The T h i r d l e v e l

s t i a s :T 7

343

Vistas
The Third Level
(Jack Finney)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

lack Finney whose original name was Walter Braden Finney, the author
of the time travel novel, "Time and Again" and the science-fiction
thriller "The Body Snatcher," first showed interest in time travel in his
short-story collection "The Third Level." Finney specialised in works of
science fictionand thrillers that won himalarge number of admirers.

ABOUT THE STORY

Introduction
TheThird Level" deals with a commuter who imagines himself to be
at the third level of the Grand Central Railway Station. In reality there
re only two levels of this station in New York. The third level of the

sta is the creation of the commuter's imagination. The story is

replet With fantasy. The narrator makes the
third level and the journey
PLe the
back
In in time,
time, a medium of escape. The story
is lett open-ended as

psychiatrist friend, whodiagnosed

that
k e s the narrator's
"it was a vaking-dream wish fulfillment," also travel back in time.
Summary the third
level at the
The narrato reveals that he has been to
harley although
admits that
Grand Centra ral Railway Station, New York. He
 Literalure (ompunium
44

he leels that there is al

has only two levels, yet
the station Weiner a h .
When he tells
his psychiatrist
friend Sam
about this, th
one.
fulfillment e
explain,
dream-wish
'waking
latter diagnoses it as a wish to escano (."
modern man's
outcome of every rom the
that it is the
of modern life. Sam allso
insecurities, fears
and frustrations

escape-mechanis n.
tero
collection as an
Charley's hobby of stamp But
this because his grandfather too
o nu
pursued
Charley does not believe
man had no
worries and lived a peaceful life from
philately. The old
which he did not need to escape.

Describing the day when strayed to the third level at the staticw
he ion,
till late one summer night in office
Charley tells that he had worked
wife Louisa and he hurried t
He was keen to get back home to his
board a train at the second level. He rushed down to the second level
and lost way when he crossed the arched doorway that led to the
subway. He felt that the Grand Central was like a tree that keeps

growing new corridors and stairs similar to branches and offshoots.

Continuing his search for the train that would take him home,
Charley walked down a corridor hearing the empty sound of his own
footsteps. Suddenly he found himself on the third level. This place
had smaller rooms, fewer ticket windows and
open-flame gaslights.
The old world charm of the 19th century was visible in the manner of

dressing adopted by the people on this third level. To confirm his

observation, Charley spotted a newspaper "The World' that ieda
carie
ead story about President Cleveland, the premier of US in tne*
late
19th century. Charley also noted that the was dated June
11, 1894. He then proceeded
newspaper was ddd for two
to the ticket window and aske
tickets to Galesburg, Illinois school

place where he grew upP a

-

boy. He wished to return to the along with

his wife. The

peaceful life in that place a"
thought that returning to 1894 would keep awar

twenty years from First World War

n Second

and forty years fTO

World War thrills for
Charley. But the currency that he f e r s to p a y offers
 / s : ] h e T i r d

tickets
is na
ott accepted and is threatened by the clerk at the
to cheat.
the

window
n i n d o w
for trying
ats a hasty retreat on return to twentieth century. He
Charley

e t o arrange the currency that was used in the late 19th

p r e p a r e s

entury. He
He withdraws three hundred dollars from his bank next day
s t w o hundred dollars in old-style bills. This worries his
hiatrist friend Sam but Charley does not share with him the idea
Lat fhe 'exits' of the Grand Central actually lead to escape routes and
he had been there. Charley tries to return to the third level in order to
hard a train that would take him to Galesburg. However, all his
efforts prove futile and he never finds the third level. He shares

everything with his wife who gets pretty worried and dissuades
Charley to look any further. After that he stops his search for the third
level and resumes routine life along with collection of stamps.
Towards the end, the story takes a turn and Charley tells that he and
his wife have started the search of third level once again on weekends
because they have found proof of its existence. Charley's friend Sam's
disappearance had made them believe that the third level exists.
Charley recalls that he had shared with Sam his experiences as a
young school boy in Galesburg and impressed by those descriptions,
am had found this place and
escaped to it.
thspoint, Charley discusses first-day covers and informs that stamp
tickets increased in worth if they were posted on the day of their launch.
lllectors practiced this exercise by putting blank letters inside
self-addresse envelopes and affixing new stamps on it. They would
then
post itand keep it as reasure without opening thecovers.Charley
disclosesd tt h e found one such first-day cover in his
collection. t

ried his grandfather's address in Galesburg and had a letter inside

tten by Sam The letter was dated July 18, 1894. The six-vent stamp
9 the Sam hacd conturaned
e bore the picture of President Garfield.
 346

letter and had invited

the presence of third level in this both Chare
He advised them
and Louisa tojoin him at Galesburg. them to continue
till they found it.
their search for the third level

