THE THIRD LEVEL

1. CHARLEY’S UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE

1.1 wandered into 3rd lvl of Grand Central Railway stn
1.2 blvd there was 3rd lvl, it had only 2

2. DEDUCTION OF PSYCHIATRIST
2.1 unhappiness, fear, insecurity, desire to escape
2.2 Charley had eascaped
2.3 Stamp collection-also escape

3. EVENTFUL DAY
3.1 Charley late from office
3.2 Took subway from Grand central Railway Stn
3.2.1 entrd Vanderbilt Avenue
3.2.2 entrd 1st lvl
3.2.3 entrd 2nd lvl
3.2.4 passed through arched doorway
3.2.5 walked down corridor steps
3.2.6 rchd 3rd lvl

4. FEATURES OF THIRD LEVEL

4.1 18-19 century, Smaller rooms, Fewer tckt windows, Wooden info booth
4.2 Man wearing eyeshades, long black sleeve protectors
4.3 Open flame gaslights, brass spittoons
4.4 Men- sideburns, handlebar mustaches; women..old fashioned dresses
4.5 Old locomotive…Currier& Ivy
4.6 Newspaper- ‘The World’-photo of President Cleveland- later found dated 1894

5. DESIRE TO GO TO GALESBURG(ILLINOIS)
5.1 peaceful, tranquil, natural place
5.2 wished to buy 2 tckts
5.3 currency- not appropriate- disappointed
5.4 next day
5.4.1 exchanged currency
5.4.2 200 dollars for 300
5.4.3 Did not find 3rd lvl

6. ANOTHER STRANGE EXPERIENCE

6.1 started collecting stamps again
6.2 found old 1st day cover
6.2.1 mailed to grandfather
6.2.2 galesburg address
6.3 dated 18 july 1894, 6 cent stamp, picture of President Garfield
6.4 no blank paper inside but letter addressed to Charley

7. THE LETTER
7.1 Sam- psychiatrist – found 3rd lvl
7.2 Picturesque Galesburg
7.2.1 someone played piano
7.2.2 sitting in front porch
 7.2.3 singing songs
7.2.4 invited for lemonade
7.3 urged Louisa and Charley to find 3rd lvl

8. CHARLEY’S CONCLUSION ABBREVIATION BOX

8.1 After hearing his story, Sam 1. Lvl level
8.1.1 Exchanged money- 800 dollars 2. Stn station
8.1.2 Travelled to Galesburg via 3rd lvl 3. Blvd believed
8.1.3 Set up feed and grain business 4. Tckt ticket
8.2 leading simple life, peaceful existence 5. Info information

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What does the third level refer to?

The third level refers to the third level of the Grand Central Railway Station from where one can get a train to
Galesburg, Illinois. This level is a medium of escape for Charley, the narrator, from the harsh realities of
modern life. Modern life is devoid of peace and tranquillity so man in his quest to seek solace escapes to a
place where his aim is to seek the realization of his dreams and unfulfilled wishes.

2. How did the narrator make sure that he was in a different time zone?
Walking over to a newspaper boy, he glanced at a stack of newspapers. He saw copies of ‘The World’ which
had not been published for years. On the front page was a picture of President Cleveland. When he checked at
a public library later, he found that that edition of ‘The World’ had been published on June 11, 1894.this
confirmed his doubt about having travelled to a different time-zone.

3. Where did the narrator want to go and why?

The narrator wanted to go to Galesburg, Illinois. He was unhappy with his present fast paced life which was full
of uncertainties. Before the two World Wars, Galesburg was a wonderful place with old houses, tranquil
atmosphere and quiet summer evenings.

4. What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?

Sam, Charley’s psychiatrist friend, was very interested when Charley talked about Galesburg and its easy-
going, slow-paced life. He was also fed-up of the insecurities of city-life and wanted to escape it.
While treating Charley, the third level seemed realistic to him too. From Sam’s letter Charley infers that he did
escape through third level and was now enjoying life in a different time-zone. The letter was dated July
18,1894.

5. What is a first-day cover?

In the earlier days, when a new stamp was issued, stamp-collectors used to buy some and use them to mail
envelopes to themselves on the very first day. The post-mark was a proof of the date. The envelope contained
a blank paper but was never opened.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

6. What was different about the third level?

The third level had fewer ticket windows, wooden information booths, brass spittoons, open flame gaslights.
The people were wearing old fashioned clothes, derby hats, men carried hand held watches, had handle-bar
mustaches and long sideburns while women wore long dresses with leg-o-mutton sleeves. There was a
locomotive with Currier & Ives logo with a funnel shaped stack. The narrator also saw a newspaper boy selling
a stack of ‘The World’ newspaper which had not been published for many many years.

7. Modern world is full of insecurity, fear, and stress. What are the ways in which we try to overcome
them?
Elaborate the following points…
- Day-dreaming
- Fantasising
- Hobbies like coin collection, stamp collection
- Book reading, movies
- Yoga, meditation
- Drugs

8. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic prediction. Discuss.

Since fiction is a literary genre that uses imagination to create a story, it may sometimes seem to be illogical in
the present day but prove to be true in future.
In this story, the writer uses time travel concept to project a man’s movement though past, present and
future. The third level at Grand Central is a future projection of how one can escape the harsh realities of
today by travelling back in time.
In 1984, George Orwell created a fictitious picture of the breakup of the Communist World. It turned into
reality with the breakup of the Soviet Union.

9. Philately helps to keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which it is done. What do you think of the
human tendency to constantly move between the past, present or future?
- Philately- collection of stamps
- Photos, cassettes, CD’s,
- Past provides an escape from present…reminiscing
- Present- full of activities and schedules
- Future full of aspirations and hope
- Sometimes time travel brings satisfaction, peace and relief