Third Level Summary –

It is a story about a 31-year-old man name, Charlie. Besides, this is a

psychological story that refers to the subway at the grand central
railway station which takes passengers to Galesburg. In addition, this
subway becomes the interconnection between the narrator’s harsh
reality and fantasy. Moreover, the third level was a way of escape for
Charley. As life in the modern world is full of uncertainties worries and
stress, it takes Charley to a different world that his friend also calls, “a
walking dream wish fulfilment.” Further, the story is about Charley’s
tendency to escape from the world. Most importantly, the third level
starts because of Sam’s letter written on 18th July 1984. This story
shows the connection between time and space.

COMPETENCY QUESTIONS – THE THIRD LEVEL

1. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?

2. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection? Discuss.

3. Philately helps keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which this is done. What do

you think of the human tendency to constantly move between the past, the present

and the future?

4. You have read ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar in Hornbill Class XI. Compare the

interweaving of fantasy and reality in the two stories.

ANSWERS

1. Yes, there are certain instances in the story that show an intersection of time and space.

Firstly, the first two levels of Grand Central Station were located in the present time while

the third level existed in the 1890s. Secondly, Charley and his wife, Louisa, live in the
present time yet he rushes to get old currency to buy two tickets to go to the Galesburg

of 1894. Further, the old architecture of the platform at the third level is different from the

modern platforms of the first two levels. Besides, the archaic manner of dressing by the

people, and the newspaper, The World, dated June 11, 1984 also overlaps with

Charley’s real time world and existence. Lastly, the letter that was mailed to Charley’s

grandfather on 18th July, 1894 highlights the intersection of time and space as the

sender (Charley’s friend Sam) and receiver (Charley himself) belong to the present time.

2. It is true that apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection.

Before the Wright Brothers invented the first aeroplane, nobody could have dared to

believe that man could fly. Before Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, it

would have been impossible to believe in long-distance talks happening in the real-time

interface. Moreover, there are examples of inventions, like that of inventing a modern-

day sewing machine with a needle that has hole on its wrong end, which were conceived

in dreams but now are part of our everyday reality.All this emphasises that fantasies of

one point of time that seem illogical may turn out to be revolutionary things that change

the future of the mankind. Similarly, it would not be far-fetched to think about railway

stations fitted with time-machine devices that would make travel from one era to another

just a matter of time.

3. Besides philately, there are numerous other ways to help keep the past alive.

Collecting historical artefacts, paintings and inscriptions in a museum, collecting and

reading books (including autobiographies, bio-sketches, letters and diary entries)

written in different eras, collecting and viewing documentaries and other videos are all

a few ways of revisiting history. Besides, we can keep our culture and traditions alive

when we follow the rituals in ceremonies, treasure memories in the form of videos,

photographs and audio collections. Also, reviving old monuments, buildings and other

artefacts may prove a huge learning opportunity to those visiting such places, and

promote tourism at the same time. The capacity to oscillate between the past, present
and future is a great intellectual gift. This human tendency enables him to plan for the

future in the present by reaping benefits from the past. Consider a very simple example

of adopting a study technique for board exams. Considering the past result (of class

test or half yearly exams) a student makes a strategy plan to address the weak areas

more and score better in the future. Thus, such a tendency helps in ensuring

acceptance of the impact of important decisions taken at any point of time and learning

from them.

4. In 'Adventure' Jayant Narlikar expressed that many world exist simultaneously though

they appear to be separated by time. He expressed that the other world also existed

and prospered with the world we are aware of. On the other hand, In the third level,

Charley a young new york commuter wandering Grand Central Station by accident

finds a gateway that leads to a real past of 1894Seizing the opportunity Charley

attempts to escape the rat race by buying a one way ticket to his childhood town of

Galesburg. Not having proper currency for that period, he forced to postpone his plan to escape to the
past.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS – THE THIRD LEVEL

1. How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central? How was it different from the other

levels?

2. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?

