THE THIRD LEVEL

YEH PADHO AUR PURA CHAPTER ON TIPS:

Important Notes
• On visiting the third level of the Grand Central Station, Charley meets his psychiatrist
friend who tells him that he is in search of some peace (a wish he is making
unconsciously). He told him that he was unhappy.
• The psychiatrist explains to him and his wife Louisa that he is unhappy because of the life
people are living in today’s day and age.
• The conversation continues and he realizes that he is looking for some escape from the
chaotic life he is living. His collection of stamps is also a temporary refuge from reality.
• The author then says that during the time of his grandfather, the collection of stamps was
a hobby since people did not need any temporary refuge from reality back then because
of the peaceful life.
• One day when he was returning home late from work, he decided to take the subway at
the Grand Central Station instead of the bus since it was faster and he was restless about
being at home.
• Then he explains what had happened to him at the Grand Central Station.
• When he walked down another flight to the second level, where the suburban trains leave
from, ducked into an arched doorway heading for the subway, the trains got lost
• He was bumping into new doorways and stairs and corridors.
• He saw the station was growing like a tree, pushing out new corridors and staircases like
roots
• The corridor began angling left and slanting downward.
• The tunnel turned sharp left he went down a short flight of stairs and came out on the
third level at Grand Central Station.
• There were fewer ticket windows and train gates, and the information booth in the centre
was of wood and old.
• The man in the booth wore a green eyeshade and long black sleeve protectors. The lights
were dim and sort of flickering, they were open-flame gaslights.
• He wore a derby hat, a black four-button suit with tiny lapels, and had a big, black,
handlebar moustache - A representation of men from eighty’s
• He saw a boy holding a newspaper called The World that had not been published for
years.
• Then he describes what Galesburg, Illinois looked like and how badly he wants to visit the
place with his wife, Louisa
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• On giving the money while buying tickets to Galesburg, the man at the ticket booth told
him that this wasn’t the currency.
• The next day, he took out three hundred dollars from his bank and converted them into
old-style money that filled the markets of 1894.
• But, he could not reach the third level that day.
• He narrated the entire incident to his wife, Louisa and she suggested him to stop looking
for it.
• He shifted his focus to collecting stamps with Louisa.
• Charley had realized that his friend Sam Weiner had disappeared and he had gone to
Galesburg.
• He figured this out because one day when he was going through his collection of stamps,
he came across a letter he had never seen before. But it was written way back in 1894 to
his grandfather.
• When he opened the letter and read it, he realized it was written by his friend Sam and
there was a sign attached below which also belonged to Sam.
• The story ends with the author revealing that Sam was his psychiatrist friend.

Multiple Choice Questions based on an extract.

A He said I was unhappy. That made my wife kind of mad, but he explained that he meant the
modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry, and all the rest of it, and that I just want to
escape. Well, who doesn’t? Everybody I know wants to escape, but they don’t wander down
into any third level at Grand Central Station. But that’s the reason, he said, and my friends all
agreed. Everything points to it, they claimed.
My stamp collecting, for example; that’s a ‘temporary refuge from reality.’ Well, maybe,
but my grandfather didn’t need any refuge from reality.

i. Why did Sam’s verdict make Charley’s wife ‘mad’?

a. It made it difficult for her to accept that Charley would consult a psychiatrist.
b. It seemed to suggest to her that she was the cause of Charley’s unhappiness.
c. It made her aware of Charley’s delicate state of mind.
d. It offended her that Charley and Sam collectively accused her.
Ans. (b)

ii) Select the option that signifies the condition of people of the ‘modern world’
mentioned in the extract.