Charley tells a little more about Sam's by int

disappearance by intorming
that Sam had bought eight hundred dollars' worth of al

currency a few days before disappearing. Charley teels that

that since
sinsa Sar s

cannot practice psychiatry in 1894, the money will be suffi

icient ior
setting upa little 'hay, feed, and grain business',
The ending of the chapter leaves the reader wondering whetherS
Sam
actually wrote a letter from Galesburg or it was yet another escare
mechanism of Charley.

CHARACTERS

Charley
The protagonist of the story, Charley is a super-sensitive and highiv
imaginative character who indulges in flights of fancy. He is a true

representative of the modern man who is a victim of insecurity as well

as indecision and wants to run away from reality.
However, he is a loving husband who likes to rush back home

immediately after office to be with his wife, Louisa. He is tond or

stamp collection, which his psychiatrist friend Sam calls "a temporar
refuge from reality"
Charley is fascinated with the good old sinmple days ot his

grandfather when "things were pretty nice and peacerul

intrigued by the mystery whether the third level exists at the t
Central Railway Station or not. Having been' there once ne
locateita second time. Even when he and his wife think thatt
proof of its existence, they fail to find it despite their best erro rts.
In sum, Charley isa true picture of the modern man wtho 1 ughti
the
the unwanted
pulls and pressures of life and wants escape

turbulences associated with it.

 leve/
The lird
Vistas:

347

Sam
Weiner, the psychiatristfriend
As a chiatrist, Sam is perfect
psychia in his
and terse. He does not believe in
profession. His diagnosis is
precise
mixing up his profession
w i t h his friendship. hen Charley consults him, he clearly tells him
t h a the
is looking for ways to escape since he is not
happy
iowever, fearing that there might be reaction from Charley's wife, he

ie wise enough to quickly revise his statement by saying that, like any
modern youngman, Charlie is a victim of insecurity. He dubs the

narator's hobby of stamp collection to be a "temporary refuge from

reality." Thus, Sam is a thorough-bred professional and does not
mince words where his patients are concerned. Later in the story, he

too, is affected by the pulls and pressures of the modern life and in his
sub-conscious mind seeks an escape route, although he understands
the truth very well as he is a psychiatrist. Thus in the end of the story,
hetoo'discovers' the third level of the Grand Central and 'escapes' to
Galesburgof 1894.

Louisa
Louisa is Charley's wife. Like most women, she refuses to accept any

if it happens to be and rational one. The

criticism, even positive
Psychiatrist's observation that her husband was 'unhappy' angers her
aId she challenges it. She takes this comment as a personal attack on

witely care and she feels 'kind of mad.

difficult to take her in. On
ever, she is simple lady and it is not
a
etc. she
being Odthat the 'modern world is full of insecurity, tear
little realising that
feels satisfied with explanation,
the psychiatrist's
he is saying the same thing in different words.
ho:

about his
talks to her
She is a loving and caring wife. When Charley worried and
pretty
level, she gets
predicament regarding the third However,
she is a

advises him not to look for the third level any more.
 iterature Companion
348
Out things n hon
on her own.
lady not
given
to
reason

she joins hi.

Whe
credulous

Sam s
disappearance,
in lookin
Charley tells her about
weekend'.

third level
'every
for the
THEME
Third Level" is th
behind the story "Ihe
The underlyingidea
and fear that people of modern timac have
stress, sense
of insecurity
of
incessant terision
and worry. Consea quently
This results in
to undergo.
and run away
from reality. Such state of
people become escapists
old days of the grandfathers whose
hose
affairs did not exist in the good

lives were simple and

devoid of all complexities. They did not need
ideas or situations.
run after wild, fanciful and unrealistic
Another underlying theme is the complexity of Human mind whose

instincts and thoughts are unscientific

urges cannot be fully explained. Its
and without rationale.