3. What made Charley believe that the was actually standing at the third level?

4. What kind of people did Charley ‘See’ at the third level?

5. How does Charley make his description of the third level very realistic?

6. What is being inferred from Sam’s letter to Charley?

7. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the ways in which

we attempt to overcome them?

ANSWERS

1. One night Charley worked till late at the office. Then he was in a hurry to get back to his

apartment. So he decided to take the subway from Grand Central. He went down the steps and

came to the first level. Then he walked down to the second level from where the suburban

trains left. He ducked into an arched doorway that headed to the subway. Then he got lost.

Knowing that he was going wrong he continued to walk downward. The tunnel turned a sharp

left and then taking a short flight of stairs he came out on the third level at the Grand Central

Station. Here he saw many unusual things. There were very few ticket windows and train gates

that were old-looking and made of wood. Dim gaslights flickered and men wore derby hats and

four-button suits. It was a rather strange world of sideburns, beards and fancy moustaches.

2. The fears, anxieties and insecurities of the modem world are taking a toll on man’s mind. He

feels helpless and frustrated and seeks temporary respite from life’s harsh realities. Charley too

was unable to cope up with his fastpaced and stressful life so his flight to the third level was

undoubtedly a medium of escape for him. It is nothing but a creation of Charley’s own mind. He

wants to escape from the modern world’s insecurity, fear, worries and stress and so seeks an

exit, a medium to get away into the world of dreams and fancies.

3. One night Charley worked late at the office. He was in a hurry to get to his apartment. So he

decided to take the subway from Grand Central. He ducked into an arched doorway and then

he got lost. He walked down the steps to the second level, turned left and kept on walking. He

came out on the third level at the Grand Central Station. This was a different, old and romantic

world. So he was convinced that he was actually standing at the third level. There were fewer

ticket windows there which were made of wood and were old-looking. There were open flame

gaslights. He saw people with beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches. Then he caught a

glimpse of an old locomotive and also saw an 1894 issue of ‘The World’ newspaper. Perhaps

Charley is under pressure to escape from the harsh world of realities. He would like to escape

to the peaceful world of 1894.

4. Having worked late at the office Charley decided to take a train back home. So he came to
Grand Central Station and from the second level he got lost while ducking into an arched

doorway and found himself inside a tunnel. This tunnel took him to another light of stairs and

he found himself on the third level of the station. As compared to the second level, the third

level had smaller rooms, fewer ticket windows and train gates. Everyone there was dressed in

‘eighteen-ninety-something’. Charley came across men and women wearing 19th century

dresses. Men sported fancy moustaches, beards and sideburns. Tiny lapels, four-button suits,

derby hats and pocket gold watches seemed to be in vogue. Women were wearing fancy cut

sleeves, long skirts and high-buttoned shoes. Charley was confused to see people sporting

old-fashioned clothes and hair styles at the third level.

5. To make his description of the third level very realistic, Charley describes its minute details,

vividly comparing it to the second level of the Grand Central station. He says the rooms here

were smaller. There were fewer ticket windows and train gates, and the information booth was

wooden and old-looking. He also gives a detailed description about the people he saw at the

third level and their dresses. He says the people wore nineteenth century dresses; many men

had beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches. He also buys tickets to Galesburg, Illinois thus

making the reader believe that he was actually at the third level.

6. Sam’s letter to Charley is dated 18th July, 1894. It is written from Galesburg, Illinois. In

response to Charley’s claim of having visited the third level, Sam who is equally insecure

wishes the entire episode is true, as he too believes in the existence of the third level. There

are some inferences made by the letter. The introductory part of the letter confirms Charley’s

belief in the existence of the third level. It also suggests that those who find the third level can

travel across to Galesburg and enjoy the festivities, songs, music and peaceful world of the

1890s. So the author uses Sam’s letter as a unique combination of the real and fantasy world.

