CBSE Class 12 English HOTs The Third Level Set 03

941 Willard Street
Galesburg, Illinois
18th July, 1894
Charley I got to wishing that you were right. Then I got to believing you were right. And, Charley, it’s true; I found the third level! I’ve been here two weeks and right now, down the street at the Daly’s, someone is playing a piano and they’re all out on the front porch singing ‘Seeing Nelly Home.’ And I’m invited over for lemonade. Come on back, Charley and Louisa. Keep looking till you find the third level! It’s worth it, believe me!
The note is signed Sam.

Question. What was the feeling of Sam as conveyed in the letter? Choose the appropriate option in the context of the extract.
(a) Surprise
(b) Doubt
(c) Excitement
(d) Anger
Answer: (c) Excitement

Question. What was Sam Weiner’s initial reaction when Charley told him about the third level?
(a) Dismissal
(b) Acceptance
(c) Wonderstruck
(d) Puzzled
Answer: (a) Dismissal

Question. The phrase ‘Charley, it’s true’ in the context of the extract implies which of the given options?
I. Sam is relaxed.
II. Charley had migrated with Louisa.
III. The existence of the Third level.
IV. Sam had met Charley’s grandfather.
(a) I and II
(b) II and IV
(c) I and III
(d) Only IV
Answer: (c) I and III

Question. Sam wrote the letter to Charley in order to .........
Answer: inform Charley of the existence of the third level and urge him to keep looking for it.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. What would you describe as your ‘waking-dream wish fulfillment’? Explain.
Answer: By the phrase ‘waking dream wish fulfillment’, the author wanted to talk of imaginative or fantastical situations through which Charley lived his dream or fulfilled his desire. My waking dream wish fulfillment will be to become a journalist who can travel the world and bring to light without any fear the reality of situations that people face in their day-today lives.

Question. Does Charley agree that stamp collecting habit is a way of escapism? Why?
Answer: No, Charley doesn’t agree with his claim of his pyschiatrist friend. Charley’s grandfather was a stamp collector yet he was a happy man and he never ran away from reality. Another stamp collector was President Roosevelt.

Question. Explain the metaphor Charley uses to describe the Grand Central Station.
Answer: Charley compared the Grand Central station to a huge tree which keeps on spreading its roots and branches all over. He makes this comparison because whenever he entered the Grand Central Station, he found new corridors, staircases and tunnels. Charley’s comparison of Grand Central Station to a tree emphasises its complexity and interconnectedness, with many paths leading to different destinations.

Question. Why did the booking clerk refuse to accept the money offered by Charley?
Answer: The booking clerk refused to accept the money offered by Charley as it was from a different time. In 1894, the currency used was different from that was usually used by Charley in his time.

Question. Why did Charley run away from the third level?
Answer: Charley wanted to buy two tickets to Galesburg but the clerk at the station thought that his notes were fake. He thought that Charley was attempting to fool him. He warned him that he would call the police. Seeing that there was nothing good about police and jail in 1894 as well, Charley ran away.

Question. ‘My three hundred dollars bought less than two hundred in old style bills, but I didn’t care’. What prompted Charley to compromise on less value of money?
Answer: Charley wasn’t troubled by receiving less money because his immediate concern was the necessity of obtaining cash for his escape. In ‘The Third Level’, his priority lay in securing funds rather than the exact amount, demonstrating his urgency to leave the present reality behind and seek refuge in the mysterious third level of Grand Central Station.

Question. Why was Charley fascinated with Galesburg?
Answer: Charley was fascinated with and wanted to go to Galesberg, Illinois because he wants to go to a place away from the modern world which is full of stress, war, fear, etc. The Galesburg Charley wanted to visit was a world before the World Wars, when there was no violence and everybody lived in peace.

Question. What work did Sam set for in Galesburg? Why? or What would Sam have done in Galesbury for his living? Why?
Answer: Sam set himself up in a hay, feed and grain business because he could not continue his old profession in Galesburg. In 1894, everyone was happy and contented so no one needed a psychiatrist.

Question. What role does Sam’s letter play in the story?
Answer: In the story, ‘The Third Level’, Sam’s letter solidifies Charley’s beliefs regarding the existence of the third level and the peaceful life during 1894, Galesburg.

Question. At the beginning of the story, Sam is sceptical of Charley’s discovery of the third level. By the end of the story, the reader is told that he found the third level and travelled back in time. How would Sam diagnose himself?
Answer: I believe that Sam had already diagnosed himself as one of the modern men who faced the difficulties, stresses, anxieties of modern life. Even if he had not diagnosed himself earlier, Sam would later diagnose himself as exhibiting the same urge to escape the anxious contemporary life as Charley did.