TITLE
Oppressed by the pulls and pressures of modern life, man yearns tor
an escape from all the tensions and worries. He looks for a lever of

existence that would yield elve

peace and trarnquility. Trying to
u
deeper into life, he wonders whether it is
different plane and he
possible for him to "
looks for this ideal world, come
across it some hopin
day. It is this Utopian that the to call
thethird level. author has chos sen

Third level can also refer to mind

only and not level of reality that exists in

a our

in
actual space and ex that
makes virtual time. It is this faculty of mind
travel in time
escape the harsh pOssible and opens umerable ways
realities. Hence innuine is an propriate
title. "The Third Level" 1s
a
 349
ABOUT THE PERSONALITIES
TO IN THE REFERRED
CHAPTER
President Roosevelt

on January 30,1882 and died on

Born

President from 1933 to 1945

April 12,1945
32nd President; re-elected3 times (1936, 1940,1944)
Died in harness

President Grover Cleveland

Born on March 18, 1837; the only President of

America born in
New Jersey
Heis the 22nd (1885 - 1889) and 24th (1893 - 1897) President of

America

- Hedied on June 24,1908

President James Garfield

Born on 19th November, 1831 and died in 1881.
- Hewas the 20th President of America and died in harness.

GLOSSARY

stack pile
obvious clearly notable
trouble etc.
refuge shelter or protection from danger,

uptown in or parts of a city that are away

town or

where most people live

from the main area,
road system
Subway underground railway/rail
tan tawny brown colour

gabardine a closely w o v e n
fabric

ducked into bent down to get

in

bumping meetingby chance

gint a sudden
flash of light
 Literature Companion 1
350

opened
quickly witha sudden; sharp
snapped open
looked quickly
noise
glanced city trains

suburban trams into

vessels for spitting
.spittoons coat-front folded back
a part of
.lapels a bowler hat
derby hair that grows down the sides of
of a
a
sideburns man s
face in front of his ears
excess Over originalprice
premiumn
paying much attention
.fussing with

CHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 40 words each)

Q1. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story "The
Third Level"? (Textual)
There is obvious intersection of time and space in the story.
an

The narrative moves

freely transcending all barriers of time and
space. Thus Charley strays into 1894 at the third level and then
gets back to the 20th century. Sam transports elf to
alesburg, 1linois in 1894 and yet
in the 20th communicates with Cha
century.
2 How did the
psychiatrist explain Charley's
existent 'third level'? flight to *

The
psychiatrist explained that
have
reached the third level as Charley couldn't obviou
that
fear, it didn't exist. He was of the viev

Tidden mind
insecurity,
war, worry and the
Vas

made his tension

work out an like, ma
ieyel wa5 a escape
Scape third
creation of his route for himself.
him
The
t
iream wish fulfillment'. own
imagination
and 'a waking

a*
 351
the obviou
I've
taken
step.' Why does
Yes,

p s y c h i a t r i s t
as 'an obvious
step'?
Charley term meeting
the
T h e
Charley talked about his
m o m e n t

The hird level, everybody

existent thirc
coming
ing across the non-
non
got alarmed and felt that he
n e
ee
e

psychiatrist. Under the circumstances, it was

d e d
a

nehat he should seek an

clear tha
expert's opinion to rule out any
sychiatric
problem Hence he terms it
as'an obvious step
did the psychíatrist's analysis make Louisa
lose her temper
2nd how did the psychiatrist appease her?

Tosisa and Charley were leading a

happy married life. So, she
caldn't tolerate the
psychiatrist's observation about Charley
being an unhappy man. However, her anger subsided when he
moved on to say that he was referring to modern man's
unhappiness in general.