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 1. unsure
2. lazy
3. offensive
4. anxious
5. afraid
Options
a. (1) and (3)
b. (2) and (5)
c. (2), (3), and (4)
d. (1), (4), and (5)
Ans. (d)

B. What did Sam mean by the phrase 'waking dream wish fulfillment’?
I told him about the third level at Grand Central Station, and he said it was a waking
dream wish fulfillment.
a. Charley had a daydream that allowed him to escape his problems.
b. Charley had suffered from an episode of temporary delusion.
c. Charley had not learned how to fulfill his own desires.
d. Charley fulfilled his wish by traveling to the past.
Ans. (a)

C Sometimes I think Grand Central is growing like a tree, pushing out new corridors and
staircases like roots. There’s probably a long tunnel that nobody knows about feeling its way
under the city right now, on its way to Times Square, and maybe another to Central Park. And
maybe — because for so many people through the years, Grand Central has been an exit, a way
of escape — maybe that’s how the tunnel I got into... But I never told my psychiatrist friend
about that idea.

i. The above extract is NOT an example of ________.

a. allegory
b. analogy
c. Imagery
d. Metaphor
Ans. (a)

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ii. Charley decided not to tell his psychiatrist friend about his idea. Choose the option
that reflects the reaction Charley anticipated from his friend.
a. “That’s such a lovely comparison. Why don’t you become a writer, Charley?”
b. “Oh Charley. It is so sad to see your desperation to run away! So very sad.”
c. “Maybe that’s how you entered the third level. Who would have thought?!”
d. “You need help, my raving friend. You are way too invested in this crazy thought!”
Ans. (d)

D Have you ever been there? It’s a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns,
and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894,
summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking
cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fire-flies all around, in a
peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World
War II over forty years in the future... I wanted two tickets for that.

i. Who does ‘you’ refer to?

a. Charley’s psychiatrist, Sam Weiner
b. Charley’s wife, Louisa
c. The reader
d. Nobody in particular, it is a figure of speech.
Ans. (c)

ii. Choose the option that best describes the society represented in the above extract.
a. content, peace-loving
b. leisurely, sentimental
c. orthodox, upper-class
d. comfortable, ancient
Ans. (c)

iii. Imagine that the city of Galesburg is hosting a series of conferences and workshops.
In which of the following conferences or workshops are you least likely to find the
description of Galesburg given in the above extract?
a. Gorgeous Galesburg: Archiving a Tourist Paradise
b. Welcome to the home you deserve: Galesburg Realtors
c. Re-imagining a Warless Future: Technology for Peace
d. The Woman Question: The world of women at home

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Ans. (c)

iv. “tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets” is NOT an
example of
1. imagery
2. metaphor
3. alliteration
4. anachronism
Options
a. Options (1) and (2)
b. Options (1) and (3)
c. Options (2) and (3)
d. Options (2) and (4)
Ans. Option (d)

Stand Alone MCQs

i ‘What did Sam have to say to Charlie about the third level?
(a) Third level does not exist, it’s just his walking dream wish fulfillment
(b) Charley must work hard to find third level to fulfill his dreams
(c) Charlie needs immediate treatment
(d) Charley needs a short break from office routine
Ans. (a)

ii. What kind of appearances people had at Third level and why did the clerk refuse to
accept money?
(a) funny and clerk refused to accept money because it was currency of modern times
(b) weird and notes were big
(c) weird and notes were torn
(d) weird and notes were wet
Ans. (a)

iii. Who had sent that ‘First Day cover and when?
(a) Sam’s father
(b) Sam’s uncle

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 (c) Sam’s friend
(d) Sam a psychiatrist in 1894
Ans. (d)

iv. How does the story interweave fantasy and reality?

(a) For Charle’s tendency to treat harsh realities with his imaginary Third Level
(b) It presents imagination
(c) imagination happens on Central Station
(d) None
Ans. (a)

v. What is the significance of 1894 in the lesson?

(a) it was past
(b) Authors’ parents were alive
(c) Author’s childhood time
(d) representing a peaceful, romantic living time
Ans. (d)

vi. What does the Third level signify?

(a) a human tendency to escape from the harsh realities of the present to past happy
times
(b) A third way on Grand Central station
(c) A third gate on Grand Central Station
(d) None
Ans. (a)

vii. What is the theme of the lesson?