7. We can overcome the anxieties and insecurities bred by our inevitable existence in the modern

world by getting involved in some practical and beneficial activities. Cultivating hobbies,

spending time with family and friends, going on trips and excursions, pursuing meditation and

exercises help us live a balanced and healthy life. Reading good books is equivalent to having

good friends with great insight. They not only enrich us with the vast store of knowledge but

also help us to learn from other’s experience and stay rooted to some basic qualities of
humanity. Joining hobby classes or gym, attending social events like birthdays and weddings,

going for outdoor games, interacting meaningfully through social-networking sites and writing

diaries etc. can also help us relieve our worries and stay focussed and disciplined in life.

Simple activities like listening to music, playing with pets, an occasional dinner out, watching

cinema or plays or going to places like parks etc. can go a long way in helping us get rid of stress,
boredom and insecurities.

SHORT QUESTIONS

1. What does the third level refer to? What is the significance of the third level?

2. What convinced Charley that he had reached the third level at Grand Central Station and

not the second level

3. How does Charley, the narrator describe the third level at Grand Central Station?

4. How did Charley make sure that he was not in the present time?

5. How did Charley often get lost on the Grand Central Station?

6. Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to Galesburg?

7. How does Charley describe Galesburg as it used to be in 1894?

8. What did Charley learn about Sam from the stamp and coin store?

9. How did Sam reach Galesburg? What did he advise Charley to do?

10. Why did the booking clerk refuse to accept the money?

11. Why did Charley rush back from the third level?

12. What, according to the psychiatrist, was Charley’s problem?

13. What did the psychiatrist think about Charley’s stamp collection ? Why did Charley not

agree with him?

14. How does Charley describe himself?

15. What idea did Charley have about the tunnel and why didn’t he tell the psychiatrist about

it?

16. How did Charley make sure that he had actually travelled in the past?

17. Describe Galesburg, as it existed in the year 1894?

18. In which context did Charley say, “eggs were thirteen cents a dozen in 1894”?

19. What made Louisa, Charley’s wife, believe that the third level was a reality?

20. What is a first day cover?

21. Who had sent the first day cover and what was written on it?

ANSWERS

1. The third level is a medium of escape through which man yearns to be away from life’s harsh

realities. Modem life is devoid of peace and tranquility 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 of his subconscious mind.

2. The general layout of the third level was different from that of the second level. It had

comparatively smaller rooms, fewer ticket windows and lesser train gates. The infor¬mation The
infor¬mation

booth in the centre was made of wood and looked old. The place with its brass spittoons did

not look very bright. So Charley was convinced it was not the second level.

3. Charley says that the rooms on the third level were smaller than that of the second level.

There were fewer ticket windows and train gates and the information booth in the centre was

wood and old looking. There were open- flame gaslights and brass spittoons on the floor.

Everyone at the station was dressed in nineteenth century dresses.

4. To make sure that he was not in the present time, Charley did a reality check. He looked at

the newspapers which were on sale at a kiosk and found a copy of the newspaper ‘The

World’, which carried the main story on President Cleveland. Then he confirmed from the

Public Library files that the newspaper he had seen was dated 11th June, 1894.

5. The Grand Central Station was growing like a tree pushing out endless corridors, doorways

and stairs like roots. It had intricate and tangled pathways. The network of passages was so

complicated that instead of reaching his destination, one did tend to move up and down to

look for entries and exits. So, Charley often got lost on this station.

6. When Sam disappeared all of a sudden and no one knew about his whereabouts, Charley
suspected he had gone to Galesburg as Sam was a city boy and liked Galesburg very much.

Then Charley found an envelope mailed to Sam by his grandfather from his home in

Galesburg and so it confirmed that Sam was indeed in Galesburg.

7. Charley describes Galesburg as a quiet, simple and peaceful place with big old frame

houses, huge lawns and tremendous trees. The summer evenings were rather long and

people sat out on their lawns in a peaceful world, men smoking cigars and women waving

palm-leaf fans.