Question. ‘It’s easy to judge others and give advice but much more difficult to apply it to ourselves.’ Elaborate with reference to the character of Sam in ‘The Third Level’.
Answer: The given statement is true with respect to Sam, the psychiatrist friend of the protagonist of the short story ‘The Third Level’. In the story, Sam had explained Charley that he was dissatisfied and looking for an escape when he told the former about the third level. According to him, Charley wanted respite from the anxieties and fears of the modern world and thus found the third level. Interestingly, in the end, it is Sam who goes in search of the third level himself.

Question. How would you evaluate Sam’s character? Elucidate any two qualities, and substantiate with evidence from the text.
Answer: Sam, the psychiatrist friend of the protagonist is a typical city boy who himself faces the anguish, stress and anxieties of modern life. He is a loyal friend to Charley who made sure that his friend knew about the existence of the third level that he had been searching.

Question. Interpret the significance of both literal and metaphorical journeys in the story, ‘The Third Level’.
Answer: The story ‘The Third Level’ refers to both a literal and metaphorical journey. The literal journey involves Charley, the protagonist discovering a supposed third level at the Grand Central Station. The metaphorical journey is Charley’s inner longing for a simpler, more reassuring past. These journeys are significant as they present the common or universal quest for happiness and fulfillment.

Question. Louisa behaves like a perfect wife. Give evidence from ‘The Third Level’ in support of the above statement.
Answer: In ‘The Third Level’, Louisa embodies the ideal wife by supporting her husband Charley’s unconventional beliefs in the existence of a third level at Grand Central Station. Despite initial doubts, she listens empathetically and remains supportive as Charley becomes absorbed in his quest. Louisa’s unwavering support and patience reflect her portrayal as a devoted and understanding partner.

Question. How does ‘The Third Level’ blend fantasy with reality?
Answer: ‘The Third Level’ blends fantasy with reality by discovering a hidden subway station that connects to a parallel world from the past. Charley’s exploration of this mysterious level blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, challenging his perception of time and reality.

Question. How does Charley describe himself?
Answer: Charley describes himself as an ordinary man who enjoys simple pleasures but has a tendency to escape reality through imagination. His fascination with the past and belief in the existence of the Third Level at Grand Central Station suggest his longing for a peaceful, nostalgic world free from modern anxieties.

Question. What was the shocking discovery made by Charley when he was going through the first day covers of his grandfather’s collection?
Answer: While going through his grandfather’s collection of first-day covers, Charley was shocked to find a letter addressed to him from his friend Sam. The letter was postmarked 18th July, 1894, from Galesburg, Illinois, proving that Sam had traveled to the past through the third level.

Question. Charlie’s desperate attempt to find the third level reflects his frustration with the modern world. What aspects of the modern would have led to Charlie’s frustration?
Answer: Charley’s frustration with the modern world stems from its fast-paced, materialistic, and war-ridden nature. The pressures of daily life, stress and insecurity push him to seek an escape into an idealised past. The third level symbolises his longing for peace and simplicity, which he feels are missing in the present.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Describe briefly the scene at the third level of Grand Central Station as seen (or seemed to be seen) by Charley.
Answer: At the third level of the Grand Central Station, Charley noticed that there were fewer ticket windows and train gates and the information booth in the centre of the station was made up of wood and was old-looking. Everyone dressed like 1890’s. The lights were dim and flickering. He saw so many beards, side buns and fancy moustaches. He saw that a woman was wearing a dress with leg of mutton sleeves and a skirt to the top of her high buttoned shoes. He also saw a small currier and Ives locomotive with funnel shaped stack. Further, he saw the people used string-watches, long black sleeve protectors and big sized currencies. The trains ran on steam and coaches were smaller. The last thing he noticed was that newspapers bore the date of 1894 and the lead story about the hundred year old America’s President Cleveland.

Question. In the story ‘The Third Level’, Charley wanted to go to Galesburg, Illinois in the year 1894. If you had an opportunity to go to another time and place, where would you like to go? Why? How would Sam analyse your choice of alternate time and place?
Answer: If I had an opportunity to go to another time, I would love to go to the United Kingdom right before the Second World War. The lessons of the First World War were just being observed and everyone was trying to make sure that another war did not take place. There I would want to live in the countryside and go to the local school. Being in the countryside, the effects of the First World War was not so visible. Besides, food was in plenty because of the farm and vegetable gardens attached to the school. Clothing came from the village nearby. Going back there would satisfy my urge to study at an experimental school and get an all-round holistic education. Sam Weiner would analyse my wish as an urge to erase the regular humdrum of city life.