(a) human tendency of escapism because of the harsh realities of the present
(b) time travelling
(c) theory of escapism
(d) a dialogue between a patient and a psychiatrist
Ans. (a)

Read And Find Out

1. What does the third level refer to?

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Ans: The third level was the subway of the Grand Central Station, and it took passengers from
Galesburg, Illinois. Metaphorically it refers to an escape medium that takes man away
from the harsh realities of life. In the present world, people are lost in the rush to achieve
more and are clouded by worries and anxieties. A man wishes to fulfil the wishes that are
rooted in his subconscious mind. The third level provided space to fabricate fantasy and
reality.
2. Would Charley ever go back to the ticket counter on the third level to buy tickets to
Galesburg for himself and his wife?
Ans: No, Charley would never go back to the ticket- counter on the third level to buy tickets to
Galesburg for himself and his wife. He withdrew three hundred dollars from the bank so
that he could arrange some “old currency” since it belonged to a different time period. He
could not find the third level since it was just a strand of his imagination to escape reality
and has entered the world of romance and fantasy.

Reading with Insight

1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?
Ans: Yes, I think the third level was a medium of escape for Charley. His life was full of worries,
stress, insecurity, and fear which caused him a lot of mental strain. The mental strain he
had gone through was harsh and it made living for him unbearable and unpleasant. Since
his reality was so unpleasant, he did various things that helped him escape reality. His
stamp collecting was a ‘temporary refuge from reality. Later when he contacted his
psychiatrist friend and told him about the third level incident, he termed it “a waking-
dream wish fulfilment”.
2. What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?
Ans: Sam’s letter was received from the third level- Galesburg, dated July 18, 1894. The
envelope had the address of his grandfather and a picture of President Garfield as the
postmark. In the letter, he stated that he had been there for two weeks now and it was a
hospitable place. The letter appears to be an outcome of Charley’s imagination but it
successfully brought out the difference between the present world, which was
troublesome and filled with tension, and the pre World war era that was tranquil.
3. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry, and stress.’ What are the
ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
Ans: The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry, and stress.’ Stress and worries
are an inevitable part of daily and busy life especially in the hustle and bustle of the
modern world. We are more involved in gaining more profit and collecting material
wealth and losing connection with our inner desires. Doing things like meditation and
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 yoga daily can help us get rid of the anxieties and fears that we have. Eating a healthy diet
not only maintains your body health but also mental health too. Finding your hobbies and
doing them on a regular basis helps us to distract our mind from the daily stress and
concentrate on something productive that our heart loves. Going out with people you
love, occasionally also refreshes your mind and helps you let go of all the worries in your
head. For more busy days, listening to calming music or playing with your pet can make
you feel instantly refreshed and in a good mood. These small activities won't seem very
significant but will make you feel much better and happy.
4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?
Ans: Yes, the author has cleverly used elements of time and history to make the story more
thrilling. The first instance of the same could be seen in the different levels that existed in
the Grand Central Station. The first two levels were in the present while the third level
belonged to the 1890s. He rushes to a bank to get an old currency denomination to pay
for the train tickets for Galesburg. The architecture of the third level was old and
unconventional. The people on the station dressed very typically like the people from the
1890s and held a newspaper, The World dated June 11, 1984. Finally, we see that the
letter which was mailed to Charley’s grandfather on 18th, July 1894 intersected the time
and space since the sender and receiver belonged to the present time.
5. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection? Discuss.
Ans: Yes, I do believe that apparently, illogically sometimes I turn out to be a futuristic person.
Anyone who does an invention is apparently a step towards the future and appears like a
futuristic projection. Before Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone, it was a thing
people could have only imagined seeing. Similar goes for Wright Brothers too who
invented the first airplane. These things were impossible to believe during the period of
time they were discovered but were apparently true. More modern-day machines like a
sewing machine would have been something that the general masses could not have
believed in. All these thoughts soon turn into reality and the things that seem illogical
might actually be a step into our future.
6. 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?
Ans: Philately helps keep the past alive. There are various other ways too that can help us keep
the past alive. The collection of various paintings, inscriptions, artifacts, books, etc. helps
to preserve what actually existed a while ago in the period of time. Keeping sketches,
letters, and diary entries is another fun way of preserving the past with oneself. These not
only help us to keep our history alive but also keeps our tradition and culture to survive

