by Jack Finney
Does Charley really travel back in time or is it just his mind playing tricks?
“In the year 1984. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois.”
Answer the following questions:
1) What does the third level refer to? What is the significance of the third level?
The third level refers to the third underground tier at the New York Grand Central Station. Technically one reaches there when one goes further downstairs from the second level. However, others claim it does not exist, whereas Charley discovers it to be the second level of the same station, but in a different time i.e. 1894.
It holds a great significance for Charley as he is the only one who has been there, and finds it hard to convince others about its existence. The place grows in importance as it is a potential gateway for him to go back to 1894 Galesburg, and live a peaceful life away from all the fears, insecurities and worries of the modern world.
2) Would Charley ever go back to the ticket-counter on the third level to buy tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife?
Yes, he would. He craves to go back to the Galesburg of 1894. Earlier, he ended up being under suspicion because of the modern currency notes. But the next time, he would go after exchanging the new currency notes for old ones, and be more careful.
3) What convinced Charley that he had reached the third level at Grand Central Station and not the second level?
Charley observed that the entire architecture of the place was old and different. The types of buildings and their layout were distinct from what was on the second level. The rooms were comparatively smaller, there were fewer ticket windows, and lesser number of train gates. The kiosk was old, and was made of wood. All these things convinced that he had come down to the third level.
4) How did Charley reach the third level? How was it different from the other levels? How did Charley confirm that he was in a different time?
One night Charley had to work late in the office. When he left, he was in a hurry to get back home. Therefore, he decided to take the subway instead of the bus as it would be faster. At the Grand Central Station, he went down the first flight of stairs to come to the first level. He then further went down to the second level from where the suburban trains departed. He ducked into an arched doorway that led to the subway. It was then he felt that he was lost. He continued walking downward until the tunnel took a sharp left turn. From there, he took a short flight of stairs to go down, and came out at the third level.
The third level was different in many ways. The layout and architecture of the station looked old and different. There were fewer ticket windows, and the rooms were smaller. The number of train gates even was less. The information kiosk looked old and made of wood. There were dim gaslights that flickered. Even the fashion of the people appeared different. Men wore derby hats and four-buttoned suits, and women wore leg-of-mutton-sleeves, skirts and high-buttoned shoes. Men also exhibited sideburns, beards and moustaches.
Further, there were a few things that cemented the thought in Charley's mind that he had traveled back in time. He saw a very small Currier & Ives locomotive with a funnel-shaped stack. He saw a periodical in the newsstand titled 'The World' which had been discontinued long ago. The lead story was about President Grover Cleveland, who was the President of the United States from 1893 to 1897. He finally read the date. It was June 11, 1894.
5) Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?
In the end, the existence of the third level was proven through Sam's letter. It was not merely a figment of Charley's imagination. Even then, we can say that the third level or the Galesburg of 1894 was a medium of escape for him.
He had been quite distraught with the fears, wars, insecurities and worries of the modern world. He sought a respite from all these harsh realities of life. Galesburg in 1894 was a quiet and peaceful place. Charley wanted to live a smooth and contented life, and the place at the given time offered just the said opportunity. Therefore, even after he had to return, he continued to search for the third level.
6) What is being inferred from Sam's letter to Charley?
Sam is Charley's psychiatrist friend. In his letter he admits that he earlier wished Charley to be right. This may probably be the reason why he also tried to go to the third level and succeeded. In the beginning of the letter itself, he confirms the existence of the third level. He further indicates that one can travel to Galesburg from New York Grand Central Station, and enjoy the calmness, hospitality, music, singing, and the peaceful lifestyle of the place in the year 1894. The letter clearly suggests that whatever Charley has told is true, not only about the third level gateway, but also about the qualities of Galesburg in the past. He also urges them to keep looking for it as it was all worth it.
7) ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
Leo Tolstoy has said, "All happy families are alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Same stands true for an individual human-being as well. The modern world, with all its shine and pace, also brings with it a lot of stress and harsh circumstances.
Every individual faces a different problem, and goes through some sort of an unpleasant aspect of the real world. Every individual also has their own way to escape the harsh realities as well. In the story, Charley sought refuge in going back to Galesburg of the year 1894 as it was quite peaceful, and free of wars and worries.
Similarly, some other people take a break and go on holidays for a few days. This relaxes them, and makes them forget their day-to-day stress. Some resort to listening to peaceful music and songs. There are a few who also practice their hobby as an escape. Doing something you love occupies the mind, and makes us feel better. It rejuvenates us in a way that nothing else can. Painting, singing, writing, collection of various things are some of such activities. Reading fiction or watching movies and series draws the readers or viewers into an entirely different world, and thereby offers an alternate stimulus to forget the real world for a while. There are even a few who simply fantasize about imaginary scenarios as a temporary break from the bitter realities.
8) Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?
Yes, there is a clear intersection of time and space. The space intersection takes place at the Grand Central Station. When Charley moves down from the second level, he comes out at the third level which actually is the second level of the same station, but in the year 1894. The present time in the story and the year 1894 also intersect through the existence of overlapping second levels at the Grand Central Station. Another interaction between the two different times is through Sam's letter. It was posted in 1894, and collected by Charley's grandfather, but Charley found it in the collection in the present time.
9) Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection. Discuss
Many of the scientific inventions before they came into being were the stuff of science fiction. Visionary writers put their thoughts into stories and gave way to a futuristic thinking.
Even beyond the stories, when scientists put forward some ideas, they were snubbed off. Before it was done and proven, the concepts appeared to be ridiculous and downright illogical. However, with constant efforts and visionary minds of the brilliant people, the ideas finally materialized into great inventions. If we told a person from 200 years ago that we could see each other through a device called mobile phone even if we were thousands of miles apart, they would laugh.
It is such ideas which were unbelievable at first that have revolutionized the world of today, and will continue to do so. The time travel, or the multiverse travel, appears to be a thing of fiction and theoretical physics for now, but a few hundred years later, there might be a way.
10) 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?
People revisit the past, and try to keep it alive in variety of ways. Philately is one of them. The stamps symbolize the national pride or a remarkable event of the world, and thereby when looking back, the memories of that cherished past comes back to the collector.
Collection of relics, antics or any object of historical importance is an attempt to keep a piece of that time static. People visit museums and connect with the time of the past as if it is present right in front of their eyes. Reading historical books is another great way of playing the past in our mind, even though physically we remain in the present. Through photo albums, we can relive the old memories, and through letters, we revive the pleasant moments of the past which are now out of reach.
Humans have been blessed with this remarkable ability to jump between the past, present and future. Some of us find solace in that too. A good time spent in the past, the feeling of nostalgia is a worthy escape from the troubles of the present. It can also be a fantasy of the future or an outrageous and ambitious plan to propel us forward while being in the present.
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