8. From the stamp and coin store Charley gets to know that Sam had bought old style currency

worth eight hundred dollars. This money was sufficient to set him up in a little hay, feed and

grain business in Galesburg.

9. Sam was fascinated by Charley’s description of Galesburg. He was so burdened by the

tensions and stress of modem life that he thought of escaping to the peaceful world of

Galesburg. His advice to Charley is that, he (Charley) and his wife, Louisa should come over

to Galesburg through the medium of the ‘third level’.

10. The booking clerk refuses to accept the money because the notes Charley had given him

were of old style. He did not pay in the currency notes that were in circulation in 1894. So the

clerk stared at him and told him, “That ain’t money, Mister”. He thought Charley was trying to

cheat him and even threatened to get him arrested.

11. When Charley took out the modem currency to pay for the two tickets to Galesburg, the ticket

clerk accused him of trying to cheat him. He threatened to hand Charley over to the police.

Charley was frightened and he decided to rush back from the third level, lest he was arrested

and put into prison.

12. Charley told the psychiatrist about his belief in the existence of the third level at the Grand

Central Station but was told that it was only a waking- dream wish fulfillment. The psychiatrist

also added that Charley was unhappy because of the insecurity, fear, war, worry and that he

just wanted to escape just like everyone else.

13. The psychiatrist thought that Charley’s stamp collecting was a temporary refuge from reality

.Charley did not agree with him because his grandfather for whom things were nice and
peaceful and who did not need refuge from reality also collected stamps.

14. Charley describes himself as just an ordinary guy, thirty-one years old. He wore a tan

gabardine suit and a straw hat with a fancy band. He was just like other men he passed on

the road and he was not trying to escape from anything.

15. Charley felt there was a tunnel that nobody knew about, which was feeling its way under the

city at that moment too, on its way to Times Square, and maybe another to Central Park.

Grand Central, he felt, was like an exit, a way of escape and perhaps that’s how he got into

the tunnel. He didn’t want to tell the psychiatrist, for he would not have believed him and

would have wanted to treat him.

16. Charley went to the news stand and looked at the Newspaper ,he saw that it was ‘The World’

,a Newspaper that was no longer published . He later discovered through Public Library files

it was printed on June11,1894

17. Galesburg was a wonderful town with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous

trees whose branches met overhead and roofed over the streets. In 1894, summer evenings

were twice as long, and people sat on their lawns, the men smoking.

18. Charley had got his three hundred dollars out of the bank and got them changed into old-style

currency so that he could go back to the third level and buy the tickets to Galesburg. For his

three hundred dollars he had got only two hundred dollars old-style currency but he didn’t

mind that. The only consolation was that in the year 1894, the two hundred dollars would

have more value, as things were much cheaper then than they were now.

19. Louisa, like Charley’s friends, believed whatever explanations the psychiatrist friend had

given. But later, when she received a mail from Sam himself from the old Galesburg, Louisa

believed that Charley was true to his claims and even began to search for the third level.

20. When a new stamp is issued, stamp collectors buy some and use them to mail envelopes to

themselves on the very first day of sale; and the postmark proves the date. They’re never

opened; they just put blank paper in the envelope. The envelope is called a first-day cover.
21. Sam had sent the first day cover. Sam wrote that he had discovered the Third level and had

reached Galesburg .He found Galesburg peaceful and friendly .he advised Charley to keep looking for
third level and reach Galesburg.

short type questions

1. What does the third level refer to?

Waking dream wish fulfilment of Charley.
2. How old was Charley?
He was 31 years old
3. What was the hobby of Charley’s grandfather?
Stamp collection
4. How was Charley dressed the night he stumbled upon the third level?
He wore a tan gabardine suit and a straw hat with a fancy band.
5. What route did Charley take to go home from office?
He took the subway from Grand Central.
6. What is the name of Charley’s wife?
Charley’s wife name was Louisa.
7. What did Charley compare Grand Central to?
He compared it to a tree.
8. What style of moustache was worn by the men at the third level?
Handlebar moustache.
9. How was the woman dressed at the third level?
She was dressed with a leg-of-mutton sleeve and skirts to the top of her high-buttoned shoes.