APNI KAKSHA 8
 and sustain for years. These things also provide us an opportunity to learn what history
contained and unveil its secrets before us. Old buildings and artifacts are also a source of
history for us. It's amazing that the human brain tends to move between present, past and
future. But this capacity can be a great source of stress and depression. Thinking and
worrying about what happened in the past and what will happen in the future always
keeps us in a state of unrest. We should learn to accept what the present has for us and
try to live it to the fullest. The present provides us opportunities to learn which our past
holds memories for us to cherish later.
7. You have read ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar in Hornbill Class XI. Compare the
interweaving of fantasy and reality in the two stories.
Ans: The stories hold various supernatural and mystical elements within them. The stories
help us drift away from practical reality and help us explore the world that our brain can
create. In ‘Adventure’ Jayant Narlikar brought forth his view that various worlds could
exist simultaneously. The worlds that exist can be separated by time. In ‘The Third Level,’
Charley encounters a new world from the past on the third floor of the Grand Central
Station. He finds a gateway that leads to the past of 1894. He even didn't have any
currency of that period for which he had to rush to the bank. Both these stories had
elements of time travel.

Important Question Answers

1. Why do you think Charley withdrew nearly all the money he had from the bank to
buy old-style currency?
Ans. In "The Third Level," Charley withdraws nearly all his money from the bank to buy old-
style currency because he becomes convinced that the third level of the Grand Central
Terminal is a portal to the past, and he wants to be able to survive financially in the year
1894. He believes that the currency from that time - period will have a higher value in the
past and that he will be able to use it to support himself and his wife, Louisa if they are
unable to return to the present day.
2. How would you evaluate Sam’s character? Elucidate any two qualities, and
substantiate them with evidence from the text.
Ans. In "The Third Level," Sam is a friend of the protagonist, Charley, who works as a
psychiatrist.
Firstly, Sam is intelligent and knowledgeable in his field, as evidenced by his ability to
diagnose Charley's condition accurately and his understanding of the psychological
mechanisms behind his obsession. For instance, he says to Charley, "Your Third Level, in
short, is a form of escape, of wish fulfilment, from the stresses and problems of your life
APNI KAKSHA 9
 and your times." This shows that Sam has a good grasp of Charley's situation and was
able to explain it in a clear and concise manner.
Another quality of Sam's character is his skepticism. Throughout the story, Sam maintains
a skeptical and rational attitude toward Charley's claims of having discovered a portal to
the past. He questions Charley about his experiences and suggests that they may be a
product of his own psychological state, rather than an actual time-traveling adventure.
However, at the end of the story, the reader is told that Sam has found the third level and
travelled back in time himself.
3. In his letter to Charley, Sam writes, ‘…then I got to believing you were right.’ What
could have made Sam begin to believe?
Ans. • Sam had not believed Charley when he had mentioned the third level at the Grand
Central.
• Sam liked the description of 1894 life and living.
• Sam must have gone in search of the third level and found it.
4. ‘It’s easy to judge others and give advice, but much more difficult to apply it to
ourselves.’ Elaborate with reference to the character of Sam in The Third Level.
Ans. In the story "The Third Level," the character of Sam initially expresses skepticism and
doubt about Charley's belief that the third level of the Grand Central Terminal is a portal
to the past. He is quick to judge Charley's claims and to offer rational explanations for the
seemingly impossible phenomenon.
However, as the story progresses, Sam begins to experience a change of heart. He
becomes increasingly fascinated by Charley's obsession with the third level and begins to
wonder if there might be some truth to his friend's claims. Eventually, Sam himself
discovers the third level and travels back in time, confirming Charley's belief in the
process.
Sam's journey in the story highlights the difficulty of applying our own advice and beliefs
to our own lives. Despite his rational mind and skepticism, he eventually comes to believe
in the possibility of time travel and the existence of the third level. This suggests that it
can be much harder to change our own minds and beliefs than it is to offer advice or
solutions to others.
5. In the story, ‘The Third Level’ by Jack Finney, Charley is obsessed with finding the
third level. In an attempt to thrash out whether this obsession is a good quality or a
harmful one, Charley’s wife expresses her thoughts in a diary entry.
As Louisa, Charley’s wife, write this diary entry. Support your response with
reference to the story.
You may begin this way:

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 I have been married to Charley for a few years now and I have always known him to
be an intelligent man with an imaginative mind. However, his recent obsession
with finding the Third Level has …
Ans. Dear Diary,
I have been married to Charley for a few years now and I have always known him to be an
intelligent man with an imaginative mind. However, his recent obsession with finding the
Third Level has left me quite worried. While he talks about it with excitement, I cannot
help but wonder if it is a good quality or a harmful one.
On one hand, Charley’s obsession displays his determination and persistence in achieving
his goals. It shows that he is willing to go to great lengths to unravel the mysteries of life.
His imagination and curiosity are admirable qualities that have always attracted me to
him.
However, his obsession has caused him to become detached from reality. He is no longer
able to differentiate between what is real and what is not. He spends all his time and
money searching for a place that may not even exist. This could be harmful not only to
himself but also to our family.
I understand that he feels overwhelmed by the stress and pressures of his present life
and Sam indicated that he uses his obsession as a coping mechanism. I think this is
harmful as it prevents him from addressing the underlying issues that are causing him
stress.
Furthermore, Charley’s obsession has caused him to neglect his responsibilities. He has
been absent from work and has not been able to contribute financially to our household.
His obsession is affecting our relationship, and I am afraid that if he continues on this
path, it might lead to irreparable damage.
Finally, all I can say is, I believe that Charley’s obsession with finding the Third Level may
have started as a harmless curiosity, but it has now become a harmful one. I love him
dearly and I hope that he realizes that his obsession is affecting not only himself but also
those around him.
6. Imagine that you come across Louisa’s diary. What might you find in it about the
third level? Compose at least one diary entry based on any of the events from the
story, ‘The Third Level’.
Ans. Dear Diary,
Today, my husband Charley came home with a wild story about a third level in the Grand
Central Terminal that leads to the past. At first, I thought he was joking or maybe even
delusional. But as he continued to explain his theory and show me evidence, such as the

APNI KAKSHA 11
 old-style currency he had withdrawn from the bank, I began to wonder if there might be
some truth to it.
Charley is so convinced of the third level's existence that he has withdrawn almost all of
our savings to buy old-style currency. I am worried about our financial security, but I also
can't help but be intrigued by the idea of time travel. What if it's true? What if Charley
really can travel to the past?
I must admit, part of me is envious of Charley's passion and belief. He is so sure of himself
and his theories, while I am constantly plagued by doubts and fears. Perhaps I should try
to be more like him, to believe in something so strongly that I am willing to risk
everything for it.
I don't know what the future holds, but I am excited to see where Charley's journey into
the third level will take him. Maybe, just maybe, I will get to travel through time too.
Until next time,
Louisa

