The Address Important Short and Long Question Class 11 Chapter-2 Book-2

1. What is the central idea of the story "The Address"?

Answer: 

The story revolves around the themes of memory, loss, and detachment from material possessions. It highlights how war disrupts lives, not only through physical destruction but also by erasing the emotional connections people once had with their past.

2. Why does the narrator visit Mrs. Dorling’s house?

Answer: 

The narrator visits Mrs. Dorling’s house after the war to retrieve her family’s belongings, which her mother had entrusted to Mrs. Dorling for safekeeping.

3. How does Mrs. Dorling react when the narrator first visits her house?

Answer: 

Mrs. Dorling does not recognize or welcome the narrator. She refuses to let her in and acts as if she does not know anything about the narrator’s mother or the belongings.

4. How does the narrator confirm that she is at the right house?

Answer: 

The narrator notices that Mrs. Dorling is wearing her mother’s green cardigan, which confirms that she is at the right place and that Mrs. Dorling possesses her family’s belongings.

5. What does the narrator recall about Mrs. Dorling’s visits during the war?

Answer: 

The narrator remembers her mother telling her about Mrs. Dorling’s frequent visits. Mrs. Dorling took valuable family heirlooms, claiming she wanted to protect them from war damage, though the narrator’s mother was uncertain about her true intentions.

6. Why does the narrator make a second visit to Mrs. Dorling’s house?

Answer: 

The narrator, determined to see her family’s possessions again, visits Mrs. Dorling’s house a second time. This time, Mrs. Dorling’s teenage daughter lets her in.

7. How does the narrator feel when she sees her family’s belongings in Mrs. Dorling’s house?

Answer: 

The narrator feels a deep sense of discomfort and alienation. The objects, once full of sentimental value, now seem out of place and meaningless in the unfamiliar setting of Mrs. Dorling’s home.

8. What does the narrator realize about the possessions in Mrs. Dorling’s house?

Answer: 

The narrator realizes that the objects no longer hold the same emotional significance because they are removed from their original setting. The memories tied to them have faded, making them mere objects without meaning.

9. What does the narrator decide at the end of the story?

Answer: 

The narrator decides to leave the house and never return. She also chooses to forget the address, symbolizing her decision to move on from the past rather than holding on to painful memories.

10. What is the significance of the title "The Address"?

Answer: 

The address symbolizes the narrator’s lost past and her struggle to reclaim it. However, by the end of the story, she realizes that revisiting the past is futile and decides to let go, making the address irrelevant.

11. What does the story say about war and its impact?

Answer: 

The story reflects on the emotional and psychological impact of war. War not only destroys lives but also takes away a sense of belonging and continuity. It forces people to leave behind their homes, possessions, and memories.

12. How does the story contrast material possessions with emotional connection?

Answer: 

The story highlights that material possessions lose their significance when detached from their original context. While they once represented love, warmth, and family, they now seem lifeless and unfamiliar in Mrs. Dorling’s house.

13. What role does Mrs. Dorling’s daughter play in the story?

Answer: 

Mrs. Dorling’s teenage daughter unknowingly helps the narrator understand that the objects have lost their meaning. Her casual attitude toward using the heirlooms for daily purposes makes the narrator realize that these objects no longer carry the same emotional weight.

14. Why does the narrator’s voice sound unnatural when she talks about the silver cutlery?

Answer: 

The narrator’s voice sounds unnatural because she is overwhelmed by emotions. Seeing her mother’s possessions in a different environment makes her realize that they no longer belong to her life.

15. What message does the story convey?

Answer: 

The story conveys the message that memories and emotions are more valuable than material possessions. Clinging to the past can be painful, and sometimes, letting go is the only way to heal and move forward.