Question. Imagine that you come across Louisa’s diary. What might you find in it about the third level? Compose at least one diary entry based on any of the events from the story, ‘The Third Level’.
Answer: Monday, 20th July
9 p.m.
Dear Diary
Charley is worrying me with all this third level drama. When he told me about it, I was shocked. For so many years we have been travelling from the Grand Central Station and never had we heard about its third level. I took him to his friend, Sam. And what he told me surprised me. Charley was not happy. Why was he not happy?
I really do not know what to do now? Even Sam is missing and Charley believes he is in 1894 Galesburg. How absurd is that? I have to talk to Charley about it and dissuade him from doing anything wrong.
Louisa

Question. Discuss the narrative techniques used by the author in ‘The Third Level’. How do these techniques effectively convey the themes of escapism and nostalgia? Provide specific examples from the text to support your analysis.
Answer: The author of the story ‘The Third Level’ uses various narrative techniques to effectively convey the themes of escapism and nostalgia. The story is written from the first-person perspective of Charley, which creates an intimate and personal recounting of his experiences and thoughts. This allows readers to directly engage with Charley’s desires and fears, making his longing for escape and the nostalgia for a simpler past more relatable. Charley gives a detailed description of his experiences at the third level, in 1894 and his discussion with his psychiatrist friend Sam. These descriptions not only build a believable world but also vividly paint the past, stressing the theme of nostalgia and the allure of escapism to a seemingly better and simpler time. The story also uses the ‘third level’ as a symbol, representing not just a physical place but a mental escape into another time. It is a metaphor for the psychological refuge one seeks from the modern world’s anxieties, underlining the theme of escapism.

Question. Sam’s letter to Charley is an interesting feature that adds to the theme of fancy and imagination. Comment.
Answer: From the reading of the story ‘The Third Level’, we can say that Sam’s letter to Charley is an interesting feature that adds to the theme of fancy and imagination. Sam’s letter was found in the oldest first day covers of Charley’s grandfather. It was dated 18th July, 1894 and was written from Galesburg, Illinois. This means that Sam had found the third level and escaped. Although he diagonsed Charley’s problem as an escape from the modern life, he himself had been bothered by the humdrum of modern existence and frustrations. In the letter, he asks Charley and Louisa to keep looking for the third level as ‘It’s worth it’. The reader is not surprised by Sam’s letter to Charley but instinctively questions how a letter was found in an old first-day cover in grandfather’s collection. Charley feels puzzled when he realises that the letter was addressed to him and not to his grandfather although the address on the envelope was of his grandfather. Moreover, like the third level it is possible that the letter could be a figment of Charley’s imagination. Thus, the letter gives an interesting angle to the story and makes the reader curious.

Question. Charley plays a central role in exploring the story’s themes and symbolises human longing for a romantic past. Elucidate with reference to Charley’s character.
Answer: Charley is the protagonist of the story titled ‘The Third Level’. He is portrayed as an ordinary thirty-one-year-old man leading a typical life, working in an office and living with his wife, Louisa in a bustling city. Despite his seemingly mundane existence, Charley’s encounter with the mysterious third level at Grand Central Station sparks a profound curiosity. Charley exhibits an inquisitive nature, which is evident in his exploration of the third level despite its enigmatic nature. His willingness to delve into the unknown and search for the third level demonstrates his adventurous spirit. However, it is his discovery of the third level which leads to self-discovery and exploration of themes such as escapism and nostalgia. Charley’s fascination with the third level stems from a desire to escape the complexities and uncertainties of modern life, suggesting a longing for a simpler, more idyllic existence. His quest to find the third level reflects a deep yearning for nostalgia as he seeks to connect with a past era of 1894. As the protagonist, he plays a central role in exploring the story’s themes and symbolises human longing for a romantic past.