Short Answer Questions

Q1. How does the narrator describe himself? What made him take the subway from
Grand Central?
Ans: The narrator describes that he is Charley, 31. He is wearing a tan gabardine suit and a
straw hat with a fancy band. One last summer, he worked late at the office. So, he was in a
hurry to be at his apartment. He took the subway from Grand Central because it was
faster than the bus.
Q2. How does the narrator describe the first two levels of the Grand Central?
Ans: The narrator went down the steps of the Grand Central from Vanderbilt Avenue to the
first level. From there one can take trains like the twentieth century. Then he walked
down another flight to the second level. From there the suburban trains leave for various
destinations.
Q3. The narrator got lost once when he ducked into an arched doorway heading for the
subway. Where did he come out?
Ans: The narrator says that he has been in and out of Grand Central hundreds of times. He
always bumps into new doorways, stairs and corridors. Once he got into a one-mile-long
tunnel and came out in the Roosevelt Hotel lobby. Another time he came up in an office
building on Forty-sixth street, three blocks away.
Q4. What does the narrator think of Grand Central? What does it symbolize?
Ans: The narrator thinks that Grand Central is growing like a tree. It pushes out new corridors
and staircases like roots. There are long tunnels under the city on their ways to Times
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 Square and to Central Park. The Grand Central symbolizes the labyrinth that this world is
with its intricate and tangled pathways. It has always been an exit, a way to escape.
Q5. What strange things did the narrator see when he reached the third level of Grand
Central?
Ans: Charley noticed a difference in the way things looked at the third level of the Grand
Central Station. It was smaller, with fewer ticket counters and had an old look of the
1890s with wooden booths, dim open-flame gaslights, brass spittoons and an old-style
locomotive with a funnel shaped stack. Even the people’s attire was old fashioned and
men had funny handle-bar mustaches and sideburns. The whole setting was in contrast to
the modern times.
Q6. How did the man on the third level appear to the narrator?
Ans: The narrator saw a man pulling a gold watch from his vest pocket. He snapped open the
cover, glanced at his watch and frowned. He wore a derby hat, a black four-button suit
with tiny lapels and had a big, black handlebar mustache.
Q7. What did the narrator do to make sure that he was at the third level of Grand
Central?
Ans: The narrator walked over to a news boy. He glanced at the stack of newspapers. It was
The World and The World had not been published for years. The lead story was about
President Cleveland. Later, he confirmed from the public library files that the newspaper
was dated 11th June 1894.
Q8. Why did the narrator turn towards the ticket windows? Why did he run back from
there?
Ans: The narrator turned towards the ticket window to buy tickets to go to Galesburg, Illinois,
in the year of 1894. When Charley produced money to pay for the two tickets, the clerk
stared at him as the currency did not match with the currency of that time. He accused
him of trying to cheat him and threatened to hand him over to the police. The narrator
turned away thinking that there was nothing nice about jail even in 1894.
Q9. How does the narrator describe Galesburg, Illinois?
Ans: The narrator states that Galesburg, Illinois, is a wonderful town with big old frame
houses, huge lawns and big trees. Summer evenings were twice as long. People sat out on
their lawns, the men smoking cigar and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans.
It means the people had lived in peace and harmony and had a lot of leisure time.
Q10. What did the narrator do the next day?
Ans: The narrator withdrew his entire money from the bank. He bought old-style currency to
buy two tickets to Galesburg. He got less than two hundred old-style bills for his three

APNI KAKSHA 13
 hundred dollars. He consoled himself for having got less money by the fact that life in
1894 Galesburg was quite cheaper as compared to the modern life.
Q11. How does the narrator’s psychiatrist friend react to the narrator’s statement that
the third level exists?
Ans: The narrator’s psychiatrist friend, Sam Weiner, says it is ‘a waking-dream-wish
fulfilment’. He says that the narrator is unhappy and the modern world is full of
insecurity, fear, war and worry. So, he wants to escape and has created an imaginary third
level.
Q12. How did Louisa react when the narrator told his wish to go to the third level to buy
tickets?
Ans: When the narrator told Louisa about his wish she got pretty worried. She was a loving
and a caring wife. She got alarmed at Charley’s claim of having been to the third level. His
exchanging the currency was a cause of concern. She thought the third level to be a
product of Charley’s imagination and asked him to stop looking for it. However, after
some time they both started looking for the third level.
Q13. Why was going to the psychiatrist the obvious step? Did it help?
Ans: Charley was convinced that there were three and not just two levels at the Grand Central
Station, when all others claimed there were only two. Going to the psychiatrist was the
obvious step because he wanted his opinion on whether it was insanity on his part to
believe so. The psychiatrist too interpreted his delusion as a waking-dream wish
fulfilment and, like his stamp collection, a temporary refuge from a world full of tensions,
worries, insecurity, fear, war and envy.
Q14. Why could Charley not be convinced by his distractions that the third level was
only a wish fulfilment?
Ans: Charley could not be convinced that the third level was a temporary escape from reality
through fantasy like stamp collection. He argued that his grandfather too was into stamp
collection and he started Charley’s collection. He said that at that time people were
content and lived in peaceful times and did not need to seek such refuge.
Q15. What happened to the narrator’s psychiatrist friend Sam Weiner? What do you
deduce from it?
Ans: One day the narrator’s psychiatrist friend Sam Weiner disappeared. He was a city boy. He
always said that he liked Galesburg very much and its sound. From this I deduce that even
Sam was affected by the stress of modern living and sought temporary refuge by
travelling through time.
Q16. Why was Charley sure that his psychiatrist friend had gone back to the year 1894 in
Galesburg?

