“The Address” by Marga Minco is a story about a woman who returns to the house of a family friend after World War II to reclaim items left behind during the Nazi occupation. During the war, she had entrusted her belongings to a woman who promised to keep them safe. After the war, the narrator visits the woman’s house, only to discover that many of her belongings have been taken or sold. She is emotionally hurt by the betrayal but retrieves only a few small items. The story explores themes of loss, memory, and human selfishness during times of crisis.
The story reflects the lasting emotional impact of war on individuals. The narrator experiences both disappointment and disillusionment when confronted with the harsh realities of survival and greed. Through the short, poignant narrative, Minco highlights human vulnerability and the ways in which war alters personal relationships. The story also underscores the value of trust and the pain caused by its violation, leaving a lasting impression of sadness and reflection.
“द एड्रेस” मार्गा मिनको की कहानी युद्ध के बाद की भावनाओं और विश्वासघात पर आधारित है। कहानी में कथाकार युद्ध के बाद अपने घर लौटती हैं और उस महिला के पास जाती हैं, जिसने युद्ध के दौरान उनकी चीज़ें सुरक्षित रखने का वादा किया था।
जब वे महिला के घर पहुँचती हैं, तो पाती हैं कि उनके कई सामान गायब या बेच दिए गए हैं। उन्हें यह देखकर गहरा दुख और निराशा होती है। कथाकार कुछ छोटे सामान ही वापस ले पाती हैं। कहानी में युद्ध के दौरान इंसानी स्वार्थ, विश्वासघात और भावनात्मक पीड़ा को दर्शाया गया है।
यह कहानी युद्ध के बाद व्यक्तिगत संबंधों और मानव मन की कमजोरी को भी उजागर करती है। कथाकार का अनुभव निराशाजनक होता है, लेकिन कहानी यह भी दिखाती है कि युद्ध किस तरह मानव भावनाओं और रिश्तों को प्रभावित करता है। कहानी का उद्देश्य युद्ध के बाद विश्वास, स्वार्थ और मानवीय भावनाओं पर प्रकाश डालना है।
1. Who is the author of "The Address”?
a) Anne Frank
b) Marga Minco ✅
c) Elie Wiesel
d) Marguerite Duras
2. What historical event is the backdrop of the story?
a) World War I
b) World War II ✅
c) French Revolution
d) Cold War
3. Why did the narrator leave her belongings with the woman?
a) She trusted her ✅
b) She had no time
c) She wanted to sell them
d) She was moving abroad
4. What does the narrator retrieve from the woman’s house?
a) All her belongings
b) Only a few small items ✅
c) Nothing
d) Money
5. What emotion does the narrator mainly feel?
a) Happiness
b) Betrayal and disappointment ✅
c) Anger only
d) Surprise
6. What is the main theme of the story?
a) Adventure
b) Loss, trust, and betrayal ✅
c) Friendship only
d) Humor
7. How does the woman behave when the narrator comes?
a) Welcoming
b) Apologetic
c) Selfish and indifferent ✅
d) Sad
8. Where does the story take place?
a) At the narrator’s house
b) At the woman’s house ✅
c) In a war camp
d) In a school
9. What does the story reveal about human nature?
a) People are always kind
b) People are selfish during crisis ✅
c) People are brave
d) People are careless
10. What lesson does the story emphasize?
a) Adventure is fun
b) Trust is valuable and betrayal hurts ✅
c) Money is most important
d) War is exciting
Q1. Why did the narrator leave her belongings with the woman?
Ans: She left her belongings trusting the woman to keep them safe during the war when Jews were persecuted.
Q2. What did the narrator find upon visiting the woman’s house?
Ans: She discovered that many of her belongings were taken or sold, and only a few small items remained.
Q3. How did the narrator feel after seeing her belongings?
Ans: She felt betrayed, disappointed, and emotionally hurt by the woman’s selfishness and indifference.
Q4. What items did the narrator retrieve?
Ans: She retrieved only a few small, personal items like letters, pictures, or small belongings.
Q5. What is the main theme of the story?
Ans: The story highlights trust, betrayal, loss, the emotional impact of war, and human selfishness during difficult times.
Q6. How does the story show the impact of war on personal relationships?
Ans: War changes people’s behavior, creating fear and selfishness, leading to betrayal and strained human relationships.
Q7. Why is the story called “The Address”?
Ans: The title refers to the woman’s house, the address where the narrator left her belongings, symbolizing trust and betrayal.
Q8. What lesson does the narrator learn?
Ans: She learns that people may be selfish and trust can be betrayed, especially during crises.
Q9. How is human selfishness depicted in the story?
Ans: The woman kept or sold the narrator’s belongings for herself, showing greed and lack of empathy during wartime.
Q10. How does the story evoke sympathy from the reader?
Ans: Through the narrator’s disappointment and emotional pain, readers feel empathy for her loss and betrayal.
Q.1 Have you come back? said the woman. I thought that no one had come back. Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it ?
