Address unknown
by Kathrine Taylor Kressman
Answer the questions and Complete the paragraphs after listening to the BBC
introduction to Address Unknown :
1) When was Address Unknown first published ?_____________________________
2) When was it rediscovered ?___________________________________________
3) How does Ann Karpf describe the text (several possible answers):
•
it has a remarkable economy of words
T/F
•
it is a rather contorted story
T/F
•
it is utterly convincing
T/F
•
it’s an Asian-american tale
T/F
•
it’s the best fictional account of the rise of nazism
T/F
•
it contains an inspired dramatic device
T/F
4) Ann Karpf says that :
« What is in the gaps between the letters is as important/ unimportant as anything
contained in the letters. … What Kressman Taylor captures so gently / terrifyingly is
how and why the Germans were so susceptible to the seduction / authoritarism of
Nazism. »
5) Why was Address Unknown published under the name Kressmann Taylor and not
Katherine Kressman Taylor ? ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6) Ann Karpf mentions that K. Kressman Taylor was concerned about what was happening
in the United States and that she wanted to fight American isolationism. Which of these
two definitions fits the term isolationism?
•
The reluctance of the US to get involved with what was happening in Europe
•
The willingness of the US to get involved with what was happening in Europe
7) Was Address Unknown an immediate and lasting success ?
•
Yes, and it has continued to this day. 1995 is a very important date because Story
magazine marked the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps
with a luxury edition of AU
•
No, It wasn’t a success at all
•
Yes and no, it was an immediate success but after WW2 it went completely
forgotten and was rediscovered in 1995, when Story magazine marked the 50th
anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps with a luxury edition.
The book
The first edition of Address Unknown was
first published in Story magazine →
The title page describes Address unknown
as «A story in letter form that ranks
with de Maupassant»
8) Which information does this statement
give you?________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
9) Would it convince you to read it? Why ?
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
10) Who do you think were the potential
readers of that magazine ?___________
________________________________
________________________________
← First hardback edition published in 1939
the advertising statement on the cover page
reads :
«Address Unknown will be read
in less than half an hour – But it will be
remembered for a lifetime.»
11) Which information does this statement give ?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
12) Would that statement convince you to read it?
why?_________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
13) Who do you think were the potential readers
for this book?___________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
14) In what ways is Ann Karpf’s statement that the book is about “How Nazism took roots
and when the unthinkable became acceptable” more convincing as a reason to read the
book ?__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
15) What do you already know about the story ? _________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
16) a) Imagine what could happen in this story ? b) How do you understand the title now ?
a) _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Address Unknown
Letter 1 – November 12 1932
Read the first letter.
17) a) What do you learn about the situation in Germany ?_________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) What is the overall tone of the letter?________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
18) What do you learn about the characters of the story in that letter ? Work in pairs and fill
in the table :
Character
Religion
/nationality
MAX
MARTIN
ELSA
GRISELLE
Place of
residence
Marital status
Profession
19) How would you characterise Max? Choose the three adjectives that fits him best.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fun and food lover
friendly
selfish
depressed
generous
good businessman
clever
20) How does Max consider Martin and his family ?_______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
21) Why has Martin and his family returned to Germany?___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
22) Let’s have a look at the image that Max has and gives of Germany in the incipit :
a) Which terms refer positively to Germany in the first paragraph ? __________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) Which terms refer negatively to Germany in the incipit ?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
23) How do you understand the following sentences.
“There is no bitterness left there, for that passes quickly when one is young
as she is. A few years and there is only a memory of the hurt, and of
course neither of you was to be blamed. Those things are like quick
storms, for a moment you are drenched and blasted, and you are so wholly
helpless before them. But then the sun comes, and although you have
neither quite forgotten, there remains only gentleness and no sorrow”
Discuss it in pairs and write your comments:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
24) The word “bitterness” appears again line 27. What is it related to this time ? Why does
he speak about bitterness ?________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
25) From what you have read int his first letter, imagine how the story will unfold:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Address unknown - correction
by Kathrine Taylor Kressman
Answer the questions and Complete the paragraphs after listening to the BBC
introduction to Address Unknown :
1) When was Address Unknown first published ? In 1938
2) When was it rediscovered ? In 1999 (1995)
3) How does Ann Karpf describe the text (several possible answers):
•
it has a remarkable economy of words
T/F
•
it is a rather contorted story
T/F
•
it is utterly convincing
T/F
•
it’s an Asian-american tale
T/F
•
it’s the best fictional account of the rise of nazism
T/F
•
it contains an inspired dramatic device
T/F
4) Ann Karpf says that :
« What is in the gaps between the letters is as important/ unimportant as anything
contained in the letters. … What Kressman Taylor captures so gently / terrifyingly is
how and why the Germans were so susceptible to the seduction / authoritarism of
Nazism. »
5) Why was Address Unknown published under the name Kressmann Taylor and not
Katherine Kressman Taylor ? Because a woman could not have written such a strong
story / Her story was thought too strong to be published under a woman’s name
6) Ann Karpf mentions that K. Kressman Taylor was concerned about what was happening
in the United States and that she wanted to fight American isolationism. Which of these
two definitions fits the term isolationism?
•
The reluctance of the US to get involved with what was happening in Europe
•
The willingness of the US to get involved with what was happening in Europe
7) Was Address Unknown a lasting success ?
•
Yes, and it has continued to this day. 1995 is a very important date because Story
magazine marked the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps
with a luxury edition of AU
•
No, It wasn’t a success at all
•
Yes and no, it was an immediate success but after WW2 it went completely
forgotten. In 1999, when a French editor brought out a French edition the book
became a success again.
