The Third Level

Jack Finney

By Gagandeep Kaur
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jack Finney

➔ Was an award winning American novelist and short-story

writer.
➔ Is best known for his science fiction and thriller novels.
➔ Had a devoted fan following after the success of his work
which catapulted him to fame.
The Third Level
➔ Is an engrossing story about extraordinary experience of a man when he
psychologically time travelled into the past.
➔ Is studded with numerous undertones of irony.
➔ Transports the reader to a world when people had not witnessed two of the
bloodiest wars in the history of mankind.
➔ Succeeds in exposing the vulnerable side of humans and also tells how
common man tends to escape reality using various means.
Setting
➔ The story oscillates between the 19th century New York (Galesburg) and the
20th century New York where all the action takes place at the third level of
Grand Central Station.
Themes
The story deals with multiple themes-
➔ Romanticism- The protagonist seems to be a romantic person as he wants
to escape from the harsh realities of modern life and seeks refuge in peaceful
Galesburg. According to the protagonist Charley, his friend Sam also shows
his romantic side by asking Charley to continue his quest for the third level as
it was worth it.

➔ Time travel- The story explores the theme of time travel and brings a contrast
between the 20th century city life and the 19th century city life.
Contd.
➔ Criticism of war- During his psychological travel Charley witnessed a city life
which was devoid of complexities and problems of the modern post World
War world.

➔ Desire of peaceful times- The author mentions that the 1890s was a
peaceful time in Galesburg where everyone was at peace with himself.

➔ Criticism of modern life- In contrast the author picturises the truth of the
modern world which is full of stress and worries.
Literary Style
➔ The story is written in first person by the narrator Charley and his journey is
symbolic of his psychological journey to seek refuge in an alternate world
devoid of complexities and problems.
Literary Devices
The story is embellished with a few literary devices-
➔ Metaphor- ‘The third level’ is a metaphor of escapism.
➔ Simile- ‘Grand Central Station is growing like a tree.’
➔ Irony- As a psychiatrist, Sam diagnoses Charley’s escapist tendencies and
terms his experience as ‘waking dream wish fulfilment’ whereas during
Charley’s psychological journey, he himself goes and settles in 1894 and
urges Charley not to give up.Thus,the ending of the story is ironic as his
action is in contrast to the advice given by him in the beginning of the story.