5. Stamp-collecting too was described as a medium of escape the

by
psychiatrist and Charley's friend. Why did Charley's grandfather,
who lived in the good old
days, when life was tension-free,
pursue this hobby?
Life in the times of
Charley's grandfather was tension-free. So
he didn't need to
pursue philately as a 'temporary refuge from
reality'.He rather took up this hobby to make his leisure hours a
more productive and a
fulfilling experience.
6. Wh
was Charley's state of mind as he came back from the
office? Why
ICe? Why did he decide to take the subway from the Grand

Central Station?
Having w o r k e d late at the office, Charley was fatigued and
bored. He wished to return to his loving wife, Louisa and to the
omfort of his home, as fast as possible. The bus would have
taken 1ger to cover the distance, so he decided to take the
sulbway
352 Literature Companion 1
Q7. How did Charley reach the third level?
In his hurry to take a train back home, Charlie came
me to Gtand
Central from Vanderbilt Avenue and took two of
to reach the second level from where his train was to l. stairs
got lost while ducking into an arched doorway which led t.
.He
led to the
subway and he found himself into a tunnel. The tunnel tookL-
k him
to another flight of stairs at the end of which he foundhimself
on the third level at Grand Central Station.

Q8. What does 'the third level' symbolize?

Third Level' symbolizes man's yearning to delve deeper into
the world of imagination as
escape from the world of harsh
an

realities. It stands for narrator's

quest for 'the fabulous
ordinariness of a bygone age' that was free from the modern
razzle-dazzle, sophistication and material comforts but exuded
peace and tranquility.
Q9. What does Grand Central Station
symbolize?
The Grand Central Station
symbolizes (with
intricate anu
its
tangled pathways) the labyrinth that this world is. The networs
of
passages is so complicated that rather than
reaching u
destination, one keeps on moving
up and down one's enue life
to look for entries and
exits.
Q10. 'Now I
don't know
why this should have me
Charley wondered why out of happeneu
the whole
he alone
took a
flight to the 'third level'. Why do
tension-ridde
nk, it
happened to him? you th
The level of
sensitivity
and power of from

person to
person. Caught in the imaginatiOn tine
web of
Charley finds it difficult to monotony,
and fast life,
o of
the wings
imagination, he takes a cope. So, on tne
flight to the 1-existent world that
non-existent w
sought unconsciously as a
place refuge.
of
 The 7inrd l e e i

353
harley compare Grand Central
to? Station
Charleycompares Grand Central Station to a Why?
tree. Just
putting forth new leaves and like a tree
ows
branches and
noots. Grand Central Station seemed to him to spreading its
be
corridors and staircases. The
comparison of the
pushing Out
out

rwavS, stairs and corridors of the numerous

station to the roots
is odd vet quite graphic and convincing, of tree

why did Charley not tell his psychiatrist

thought of Grand Central Station?
friend about what he
Or
But I never told
my psychiatrist friend about
that idea. What did
Charley tell his
not
psychiatrist? Why?
Charley did not tell his
psychiatrist friend about his notion that
a
long unknown tunnel ran under the city and that
Central offers a way of Grand
escape through its tunnels.
not share this idea
with the
Charley did
the latter to
psychiatrist because he did not want
think of him as crazy and make
fun of him a
escapist.
23. Give a
description of the 'thirdlevel'.
ne
general layout of the third
that of the level was more or less similar to
second level. But it had
rOoms,
S , tewer
comparatively smaller
ticket windows and train
booth in the centre gates. The information
was wooden and it bore an old look. One
could spot i
Spot a small Currier & ves locomotive with a funnel-
shaped stack on on this level. The place with brass
ldck
not look spittoons dit
the very bright in the pen-flame gaslights. Everyone in
14. station was dressed like 'eighteen-ninety-something
What sort of
dresses and a
the third level? did Charleycomeacross
appearances
on

harley Came
ca across men 19th centiry
resstSes. Men sup
nen and women wearing

mustaches,
beards and
ipported fancy
 Literature Companion 12
354

four-button suits, derby hats and

d pocket
r

sideburns. Tiny lapels, Women wore fan

gold watches seemed
to be in
fashion.
fancy cut
high-buttoned shoes. Thus..
sleeves and long skirts with
was puzzled to
see people in old fashion.
third level, Charley
clothes and hair-styles.
of Charley's imagination
on,
level was just a product
Q15. If the third
rosier than reality?
why wasn't it
and makes it look
adds colour to reality
Ordinarily imagination
third level was a
than life. However, the non-existent
larger
to the past and Charleys
lacklustre place because it belonged
as dull and drab. He was looking for
imagination saw past
not any razzle-dazzleof the
modern
tranquility in this place and
world.
of the era that he had
Q16. How did Charley confirm the specific date
passed into?
to seea
On reaching the third level, Charley was quite puzzled
locomotive, and the
strange looking platform, an outdated
check, he
people dressed in old-fashioned styles. To do a reality
on
looked at the newspaper, 'The World', carrying a lead story

President Cleveland who belonged to late 19th century. Late

he confirmed from the Public Library files that the newspae
was dated 11th June, 1894.