Ans: The woman’s statement, “Have you come back? I thought that no one had come back,” provides an important clue about the story. It indicates that the narrator had left her belongings with the woman during a period of persecution, likely World War II, and had not returned until much later. The woman’s words suggest that many people never came back to reclaim their possessions, hinting at the tragic consequences of the war, including death, displacement, or loss. This line foreshadows the theme of betrayal, as it shows the woman’s surprise and possible expectation that she could keep or dispose of the belongings without being questioned. It also sets the tone of loss, distrust, and emotional tension, preparing the reader for the narrator’s disappointment when she discovers that most of her possessions are gone.
Q.2 Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?
Ans: The narrator wanted to forget the address because it reminded her of a painful and traumatic period in her life during the war. She had left her belongings with the woman at that address, trusting her to keep them safe while she was displaced. However, the address became a symbol of betrayal, as upon returning after the war, she discovered that most of her possessions had been taken or sold by the woman. The emotional pain of this betrayal, combined with the memories of loss, fear, and uncertainty during the war, made the address a source of discomfort. Forgetting the address was a way for the narrator to distance herself from the sadness, disappointment, and moral disillusionment associated with that place and the woman’s selfishness.
Q.3 The story is divided into pre war and post war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?
Ans: In “The Address”, the story spans pre-war and post-war periods, highlighting the hardships faced by the narrator. During the "pre-war" period, as a young Jewish girl, she lived under the threat of Nazi persecution. She had to leave her home and belongings with a trusted woman, facing fear, uncertainty, and the trauma of displacement. During the "post-war" period, when she returned to reclaim her possessions, she experienced emotional hardship—disappointment, betrayal, and disillusionment—because the woman had kept or sold most of her belongings. The narrator also faced the pain of confronting a changed reality, the loss of trust, and the psychological scars of war. These experiences reveal both the material and emotional difficulties caused by the war, showing her struggle to survive and cope with human selfishness and betrayal.
Q4 Describe the main plot of “The Address”.
Ans: The story follows a woman who returns after World War II to reclaim the belongings she had entrusted to a family friend during Nazi persecution. She visits the woman’s house with hope, expecting her possessions to be safe. To her disappointment, many of her belongings have been taken or sold. She retrieves only a few small items. The narrative highlights her emotional pain, betrayal, and the human tendency toward selfishness in times of crisis. Through the short journey, Minco emphasizes loss, memory, trust, and the moral impact of war. The story also reflects the psychological effects of war on individuals, particularly how it changes personal relationships. Despite the small recovery, the narrator is left with lasting emotional scars, revealing how war leaves both material and psychological losses.
Q5. How does the story explore trust and betrayal?
Ans: Trust and betrayal are central to the story. The narrator trusted the woman to keep her belongings safe during the war. This trust was built on mutual friendship and moral expectation. However, upon visiting after the war, she realizes the betrayal: most of her possessions have been taken or sold. This act shows human selfishness under the pressure of survival. The narrator’s emotional pain highlights the psychological impact of betrayal, making her feel vulnerable and disillusioned. Marga Minco uses this situation to show how personal relationships can be affected during crises, and how trust, once broken, leaves lasting emotional scars. The story demonstrates that war not only destroys lives physically but also morally and emotionally, exposing the darker sides of human nature.
Q6 How are the effects of war depicted in the story?
Ans: The story depicts the effects of war through loss, fear, and human selfishness. The narrator lost much of her personal property, entrusted for safekeeping. People, like the woman, act selfishly to survive, highlighting moral compromise caused by war. Emotional scars, disappointment, and betrayal reflect psychological effects. Material possessions are gone, but the pain of loss remains. Trust and personal relationships suffer, showing the social impact of war. Marga Minco emphasizes how ordinary people are morally challenged during crises, and how war disrupts both lives and values. Through the narrator’s small recovery, the story contrasts material retrieval with emotional devastation, reflecting war’s enduring impact on individuals’ lives and minds.
Q7. Discuss the emotional state of the narrator.
Ans: The narrator experiences a mixture of hope, disappointment, and pain. Initially, she expects her belongings to be intact, reflecting trust and optimism. After discovering the theft or sale of her possessions, she feels betrayed and disillusioned. Emotional hurt is compounded by the realization that human selfishness can override trust, especially in crisis. She retrieves only a few small items, leaving her with sadness and reflection. Her mental state is a blend of nostalgia, grief, and resignation. Through her feelings, the story evokes empathy in the reader. The narrator’s emotional journey reflects the larger impact of war on personal trust, memory, and human relationships.
Q8. What is the central theme of the story?
Ans: The central theme of “The Address” is the emotional and moral impact of war on individuals. It explores trust, betrayal, human selfishness, and loss. The narrator’s experience shows how personal relationships can be affected during crises, and how hope can lead to disappointment. Material loss is significant, but emotional loss is greater, highlighting war’s psychological consequences. The story also portrays memory, reflection, and moral lessons about human nature. By showing the narrator’s retrieval of only a few items, Marga Minco emphasizes that emotional scars often outlast material losses. Themes of betrayal, trust, loss, and survival create a poignant story that teaches the lasting effects of war on people and relationships.