10. What was the name of the newspaper that Charley encountered at the third level?
The World.

1. Where did Charley want to go after purchasing two tickets?

Galesburg, Illinois.                                                                                                                                     
2. What was the price of eggs in 1894?
Eggs were thirteen cents a dezen.
3. . Who was Sam Weiner?
Charley’s Psychiatrist friend. 
4. What did Sam discover among his first day cover?
A letter purportedly written by Sam.
5. How did Charley come to know about Sam Weiner’s disappearance?
Through a letter found among his first day cover.
6. What did Charley find out at the stamp and coin store?
Sam had bought eight hundred dollars’ worth of old-style currency.
7. What business would Sam set up at the third level?
A nice little hay, feed and grain business.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS – THE THIRD LEVEL

1. Charley describes himself as

A. 31 year old,wearing a green garbadine suit and a straw hat with a fancy band

B. 31 year old,wearing a tan garbadine suit and a straw hat with a fancy band

C. 31 year old,wearing a tan garbadine suit and a straw hat with a red band

D. 31 year old,wearing a posh black suit and a brown hat with a fancy band

2. Name of Charley's wife

A. Lucy

B. Lousy

C. Loisa

D. Louisa

3. The date on the newspaper was

A. July 11,1984

B. July 11, 1894

C. June 11, 1984

D. June 11, 1894

4. To make sure he is in 1894, Charley walked over to a newsboy and

glanced (looked) at the stack of papers at his feet. The name of the

newspaper was.............

A. The Week

B. The Earth

C. The World

D. The Horizon

5. Charley wanted to buy two tickets to..............

A. Sandberg

B. New hampshire

C. Galesburg

D. Wales

6. Why could not Charley buy the tickets?

A. He did not have enough money

B. There were no tickets available

C. He did not have old style currency

D. The ticket counter was closed

7. First day covers are ............

A. an envelopes mailed by people to themselves on the first day of the year

B. envelopes mailed by people to themselves on the first day when a new stamp

is issued

C. an envelopes mailed by people to themselves on the first day of the month

D. envelopes mailed by people to their grandfathers on the first day when a new

stamp is issued

8. The letter was written by.............

A. Sam

B. Louisa

C. Charley himself

D. Charley's Grandfather

9. Sam was

A. Charley's father

B. Charley's grandfather

C. Charley's intimate friend

D. Charley's psychiatrist

10."The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war and worry". who said

this?

A. Charley

B. Psychiartist friend

C. Louisa

D. Grandfather

11.What did Sam write in the letter?

A. He expressed his anxiety of not able to run his busines there

B. wrote how he was cheated at the stamp and coin store

C. expressed his fear that he may not be able to return

D. stated how peaceful Galesburg is and invited Charley and Louisa to there.

12................................was Charley's hobby and it was actually started by

...............................

A. Coin Collection, his Grandfather

B. Stamp collection, himself

C. Stamp Collection, his Grandfather

D. Coin Collection, himself

13.Charley rushed back from ticket third level because

A. he was in a hurry to meet his wife

B. he realised that he is in 1894

C. he was threatened to be caught by police by the man in the ticket counter

D. he wanted to collect old currency from stamp and coin store immediately

14.The first-day cover had the address of ....................on the envelope.

A. Charley

B. Sam

C. Charley's Grandfather

15.What does 'The Third Level' refer to?

A. a level in the game that Charley was playing

B. the third floor of the Roosevelt Hotel

C. an additional imaginary floor at the Grand Central Station

D. the third floor of the office where Charley was working

16.The genre of the chapter 'The Third Level' is __________.

A. Science Fiction

B. Satire
C. Drama

D. Memoir

17.Charley says, "Yes, I’ve taken the obvious step". Which step is he

talking about?

