Material for Poor Performers
Vistas
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The Third Level
Jack Finney
Synopsis
Charley was a thirty –one year man. One night Charley was to take a
train from the second level of the Grand Central. At the station he
entered a long corridor and lost his way. He found himself in what he
thought was the third level of station. He realized that something was
different there as the people were dressed differently and the area
was lit not with the electric lights of the modern time but with open
flame gas lights. There was and old fashion locomotive on the track.
People were wearing old fashion cloths. He suddenly made the
discovery that he had somehow entered the year 1894.He glanced a
copy of The World – a newspaper that had not been published for
years. The paper that he glanced at bears the date June 11, 1894. He
was filled with excitement. He decided to buy two tickets for Gale’s
burg, the peaceful town that he had grown up in.
Charles wanted to buy two tickets for his wife Louise and himself to
go to Galesburg of 1894 from the third level of the Grand Central.
When he presented the modern currency notes, the ticket clerk said
that was no money. He was not familiar with modern currency as he
belonged to the last century. Charles discovers that he does not have
the appropriate currency of that period and is therefore unable to buy
the tickets. His wife and his psychiatrist friend, Sam as well as his
other friends were quiet alarmed when they heard his account and
stopped him from seeking the third level again. They treated the
incident as his day dreaming and his desire to escape from the
stresses of his life.
However, Charley’s friend, Sam disappeared and charley found a
letter from him in an old First Day Cover dated July 18, 1894. In the
letter, Sam told charley that he had settled down in Galesburg and
urged Charley not to give up his search for the Third Level as it was
well worth the efforts .Sam was now engaged in a nice little hay, feed
and grain business .something that he always wished that he could do
.
Jack Finney the writer has treated the subject of time in a new
dimension. This is the world of dreams, desires and reality which he
calls the third level. It is the point where the past, the present and the
future meet and here nothing is, as it seems.
Answer the questions in 30 – 40 words each –
1. Why did charley go to the grand central station?
2. Where did he find himself and what did he observe there?
3. What do you learn about Galesburg of 1894?
4. Why did charley go to the ticket window?
5. Why was charley unable to buy the tickets for Galesburg?
6. How did his friend react to his account of their level?
7. What is the first day cover?
8. What is this third level and why does Charlie find himself at third
level?
9. How did Sam make a living at Galesburg?
10.What strange thing was found among the oldest first day concern?
11.What did Charley insist on which everybody contradicted?
12.What was Charley unusual experience at the ticket window?
13.What were Sam views about Charley having found himself at third
level?
14.What did Charley did of his hobby of collecting stamps?
15.What makes you believe that Charley lived in the world of fantasies?
16.What was Sam’s business at Galesburg?
17.Why couldn’t Sam go back to his old business in Galesburg Illinois?
18.
Third Level
Charley
31 years old
Enters corridor of second level
Loses way
Finds himself at third level
Everything is totally different
Discovers
Flickering - Open flame gas lights.
Old fashioned locomotive
People in old fashioned cloths
The world-A newspaper not
published for years
Finds himself in 1894
Wants two tickets for Galesburg
Galesburg a small peaceful town in
1894
Men and Women had leisure
Fails to get tickets
Doesn’t have appropriate currency
Comes back and buy old currency
Friend’s reactions
Never finds third level
Stops him from seeking third level
Treat incident as his as his day
dream and a sort of wish
fulfillment.
Sam’s disappearance
Charley finds Sam’s letter in a first
day cover
Sam in Galesburg set up business
of hay, feed and grain in
Galesburg
Request Charley to keep looking
for Third level
On The Face of It
Susan Hill
The play “On the Face of It” brings out the idea that the people who has
handicap/physical impairment of some kind generally suffer from a
sense of loneliness and mental pain.
Derry climbs the wall of Lamb’s Garden and enters it. He thinks that the
garden is uninhabited. He is surprised to find Lamb there. The behavior
of Lamb surprises him because he does not show interest in his half
burnt face. He draws Lamb’s attention towards his face. He tells him
that his face is ugly and horrible. Nobody likes him. The people show
signs of fear when they look at his face and avoid his presence. They
call him a poor boy because one side of his face is burnt. Even his
mother kisses him on the right side of his face.
Lamb draws his attention towards his garden. He tells him that he has a
tin leg. He lost his leg in the war. The children call him ‘Lamey-Lamb’.
He tells him peculiar things. He tells him that he lives in the house alone
without curtains. He does not want to shut out the world. The buzzing
of bees is singing for him. He loves reading, picking crab apples and
making toffees for children.
He tells Derry that the people have other things to do and see rather
than looking at him. The bitterness and hatred he has inside him could
be more damaging than the acid that burnt his face or the bomb that
blew up his leg. He tells him that he should look at all those people who
are in pain but never complain or cry. He should think about those who
are worse of than him.
The positive attitude of lamb, his kindness and his ability to do things
himself without any help impresses him. He promises him to comeback.
Although his mother stops him yet he goes to meet lamb. Lamb falls
down from the ladder. Derry finds lamb lying on the grass. In this way
we find that lamb teaches Derry the art of discovering beauty and
leading happy life.
Short Answer type questions
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.
1. Who is Mr. Lamb and what is his physical impairment?
2. What has happened the Derry’s face?
3. Why does Derry avoid people?
4. There’s plenty of other things to stare at. Which things are worth staring
at?
5. How does lamb console Derry?
6. Why does Derry like lamb?
7. What happens to Lamb in the end of the play?
8. How does Lamb inspire Derry?
9. Who is Derry?
10. What does Lamb enjoy besides human company?
Long Answer type Question
Answer the following Questions in 120 words
1. Compare and contrast the philosophy and attitude
of Lamb and Derry
towards life?
2.
How does Lamb’s interaction with Derry transform him ?
1. Do you think that the title of the play On the face of it is appropriate ?
On The Face Of It
The Play by Susan hill brings out the idea that
 One can learn to ignore the unpleasant things and discover beauty in the
things.
 Physical impairment takes a person away from things & the people.
Learn about Derry and Lamb.
Unhappy and concerned
Left side of the face burnt
Derry
Inferiority
complex
A Young boy of 14
Avoid and hate
people
Pessimist
Leads hopeless
life
 Derry is a young boy of fourteen. The left side of his face is burnt.
 Draws Lamb’s attention towards his face.
 Things that the people avoid him and hate him.
 The people say nasty things about him so he hates people.
 Says no girl will ever fall in love with him and kiss him.
 Even his mother kisses him on the right side of his face.
Cheerful and unconcerned
Cripple (Lame)
Likes the
company of
people
 Lamb is an old man. He is lame and has a tin leg.
 Remains busy with crab apples.
 Prepares jam and toffees for children and attends to his trees.
 Buzzing of bees is singing for him.
 Don’t mind children calling him lamey lamb leg.
 Thinks bitterness and hatred damaged more than acid.
The Enemy
Pearl S. Buck
Character Map of Sadao
Patriot
unconcerned
Diligent
Assiduous
Sadao
Caring
Magnanimous
Considerate
Altruistic
Philanthropist