Q17. Why did Charley run back from the third level?
When Charley produced the modern currency to pay the
two tickets
to Galesburg, the ticket clerk accused him of try
to cheat and This
threatened to hand him over to the po
out of
madeCharley sense trouble and he turned away to
the third level B
fast, lest he be arrested and
Q18.
jailed.
"My three hundred dollars bought old
less than two hundred
style bills, but I didn't care. lines
Bring out the significance of
of these
ance
tne
 The Thirdlevel 355
Vistas:

Although Charley got less than two hundred old-style bills for
three hundred dollars, he did not mind it because the old-style
money could buy him railway tickets to Galesburg of 1894
where he could leada life of peace and tranquility, free from his
modernday worries and tensions. He also consoled himself for

having got less money by the fact that life in 1894 Galesburg was
quite cheaper as compared to the modern life. Therefore, less
money actually meant more.
Q19. Why could Charley notreach thethirdlevel again?

Charley could not reach the third level of Grand Central Station
again because despite his best efforts he failed to locate the
tunnel that had taken him to this level earlier. A more rational
level of
explanation is that he could never experience the same
consciousness which had transported him earlier to the third

level of Grand Central.

for the third level?
Q20. Why did Louisa stop Charley from looking
alarmed at
Louisa was aloving and caring wife. So, she got
the third level. His exchanging
Charley's claim of having been to
old added to her concern. Like
currency with the
one
the new

thought
Louisa also the third level to be a
the psychiatrist,
she asked him to stop
product of Charley's imagination, so
looking for it.
cover?
Q21. What do you understand by a first-day
issued increases if it has the
The value of a newly stamp
issue it. Therefore the stamp
postmark of the date of
on

first day of its sale and

collectors buy n e w stamps on the very
self-addressed envelopes and post thenm. These
paste them on
With just a blank
envelopes are called the first-day covers.

paper enclosed inside, they

are never opened.

2.Why was Sam attracted towards Galesburg?

356 Literature Companion 12
Sam, who was a typical city boy, was fascinated by Charl
description of Galesburg, lllinois, as a wonderful
ul tow town with
ley's
old frame houses, huge lawns and tremendous trees lini big
es lining the
streets. He was so bogged down by the tension and burda
n of
modern life that he thought of escaping to the peaceful
worldd
of Galesburg of 1894 with lorng summer
evenings and an eas
2asy
going, peaceful life.

023. How did Charley come to know that Sam had found
the third
level?

Charley came across a first-day cover that he had never

seen in
his collection earlier. It had his
and it contained a note written
grandfather's Galesburg address
by Sam mentioning that he had
found the third level and was in
Galesburg since two weeks.
This was a solid proof that Sam had found
the third level.
Q24. How did Sam like life in Galesburg?
Sam's letter to Charley from Galesburg showed that he was
quite happy there. He had taken a fancy to the quiet, simple and
peaceful life there, away from the hurry and worry of New
York. He liked the way
people enjoyed music, dance and
socialising. It was a
perfect place for his hay, feed and grain
business. He even invited Charley and Louisa to come over to
Galesburg through the 'third level'.
Q25. Why did Sam buy eight hundred dollars of
old-style currency
What didhe think of this
bargain?
Sam must have
spent all the earnings ofhis lifetime to buy eight
hundred dollars of old-style
currency. What apparently
seemeu
to be a foolish bargain was considered to be
very profitable one
by him as he had sold his materialistic earnings to buy
fulfilment of his soul. Moreover, eight hundred dollars wa>
enough to start a nice hay, feed and grain business in Galesburg
 leve
The Third
Vistas:

357
psCharley say, 'he
Q26. Why does (Sam) certainly can't go back
business'? to his old
Charley knew that though it was less
profitable, the auiet
husiness of hay, feed and grain would give Sam a
greater sense
of satisfaction. Moreover, being psychiatrist]he had
a
no
scope
of reverting to his own
profession as in 1894
would be absolutely
a
psychiatrist
unacceptable, since in 1894 the science
of
pshychiatry was in its infancy.