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Ans: Charley’s psychiatrist friend Sam had disappeared. One night going through his first-day
covers, Charley found one dated 1894 and with his Grandfather’s address on it. He
opened and found inside a letter from Sam addressed to him. He invited him to the third
level saying that it was worth it.
Q17. What is the first-day cover?
Ans: At that time when a new stamp is issued, stamp collectors buy some of them and use
them in order to mail envelopes to themselves and the postmark proves the date. That
envelope is called the first- day cover.
Q18. Describe the first-day cover envelope that the narrator found among his collection.
Ans: The first-day cover envelope was dated July 18, 1894. It was addressed to his grandfather
in Galesburg. It carried a letter from Sam addressed to Charley. The stamp was a six-cent,
dull brown, with a picture of President Garfield.

Important Long Question Answers

Q1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why? (CBSE
2005, 2008)
Ans. Actually, Grand Central Station did not have a third level. Charley stated that while
travelling back to his house, he just made an imaginary trip to the third level to escape the
unsettling reality of this planet. He would frequently explore relocating to Galesburg,
which had already been established in 1894 and was thought to be a peaceful community
at the time.
He himself aspired of going there and pictured himself living in that era. Whenever he got
back to his regular life, he could not stop thinking about that realm. In this way, we can
claim that the third level was unquestionably a medium of escapement for Charley
because his friend Sam’s disappearance forced him to believe in it and subsequently, he
and his wife Louisa both started to search the third level. Even though it was just in his
head, it made him feel better.
Q2. Why did Charley again want to go to the third level?
OR
How did ‘The World’ help Charley to confirm his doubts regarding the existence of
a third level? (CBSE SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2019-20)
Ans. Since Galesburg had been in Charley’s thoughts since the beginning as a peaceful place, he
had found and noticed a significant difference once he had visited the third level in his
imaginations. However, when Charley arrived at the ticket window, he discovered that he
was unable to purchase tickets or complete any transactions due to the lack of currency
of those days. Once he realised it, he went back to the actual world to get some old-
APNI KAKSHA 15
 fashioned money from the exchange before going back to the third floor and Galesburg to
settle down.
He originally intended to get two tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife since he
was certain that there, people lived carefree lives with plenty of time for one another.
With the money he had with him, he could easily subsist there because everything was so
inexpensive. Thus, even though the third level didn’t actually exist—it was just in
Charley’s head—he wanted to go back there for his escape and satisfaction.
Q3. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?
Ans. Absolutely, the story shows how time and space intertwine. As an escapist, Charley
travels from the present to the past. It is practically impossible for someone to have
reached the final century in 1894, yet thanks to his imagination, he was sent to the third
level and ended up in Galesburg, Illinois. That appears to be psychological, and Sam, his
psychiatrist friend, also slips to the third level and becomes a victim of the contemporary
worldly concerns. Science fiction author Jack Finney discusses the intersection of time
and space in a highly rational way and establishes its plausibility through escapement.
Q4. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection? Discuss.
Ans. Sometimes what seems to be nonsensical turns out to be a futuristic vision, much like the
majority of what we see around us. were once in someone’s head and seemed impossible,
but subsequently turned out to be possible. It’s now achievable thanks to science. Such
occurrences are caused by our unconscious mind.
With the help of these factors combined, we are occasionally able to create or learn
incredible truths and things that were completely unknown to the world until their
physical manifestation. Hence, impossibility appears at first but quickly enters the view
due to correct projection, shocking the general populace.
Q5 At the beginning of the story, Sam is sceptical of Charley’s discovery of the third
level. By the end of the story, the reader is told that he found the third level and
travelled back in time. How would Sam diagnose himself? (CBSE QUESTION BANK)
Ans. Sam worked as a therapist. He was also Charley’s pal. Charley went to Sam for advice
when he had fantasies about the Third Floor at Grand Central Station. Sam declared it to
be only a short-term relief from his anxiety. A waking-dream-wish-fulfilment, as he put it.
Yet over time, he found himself ensnared in this made-up universe. He spoke with
numerous psychic patients every day, who shared their problems and concerns with him.
Sam’s life has been burdened as a result. He also began looking for sojourn. After hearing
about the suffering of those with mental illnesses, he yearned to leave the life that had
become miserable.

