THE
THIRD LEVEL by JACK FINNEY
SUMMARY
OF THE LESSON:
· ‘The Third Level’
is a story that weaves together a psychological journey of the narrator into
past, present and moves towards future.
· Charley- 31 year
old, an American narrates his unusual experience of having been to the third
level.
· He discovers brass
spittoons, flickering gas lights, everyone dressed, like 1890’s with old fashioned
beards, side burns, fancy moustaches, engine with funnel shaped stack, newspaper
- The World, few ticket windows etc in the third level.
· Charley goes to get
the ticket for Galesburg - Illinois- Wonderful town, big houses, huge lawns,
plenty of trees, people with lots of leisure time and surprises when the clerk
says that it is not currency and he will be put behind the bars.
· Wife worried -takes
him to his Psychiatrist friend
· He refuses to
believe -says it a waking wish dream fulfilment as he could not face the modern
world which is full of fear, insecurity, war, worry, stamp collection a refuge
from reality.
· Charley desperate
to go to Galesburg & so exchanges new for old currency. But could never find
the third level.
· One day while going
through his stamp collection, he finds an envelope, containing a letter of July
18, 1894 written by Sam, who is living at Galesburg, assertions the Third
level.
· Charley finds that
Sam had bought old currency worth eight hundred dollars.
· Sam was Charley’s
psychiatrist.
1. Was the Third level a medium of escape for Charley? Why/Why not?
Yes, Charlie was engulfed in the trials and tribulations of life so he
created the third level himself to
seek refuge in it. It eased his tensions and pressures and provided
him a platform to relax.
2. Why is Grand Central compared to a tree?
Grand Central was compared to a tree because it was pushing out new
corridors and staircases like roots. There may be a tunnel under the city up to
Times Square and another to Central Park.
Nobody knows about them. For many people it has been a exit, a way of
escape through the years. So it is possible that it may have the tunnel Charlie
got into.
3. How did Charlie realize that he had reached the third level?
Charlie saw brass spittoons, flickering gas lights, everyone dressed
like in the1890’s with mutton sleeves side burns and moustaches. The engine was
with a funnel shaped stack. The newspaper was dated June 11 1894.There were
fewer ticket windows. This made him realize that he was on the third level.
He wished to escape to Galesburg because it was a wonderful town with
big houses, huge lawns, plenty of trees. The summer evenings were twice as long
and people had lots of leisure time to sit out on the lawns. It was a peaceful
world.
The obvious step refers for consulting a psychiatrist. As a fact there
are only two levels & it does not seem wise to visit non-existing third
level. Therefore it was very apparent to consult an expert.
1. Who was Charley? What was his problem?
2. “That ain’t money , mister.” When did the ticket-clerk utter these
words?
3. Who was Sam? What was his observation about Charley’s present
problem?
4. How did Charley contradict the psychiatrist’s opinion?
5. Who wrote the letter ? Why do you think so?
6. What had Sam written in his letter to Charley?
7. Why couldn’t Sam go back to his old business in Galesburg?
8. What is the issue discussed in the lesson?
9. What does the ‘third level’ symbolize?
10.Do you think that Charley is the representative of modern men on
rat race? Why /Why not?
11. Why could not Charley reach the third level again?
12.Why did Charley run back from the third level?
LONG
ANSWER QUESTIONS
Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley?
Elaborate.
Q2. Imagination is a ‘temporary refuge from reality’ Explain.
Value Points
· Believed it was a waking
dream, perhaps wish fulfillment.
· Felt that like many man in
the modern world Charley too was unhappy.
· Modern world is full of
trails and tribulations, worries and insecurities.
· Felt Charley wanted to
escape this world.
· People indulge in some sort
of hobby to escape the stark harsh realities.
· Even stamp collecting was a
kind of temporary escape.
· Charley refuted his
contention- said people do not wander about due to stress.
· Besides his grandfather had
also collected stamps in the good old peaceful days of eighteen-nineties and
did not need to escape as life was quite stress free in those days.
Q-3 Do you find an intersection of time and space in
the story ? If yes , give details ?
Value Points
charley is transported from the present time to the
year 1894
1.
Reaches the ancient time – the third level.
2.
sees people dressed in four buttoned coats with small lapels , open
flame gas lights, brass spittoons gold pocket- watch , fancy moustaches,
sideburns , etc.
3.
Again comes back to reality/ present world
4.
Sam disappears, charley suspecs tthat he also has found the third
level.
5.
Finds the first day cover from same addressed to his grandfather dated
18th July 1894.
Q4- Why is the fact that Sam
has moved to the third level ironical?
Value Points
o
Sam believed that only two level existed.
o
He explained Charley’s experience as ‘ Waking – dream wish fulfillment
.
o
He believed 3rd leve was a medium to escape from tension of modern life. But later, Sam himself
found the 3rd level and got settled there .
o
Earlier he
believed there was not third level at all but ironically he himself became a
resident of Galesburg
(To be Contd.)
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