ONG ANSWER QUESTIONNS

(to be answered in about 150 words each)

(A)Textual Questions
Q1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for
Charley? Why?
War, worry, insecurity and fear keep on gnawing at the modern
man's mind all the time. This helplessness and frustration leaves
man baffled and he is at a loss to learn way of facing life. It is
then, that he looks for 'a temporary refuge from reality'. Pursuit
of hobbies like stamp-collecting diverts his attention

temporarily and gives him some comfort.

The fast pace of life, overwork and subconscious apprehensions
had made Charley too uneasy and restless. He yearned for
peace, tranquility and serenity. Like many others, he too turned
O philately but probably, the degree of relief that this hobby
provided, was not sufficient to calm him down emotionally.
Hence, the redoubled efforts of his subconscious mind for
to the third level -
a level of
CScape resulted in his flight
eXIstence which he associated with tranquility. His psychiatrist
riend, Sam Weiner, also diagnosed Charley's claim to have

VISited the third level, as 'a waking-dream wish fulfillment'.

58 iterature Companion 1

Hence, the third level was undoubtedly, a medium ofescam

r
Charlev.
Q2. What do you inferfrom Sam's letter to Charley?

Or
Sam's letter to Charley is a fine blend of reality and fantasy
Comment.
Sam's letter, dated 18th July, 1894 written from Galesburg,
1llinois is a proof of his having been transported to Galesburg
via the third level. The content of the letter
indicates that on
diagnosing Charley's claim to have visited the third level, Sam
had explained it to be
escape mode. But being equally
an

insecure, in the heart of hearts, he had wished the entire

episode
was true. In fact,
inwardly, he too yearned for such an escape. By
and by, he believed in the existence of the
third level and carried
out an intensive search for it and
eventually found it. Galesburg
fascinated him and gave him the taste of
tension-free life with
ample leisure and boundless innocent pleasure. He enjoyed the
easy going peaceful and simple life where people loved music,
dance and
socialising. He suggested to Charley and Louisa to
keep on looking for it till they came across it.
The letter
surprises the reader because it is found in a first-day
cover addressed to Charley's
Sam had written it to
grandfather. He wonders whether
Charley or Charley's grandfather.
Thus, the letter
appears to be a strange but interesting mxt e of
the real and the
fantastic.
Q3. "The modern world is
full of insecurity,
stress." What are the
fear, war, worry and
ways in which we attempt to overcomne em?
tne
insecurity of war, worry, fear and stress rob man of his peaceof
mind. Thus our
conscious mind
invasion of tension constantly forces Ou
and anxiety. Stripped of all thrill ana
 The Third level
Vistas:
359

Ncitement, modern man rather than living life in the real sense
of the world merely goes through the process of
existing. In
order to get out of this quagmire, he turns to religion, world of

fiction, fantasy, hobbies, sports, music and creativity. These

things divert man's attention from harsh realities. Thus, man
experiences some sort of a reliet from his worries. The degree of
involvement in these activities ascertains the level of calmness aa
man attains. The tranquility that he experiences for himself

saves him from the psychiatric problems caused by stress, strain

and apprehension.

Q4. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic

projection. Discuss.

The visualisation of something that the world is unfamiliar with,

usually seems to be illogical. In fact a good number of scientific

inventions sounded ridiculous when some fertile mind imagined
them for the first time. Aeroplane, railway-engine, telephone,
have sournded
radio, television, mobile phone all of them must
-

brilliant minds gave them a

illogical impossibilities till some
before they
concrete shape. Jules Verne's contraptions- century
a

must have sounded interesting

but
came into shape
-

actually
Similarly the make-
possible only in the realm of imagination.
world of science fiction
and all talk about aliens and
believe,
unbelievable
extra-terrestrial life may sound a bit unlikely and
to
tomorrow may be travelling
man
today but who knows come to visit
aliens and aliens too might
planets inhabited by like the
Earth. However, the apparent
illogicalities of the past
futuristic projections.
The idea of
Submarines did prove to be
is illogical yet
a s shown
in 'The Third Level',
going back in time,
and o n e may get
become possible
Some day in future, it may
o n e may be
bored with thee
back in time whenever
transported
present world.
 360
Literature Companion 12

