summary of chapter the address

The short story written by Marga Minco shows the life situation of various people after the second world war in Holland. The story starts with narrator's visit to the address Marcon House no 16 . It belonged to a lady named Mrs dorling. The narrator introduces himself as daughter of Mrs S.Howeven, the women refused to talk to that man at that moment. Although the narrator said that she came from such a long distance by train. The women didn't pay any attention on her situation. She asked her to come next time.

The narrator got very much angry and frustrated from such an unanticipated behaviour from that woman while coming back to home, she lost in old memories. She saw that women coming frequently at her house. Women, turn out to be classmate of narrator's mother. She provided help to that family by talking things like clothes, utensils, furniture for safety during the war period.

The narrator's mother had full trust on that lady however there was not only written agreement made for that. During that second visit, the narrator met with her small daughter. So, she allowed her to go inside the home. The narrator became nostalgic to see most of the things that once belonged to them. Never the less those things were used very carelessly in an unpleasant environment. As the true owner of those things was no more in this world.l, Narrator supposed those things did not have any value after on. Finally she decided to forget that address and she went back to her home without meeting the lady named Mrs Dorling.
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Summary The II World War (1939 – 44) is the background. Hitler and his Nazi soldiers were sending the Jews to the concentration camps to die. The narrator’s was a Jewish family somewhere in Holland or Germany. One day, when she came home (probably she had been away in a hostel), the narrator saw that much of her furniture and crockery was missing. While looking around, she caught sight of a woman carrying some of the valuables out into a carriage. The narrator was puzzled. On asking her mother who the woman was and where she was carrying their expensive movables, mother introduced the mysterious-looking woman to her daughter. “We had been friends years ago and luckily we met recently. She is carrying our expensive movables to her home. She is not a Jew so our expensive movables will be safe at her home. If we have to run away for a while, we can get them back in one piece when we return.” The narrator was not convinced. She noticed a mysterious look on the woman’s face. “What if she is fake? Will she return the movables once war is over?” she asked mother. Mother was angry with her daughter. “It is too bad to suspect her. See what a risk she is running for us! If the Nazis come to know that she is helping a Jewish family, she will go into prison/jail. Just do one thing – remember her address. She lives at Marconi Street and her house number is 46!” After this incident, the Jews had their worst days. The narrator’s family was sent to one of the concentration camps and all of them died in different camps except the narrator. However, in 1944, the war ended and Hitler died and peace was established, slowly. The Story When the war was over, the narrator returned to her place but the war had destroyed her house. She lived in a little room. One day the narrator remembered the woman who had carried her dear movables. She boarded a train to Marconi Street, found out house number 46 and rang the bell. Opening the door, the familiar face of Mrs. Dorling – ‘her mother’s friend’ – appeared. On recognizing the narrator, Mrs. Dorling did something that was worse than what Hitler himself had done. All she said was – “Have you come back? I thought none of you would come back!” Mrs. Dorling was a betrayer. When she had offered to help the narrator’s family by carrying their valuables to her home’s safety, she had a vicious plan in her mind. She wished, she prayed that all the narrator family died in the war! Staring at the narrator, Mrs. Dorling repeated that she didn’t know her and that she was busy. Walking away, the narrator was felt cheated and confused. After a while, the narrator wanted her valuables back so she goes to Marconi Street once again. This time she was well prepared and determined and reached house number 46 once again and rang the bell. The door opened and Mrs. Dorling’s daughter welcomed the narrator.
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