A. entering the Third level

B. narrating the incident to his wife

C. talking to the railroad authorities about the incident

D. talking to his psychiatrist friend about the incident

18.The psychiatrist friend of Charley finds Charley's entering the Third

Level at the Grand Central Station as _____________.

A. Idiotic

B. a waking-dream wish fulfillment

C. bizarre

D. normal

19.According to the psychiatrist friend of Charley, Charley's habit of stamp

collecting was ____________.

A. encouraging

B. unusual

C. a ‘temporary refuge from reality’

D. a habit worth inculcating

20.Why did Charley decide to take the subway from Grand Central?

A. so that he can reach the Third Level.

B. as it was cheaper.

C. so that he could travel with his friend.

D. as he was in a hurry and it was faster than bus.

21.Charley entered Grand Central from____________.

A. the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel

B. Forty-sixth Street

C. Vanderbilt Avenue
D. Central park

22.Charley compares Grand Central Station with a/an ____________.

A. swift animal

B. tree

C. river

D. ocean

23.According to Charley, for so many people through the years Grand

Central has been _____________.

A. the preferred destination

B. a point of meeting and sharing

C. an exit, a way of escape

D. All of these

24.Which one of these was NOT seen by Charley when he landed at the

Third Level?

A. The man in the booth wearing a green eyeshade

B. flickering gaslights

C. so many beards, sideburns and fancy mustaches

D. people lining up for the approaching metro

25.What Charley saw at the Third Level of the Grand Central resembled the

atmosphere of __________.

A. 1880s

B. 1890s

C. 1950s

D. 1980s

26.Charley describes Galesburg as _____________.

A. a serene wonderful town

B. a Utopian city
C. a town for sophisticated people

D. a city bustling with activity

27.What makes Charley say, "There’s nothing nice about jail, even in

1894."?

A. He was caught by the police for travelling without a ticket.

B. He was arrested by the guards for having indulged in a scuffle.

C. He was threatened by a guard on the complain of ticket collector.

D. He was threatened by the clerk on producing notes that were not money

(legal tender).

28.Next day, during lunch hour, I drew three hundred dollars

out of the bank." Why did Charley draw three hundred dollars out of the bank?

A. His wife needed the money.

B. He had to pay fees of his psychiatrist.

C. He wanted to get it converted into old currency to buy tickets for Galesburg.

D. He wanted to start a new life in New York.

29."Louisa was pretty worried when I told her all this." What does 'this'

refer to?

A. Charley's withdrawing money from the bank

B. Charley searching for the Third Level again but unable to find it

C. Charley quitting his old job

D. None of these

30.The first day cover that was mailed to Charley's grandfather but the note

inside it was addressed to _____________.

A. Charley's grandmother

B. Louisa

C. Charley himself

D. Charley's friend
31.The writer of the note had asked Charley to _____________.

A. quit the hope of searching for the Third Level

B. continue searching for the Third Level till he found it

C. consult a proper psychiatrist

D. try a different level

32.What made Charley suspect that Sam was in Galesburg?

A. He loved the sound of it when Charley used to tell him about Galesburg.

B. He could have a grand life in Galesburg.

C. It was the best place for his profession to prosper.

D. All of these

33."He certainly can’t go back to his old business. Not in Galesburg,

Illinois, in 1894." Who is the speaker of this line?

A. Sam

B. Louisa

C. Charley

D. Charley's grandfather

34.He certainly can’t go back to his old business. Not in Galesburg, Illinois,

in 1894." Who does 'he' refer to in this line?

A. Sam

B. Charley

C. Charley's boss at the office

D. Charley's grandfather

35."He certainly can’t go back to his old business. Not in Galesburg,

Illinois, in 1894." What was 'his old business'?

A. He was a farmer.

B. He was involved in the business of hay, feed and grain.

C. He was a psychiatrist.

D. He was a clerk at the railway station.

36.The end of the story brings out __________.

A. Satire

B. Pathos

C. Irony

D. Tragedy