Q5. Philately helps keep the past alive. LDiscuss other

ways in which
this is done. What do you think of the
human tendencCy to
to
constantly move between the past, the present and the
future?
Past, present and future are like links in the chain
of existence.
Unlike the other species, human
beings learn from their past
while trying to make the
present and future better. The
knowledge and experience of the past helps one widen
one's
horizons and add new dimensions to one's
present and future.
Philately helps one keep one's past alive. There are
such mediums like the many other
mornuments, relics, coins, literature,
religion and history and so on that prevent the
buried in the debris of oblivion.
past from getting
Human tendency to oscillate between
the three phases of time -

past, present and future reveals man's

-

urge to chase what

evades him. Present
usually leaves man dissatisfied and he
takes it casually but when
present fades into past he looks back
with a sigh and recalls those
days 'good old days'. Similarly
future too is looked
upon as a promise that might bring
fulfillment. Thus present remains
merely a waitingperiod.
as

(B)Additional Questions
Q6. Describe the relationship that the Charleys enjoyed with each
other?
Charley and Louisa make a perfect couple - full of love and
understanding. Immediately after office hours, Charley wishes
to rush back to his wife. He cannot think of
travelling to
Galesburg alone. So he asks for two tickets - one for himself and
the other for Louisa. Louisa's love for
Charley is reflected when
she gets alarmed on
learning about
Charley's curious experience.
She immediately gets Charley to see the psychiatrist. The
 The Thira
level
Vistas:
361

nSychiatrist's observation
psychiatrist's about
Charley being unhappy
nfuriates her. Later on, when
Charley spends almost all his
savings buying the 19th century currency,
on
she is not angry
but worried about his well-being. She tells
Charley to stop
looking for the third level. But the day,
they get a solid proof of
the existence of the third level from Sam's
letter, Louisa joins
Charley in looking for it. Thus, there is a perfect understanding
between the two and they are an ideal couple.
07. Bring out the contrast between the world the Charley lived in and
the one that he strayed into.

Charley lived in a world full of insecurity, fear, war and worry -

aworld where the fast pace of life always left man running a race
against time. As a result, everybody had in their mind, a desire
for escape. The world that he strayed into, on the other hand,
lacked in sophistication of the modern world but it was free
from the complexities of life. Simplicity, tranquility, peace and
serenity pervaded this world. People lived in big old frame
houses with sprawling lawns. The streets were lined on both
sides with massive trees with their branches forming a canopy.
People had ample leisure time and liked to socialise with each
other. There was no mad rush and the world was not torn with
war. In fact, even the First World War was two decades away.
The two worlds of Charley, thus stood in complete contrast to

each other.
Q
oCharley was a modern man who was haunted by insecurity, war
and worry and who could not get over fear even at the third level.

Comment.
world at the third level was tension-free, Charley
Though the
didn't find for himself complete unalloyed relief even there.
When he tried to pay for two tickets to Galesburg with the
 Literature Companion 12
362

modern currency, the man at the ticket-window eyed him vith

suspicion. He thought that Charley was trying to cheat him and

warned him that he won't be able to get very far with his
is
cheating. This unnerved Charley and rather than arguing with
the official, he took to his heels and moved out of the third level
as fast as he could. He wanted no trouble with the police. He had
a morbid dread of jail and knew that jail would be as unpalatable
an experience in 1894 as it was in the 20th century. Thus fear
followed and haunted Charley even at the third level.
Q9. Did Sam really go the Galesburg or was it Charley's figment of

imagination?
The third level at the Grand Central symbolises man's yearning
to attain an ideal level of existence which is free from wars,
worries, insecurities, tensions and a level which exudes calm,
peace, tranquility and serenity. Charley's imagination had
given hima brief taste of this world. But after getting a glimpse
of it, Charley could never get back to this world in spite of his
frantic efforts. Still, the craving for such a utopia remained in
him. Sam's letter from Galesburg and his claim of having found
the third level are also perhaps a way of escape for Charley. He

had become so obsessed with the purpose of returning the 'old

world charm' that his imagination became even more fertile.

The story is science-fiction and is open-ended to allow the
reader to believe either what Charley thinks about Sam or what
Sam thinks about Charley's escapist attitude.