APNI KAKSHA 16
 Unconsciously, he also had the urge to escape the constraints of everyday reality and
roam freely in the realm of fantasy. He desired to picture himself existing in a society free
of suppressed anxieties and internal problems. Although he first did not believe in the
Third Level’s whim, he secretly wished to believe in this fantasy. He was aware that
Charley was wrong, yet he still wanted Charley to be correct. As a result, he eventually
began to discover reality on a whim and became trapped.
Q2. Finney manages to not only capture the reader’s imagination, but also provides a
clear example of time travel that does not confuse the reader. Discuss.

Ans: ‘The Third Level’ is a well-defined and convincing description of time travel. It can be
divided into modern world and the world of the 1890s, the world of Grand Central
Station of New York and the past world of Galesburg, Illinois. The narrator talks of the
present world of 21st century through the references of New York Central, New York,
New Haven, Hartford of Galesburg, Illinois of the 1890s in clearer terms. His visit to the
third level of Grand Central and the physical description of this symbolize a flashback of
the 19th century. So, the writer takes the reader in both the eras with care without
confusing them. Thus, the third level is a beautiful interpretation of things through what,
we call ‘the catastrophe theory’ as given in ‘The Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar.

Previous Year Questions

Q1. What does the third level refer to? What is the significance of the third level?
(2001; 2004, Delhi)

Ans: 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.

Q2. What convinced Charley that he had reached the third level at Grand Central
Station and not the second level? (2010 Delhi)

Ans: 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
information 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.

Q3. How does Charley, the narrator describe the third level at Grand Central Station?
(2013 Delhi)
APNI KAKSHA 17
Ans: 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 was open- flame gaslights and brass spittoons on the
floor. Everyone at the station was dressed in nineteenth century dresses.

Q4. How did Charley make sure that he was not in the present time? (2002 Delhi)

Ans: 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.

Q5. How did Charley often get lost on the Grand Central Station? (2010 Delhi)

Ans: The Grand Central Station was growing like a tree pushing out endless corridors,
doorways, and stairs like roots. It had intricated 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.

Q6. Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to Galesburg? (2011 Outside Delhi)

Ans: When Sam disappeared suddenly 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.

Q7. How does Charley describe Galesburg as it used to be in 1894? (2013 Comptt.
Outside Delhi)

Ans: 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.

Q8. What did Charley learn about Sam from the stamp and coin store? (2012 Outside
Delhi)

Ans: 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.

Q9. How did Sam reach Galesburg? What did he advise Charley to do? (2012 Outside
Delhi)

APNI KAKSHA 18
Ans: 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’.

Q10. Why did the booking clerk refuse to accept the money? (2010 Delhi)

Ans: 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.

Q11. Justify the title The Third Level.

Ans. The chapter Third Level deals with the theme of insecurity, fear, and war. The narrator,
Charlie seems also to be stressed. His longing for some idyllic and peaceful place like
Galesburg makes him stray to a corridor at Grand Central Station that takes him into the
past, year 1894. The people, their attire, ambience, the platform, everything on the
platform, locomotive, currency being used, the newspapers, magazines, etc., is old style.
Only Charlie is an exception. This hallucination of Charlie ends abruptly when he has to
flee from there in hurry to save himself from being caught by the then cops. Later, when
he shares this experience with his psychiatrist friend, Sam, he ascribed this phenomenon
to the stress Charlie was facing and his hobby of philately through which he tried to
escape into an ideal world.

Sam, his psychiatrist friend also strays to the third level. Charlie finds a first day cover in
the collection of his grandfather’s stamp collection. Sam had somehow found the third
level. He had gone there and started a new business of hay, feed, and grain.

Since the chapter deals with the third level at the Grand Central Station, New York, the
title ‘Third Level’ is perfect for the story.

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 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 of his subconscious mind.

APNI KAKSHA 19