Question. In the story ‘The Third Level’, Charley wanted to go to Galesburg, Illinois in the year 1894. If you had an opportunity to go to another time and place, where would you like to go? Why? How would Sam analyse your choice of alternate time and place?
Answer: If I had an opportunity to go to another time, would love to go to the United Kingdom right before the Second World War. The lessons of the First World War were just being observed and everyone was trying to make sure that another war like it did not take place. There I would want to live in the countryside and go to the local school. Being in the countryside, the effects of the First World War were not so visible. Besides, food was in plenty because of the farm and vegetable gardens attached to the school. Clothing came from the village nearby. Going back there would satisfy my urge to study at an experimental school and get an all-round holistic education. However, Sam Weiner would analyse my wish as an urge to erase the regular humdrum of city life.

Question. The story invites readers to reflect on their own desires for escapism and the interplay between dreams and reality. Based on ‘The Third Level’, describe two adjustments you would need to make if you were to visit the third level of Grand Central Station, apart from dealing with the currency change. Answer in 100-120 words.
Answer: If I were to visit the third level of Grand Central Station, I’d need to prepare beyond just currency changes. Dressing in late 19th-century fashion would be essential, including suits with specific lapel styles and appropriate hats. I’d have to adjust to gaslight instead of electric lights. Communication would be face-to-face, as smartphones and the internet wouldn’t exist. Transportation would involve horse-drawn carriages and longer walks. Additionally, I’d need to manage with the limited goods and services of that time. Most importantly, understanding and adhering to the social norms and customs of the late 1800s would be crucial for blending in.

Extract Based Questions

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
But I’ve never again found the corridor that leads to the third level at Grand Central Station, although I’ve tried often enough.
Louisa was pretty worried when I told her all this, and didn’t want me to look for the third level any more, and after a while I stopped; I went back to my stamps. But now we’re both looking, every weekend, because now we have proof that the third level is still there,

Question. Complete the following suitably.
“I’ve tried often enough” shows the narrator’s ......... .
Answer: desperation and persistence to find the third level again.

Question. ‘........Because now we have proof ....’ what is the proof referred to in the extract?
Answer: The proof refers to the letter found in a first-day cover from 1894, written by Sam and addressed to Charley's grandfather, which confirmed the existence of the third level.

Question. “I went back to my stamps”. This sentence means
(a) collecting post stamps
(b) looking for his granddad’s post stamps
(c) preserving his granddad’s post stamps
(d) working with post stamps
Answer: (a) collecting post stamps

Question. Why was Louisa worried?
Answer: Louisa was worried because Charley's claims about the third level suggested he was losing touch with reality, and she feared for his mental well-being.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. What is referred to as ‘a temporary refuge from reality’? Why?
Answer: Stamp collecting (philately) is referred to as a ‘temporary refuge from reality’. It is described this way because the modern world is full of fear, war, and insecurity, and hobbies provide a way for people to mentally escape these harsh realities.

Question. Why do you think Charley withdrew nearly all the money he had from the bank to buy old-style currency?
Answer: Charley withdrew his money to buy old-style currency because he intended to go back to Galesburg, Illinois, in the year 1894. He knew that modern currency would be useless in the past and was desperate to secure his passage to a more peaceful time.

Question. In his letter to Charley, Sam writes, ‘ ............ then I got to believing you were right?’ What could have made Sam to believe?
Answer: Sam, being a psychiatrist, was initially skeptical. However, his own stress in the modern world and his discovery of the third level himself made him believe that Charley was right about the existence of a peaceful escape in the past.

Question. Why was Charley not able to get to Galeburg again?
Answer: Charley was unable to reach Galesburg again because he could never find the specific corridor at Grand Central Station that led to the third level, despite trying repeatedly. The entrance appeared to have vanished or moved.

Question. How did Sam reach Galesburg?
Answer: Sam reached Galesburg by successfully finding and using the third level at Grand Central Station to travel back in time to 1894, where he set up a hay, feed, and grain business.

Long Answer Type Question

Question. The modern consumerist world is full of fear, insecurities, stress and wars. What are the ways in which we try to combat them? Answer with reference to ‘The Third Level’.
Answer: In ‘The Third Level’, Jack Finney explores how individuals use escapism to cope with the pressures of modern life. People try to combat fear and insecurity through 'temporary refuges' like hobbies (stamp collecting), daydreams, and nostalgia for a simpler past. Charley’s obsession with finding the third level is a manifestation of his desire to escape the stress of 20th-century New York for the tranquility of Galesburg in 1894. The story suggests that even professionals like Sam, a psychiatrist, are not immune to these pressures and may also seek refuge in idealized versions of the past. Ultimately, while these escapes provide temporary relief, the narrative highlights the deep-seated human need to find peace in a world that often feels overwhelming and chaotic.