The book
Address Unknown was first published in
Story magazine in 1938
→
The title page describes Address unknown
as «A story in letter form that ranks with de
Maupassant»
8) Which information does this statement
give you?
It is an epistolary story that is as good
as Maupassant’s stories
9) Would it induce you to read it? Why ?
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
10) Who do you think were the potential
readers of that magazine ?
The potential readers of this magazine
are literature lovers. People who know
Maupassant
← First hard cover edition published in 1939
the statement on the cover page reads :
«Address Unknown will be read in less
than half an hour – But it will be
remembered for a lifetime.»
11) Which information does this statement give ?
It is a short story, you don’t need to be a
literature fan to read it. It is a stricking story,
one that you’ll remember all your life.
12) Would that statement induce you to read it?
why?_________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
13) Who do you think were the potential readers
for this book?___________________________
Everybody ; people who are curious
14) In what ways is Ann Karpf’s statement that the book is about “How Nazism took roots
and when the unthinkable became acceptable” more convincing as a reason to read the
book today?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
15) What do you already know about the story ?
It is an exchange of letters between two art dealers, Max Eisenstein and Martin
Schulse. Martin has returned to Germany (Munich). The letters begin in 1932 and
span 18 months.
16) a) Imagine what could happen in this story ?
b) How do you understand the title ?
a) ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Address Unknown
Letter 1 – November 12 1932
Read the first letter.
17) a) What do you learn about the situation in Germany?
According to Max, Germany is now a democracy, where culture and political freedom
reign. The bitterness of the end of the First World War seems to have disappeared
b) What is the overall tone of the letter? Max uses a light, friendly, sometimes homoristic
tone
18) What do you learn about the characters of the story in that letter ? Work in pairs and fill
in the table :
Religion
/nationality
MAX
Jewish –
German
MARTIN
German – gentile
Place of
residence
Lives in San
Francisco
Back in Germany,
Munich in a castle
Marital status
Profession
ELSA
German –
gentile
Back in
Germany,
Munich – in a
castle
Old bachelor – Elsa’s husband,
Martin’s wife
Griselle’s brother father of boys – had mother of boys
an affair with
Griselle
Successful art
was an
Housewife and
dealer
impecunious young hostess –
associated with artist ; turned into a good cook
Martin
successful art
dealer
associated with
Max
GRISELLE
Jewish – German
Moved to
Europe,
Vienna
Single – Max’s
sister – had an
affair with Martin
actress – has the
lead role in a
play in Vienna
19) How would you characterize Max? Choose the three adjectives that fits him best.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fun and food lover
friendly
selfish
depressed
generous
good businessman
clever
20) How does Max consider Martin and his family ?
To him, they are almost family. When Martin lived in SanFrancisco, the were very
close friends. Besides working with Martin during the week, he visited Martin and
his family every Sunday.
21) Why has Martin and his family returned to Germany?
According to Max, Martin has never acclimatized to the American way of living.
22) Let’s have a look at the image that Max has and gives of Germany in the incipit :
a) which terms refer positively to Germany in the first paragraph ?
•
The spell of Unter den Linden
Unter den Linden is a very famous street in Berlin. The word «spell» refers to
enchantment. The first image that comes to Max's mind is a happy,
enchanted memory of Berlin.
•
Intellectual freedom
•
Comradeship
•
Deep culture
•
Political freedom
•
A good life
Max might be referring either to Germany before WWI or to a period known as the
golden twenties (1924-1928) in Germany (les années folles in France and the
Roaring twenties in English speaking countries) a period of better economic
situation, expansion of liberal values, experimental and creative efforts in the field of
art and humanities. This period ended with the Wall Street stockmarket crash of
1929.
b) Which terms refer negatively to Germany in the incipit ?
•
The old Junker spirit: Junker is derived from “Junger Herr”. The Junkers were
Noblemen who owned big estates in Prussia. Many of them were in the military.
•
The Prussian arrogance and militarism. The state of Prussia existed between
1701 and 1918. It was the driving force behind the unification of Germany in 1871
and the leading state of the German Empire until its dissolution in 1918. Its capital
was Berlin.
Both expressions are linked to the past, in Max’s letter.
23) How do you understand the following sentences. Discuss it in pairs and write your
comments: :
« There is no bitterness left there, for that passes quickly when one is
young as she is. A few years and there is only a memory of the hurt, and of
course neither of you was to be blamed. Those things are like quick
storms, for a moment you are drenched and blasted, and you are so wholly
helpless before them. But then the sun comes, and although you have
neither quite forgotten, there remains only gentleness and no sorrow »
(l.16-22)
Discuss in pairs the meaning of this quote and write down how you understand it.
Griselle had an affair with Martin. We don’t know much about it (Did it take place
before or while Martin was married, we don’t know). All we know is that, according
to Max, there is no bitterness on the part of Griselle who has now overcome the pain
of separation.
24) The word bitterness appears again line 27. What is it related to this time ? Why does
Max speak about bitterness ?
This bitterness could be related to the feelings that the Germans had after the end
of the First World War.
In Germany, the end of the war led to the fall of Kaiser Wilhelm II and to a period of
turmoil and instability before the creation of the Weimar Republic in 1919.
The Treaty of Versailles placed the entire responsibility for the war on Germany,
which was obliged to pay 132 billion marks in reparations, an amount that would
prevent the German economy from developing. Between 1921 and 1923 there was a
period of hyperinflation in Germany.
One thing we don’t know about Max and Martin is when they came to the USA. Did
they emigrate before WWI or after?
25) From what you have read int his first letter what do you think now the story will be
about?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________