did not want to engage or acknowledge the narrator's presence or connection to her former acquaintance.

Solution: The narrator offered two primary reasons to herself to explain why Mrs. Dorling might not have recognized her, suggesting she might be mistaken about being at the right place or meeting the right person. Firstly, she considered that the woman she was speaking to might not actually be Mrs. Dorling, as she had only met her once, briefly, many years ago. Secondly, she thought it was possible she had simply rung the wrong doorbell, leading her to the wrong house entirely.

Solution: The narrator concluded that she was indeed at the correct address and speaking to the right person, Mrs. Dorling, by observing a specific item of clothing. She noticed that the woman was wearing her mother's green knitted cardigan, identifiable by its distinctive wooden buttons that appeared faded from washing. When Mrs. Dorling saw the narrator looking at the cardigan and instinctively tried to hide herself again behind the door, her defensive reaction served as confirmation for the narrator.

Solution: The outcome of the interaction between Mrs. Dorling and the narrator was entirely unsuccessful from the narrator's perspective. Mrs. Dorling refused to acknowledge the narrator or allow her into the house to see her mother's belongings. She effectively shut down the conversation and the possibility of reclaiming the items, making the narrator's visit fruitless and disappointing.