Explanation



The Third Level at Grand Central Station


Grand Central Station of New York has two levels. But Charley, a thirty-one year old dweller of the city, talks about there being three. Not only does he believe in the existence of this hypothetical third level but also claims to have been there.


A visit to his psychiatrist friend


Charley visits a psychiatrist friend to talk about this problem. The psychiatrist calls it a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” and rationalises Charley's psychology by saying that the “modern world is full of insecurity, fear, worry, and war...” and everybody wants to escape to some “temporary refuge from reality.” According to him, even hobbies like stamp collection is a manifestation of this escape.


Charley loses his way at Grand Central


The fast growing Grand Central station at times seems to be a maze to Charley. He had lost his way a couple of times earlier too while taking the subway. Once, he entered the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel while the other time he emerged at an office building that was three blocks away. But this time when he loses his way, something unique happens. He visits the third level!


The Third Level


Charley keeps walking in the quiet corridor, angling left and slanting downward, till he reaches an architecturally old station that is completely different from the two familiar levels. The antiquated small room with fewer ticket counters and train gates, a wooden information booth, flickering open flame gas lights and brass spittoons reminds him of the architecture of the 1800s. He also finds that people are dressed in outmoded outfits. He notices that the date on the newspaper The World is printed June 11, 1894. As he tenders money to the clerk at the counter to buy two tickets, he realises that he need to have old currency bills to do so.


Charley's plan for a journey not realised


He had always wanted to travel to Galesburg with his wife, Louisa. In his mind, it is “a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees....” It is a place with long and pleasant summer evenings and where people have ample of time. So, the next day during lunch, he exchanges three hundred dollars for old style bills amounting to some two hundred only. The loss doesn’t bother him much as he believes that in Galesburg everything will be cheaper and that he can manage even with a small amount. But, he could never again find the corridor leading to the third level.


Sam goes missing!


His wife Louisa is worried after knowing all this and asks him not to look for the third level any further. Suddenly Charley realises that his friend, Sam Weiner, is nowhere to be found, so he and his wife keep looking for him in the weekends. Sam was the one with whom Charley used to share his ideas about Galesburg.


Philately & the first day covers


Philately is not just stamp collection but a broad term including the study of stamps, postal history and other related items. When a new stamp is issued, on the first day, people mail a blank paper to themselves and then retain that unopened letter with the date on the postmark. Charley has inherited the hobby and the collection from his grandfather.


A letter from Sam


One day while fidgeting with his stamp collection, Charley comes across a letter that was not there earlier. It bears the postmark on a faded six-cent stamp with a picture of the President Garfield. The envelope was sent on July18, 1894 to Charley's grandfather in Galesburg and is addressed to Charley. The letter reads that Sam has reached Galesburg and is having whale of a time there. He also invites Charley and Louisa to Galesburg. When Charley goes to the stamp and coin store, he is apprised of Sam's exchanging eight hundred dollars for the old currency bills to establish his business of hay feed and grain in Galesburg. The letter was written by Sam Weiner, who was Charley's psychiatrist!

73 comments:

  1. i found the plot very amazing. and the last part with sam gone is also a hit.
    PJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Intresting story but character of sam is not clear

      Delete
    2. Yaa trueee It will be more interesting If there is more jnformation about sam

      Delete
    3. Sam too suffers from the sense of fear and insecurities...he too uad been visiting third level..albeit he tried to assure Charley that there was no third level. He too remains lost in past

      Delete
    4. The letter and the 3rd level this all is Charlie's imagination he so desperately wants to prove that the 3rd is real that he imagines his psychiatrist (who has been explaning him that all this is his temporary escape from reality) has travelled back in time through 3rd level and has written him a letter.

      Delete
    5. This chapter is science as well as psychological fiction and the third level existed according to this story. And if it was only Charlie's belief then how Sam went missing and why Louisa too helped him in finding the third level. By the way if you want an easy explanation in Hindi then visit this channel . https://youtu.be/8c8fw8Vbhr4

      Delete
    6. If the third level, the letter and Sam missing were all in Charley's head, then why did Louisa his wife too help him in finding Sam? There isn't any single plausible explanation to this story, and that's what makes it so amazing!

      Delete
    7. Maybe Charlie killed Sam.??

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Agreed. This and Evans tries an 'O' Level are such good stories. Hope CBSE adds a few more.

      Delete
    2. Yes I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, CBSE removed The Third Level from syllabus this year.

      Delete
    3. Did Evans tries an 0-level is coming in exams

      Delete
  3. Though I understood that Charley had always opted for a soothing place in his imagination to move away from the harsh realities of life, I couldn't understand about Sam. Inspite of being an Escapist, has he(Sam) been an Escapist too!!???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sam always wanted to do a sort of business.
      But was unable to do so in modern America. He never wanted to be psycatrist
      So he went to Galesburg to do grass and hay business there

      Delete
    2. No, sam was not an escapist , in fact charlie was not an escapist as he reached third level unintentionally. This chapter is science as well as psychological fiction and the third level existed according to this story. And if it was only Charlie's belief then how Sam went missing and why Louisa too helped him in finding the third level. By the way if you want an easy explanation in Hindi then visit this channel . https://youtu.be/8c8fw8Vbhr4

      Delete
  4. Maybe it is a nice story. But in could not understand the difficult and complicated english

    ReplyDelete
  5. movie shud be made out of it ..been searching abt it for yrs now.. i was in 8th ..this chapter is popular in eng litrature indian courses

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish for the same. There's a movie on Evans tries an o level though, but it's not that good.

      Delete
  6. I taught high school English for 35 years and always enjoyed teaching this short but thought provoking story. It is a great read and even greater think.

    ReplyDelete
  7. one of my favourite stories from ncert textbook.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very interesting.....like it....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Humor is what we live for , but then again humor comes in mysterious ways , who knows might a parallel world made of nothing but history ,legends endure for a reason keep believing it

    ReplyDelete
  10. U SHOULD ALSO TRY "EVAN TRIES 'O' LEVEL" BY 'COLIN DEXTER' THESE TWO STORIES ARE THE BEST....ACTUALLY ONLY THE BEST...... IN NCERT

    ReplyDelete
  11. Could it be a point, that Sam, Charlie's psychiatrist is also imaginary? As Charly used to share his imaginary world with him, and suddenly Sam gets lost

    ReplyDelete
  12. Is sam also charlys imaginary?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes sam can be imaginary if u think in 1D but if multiverse exist then sam also exist

      Delete
  13. This is an amazing plot. The chapter seems easy while going through this.

    ReplyDelete
  14. wished if Jack Finney finish the story on whether Charley found the third level or not.. lol

    ReplyDelete
  15. Me too. This is like Of Missing Persons, only in that story, the
    main character missed out on his utopia due to personal doubt and cynicism.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm still confused about ...Is sam also imaginary ?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Summary is in simple language and easy to understand by me ......
    So it was good for me .
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. I always thought they time warped or something , but my english teacher shot down this theory saying that Charley had went mad.

    ReplyDelete
  19. So honestly charley did NOT go back in time to illinois in 1894? That's sad coz i thought cbse had put sci-fi material for the first time

    ReplyDelete
  20. Very applicable explanation and helping too.Thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  21. it was a great story I liked it a lot nd it seems to be a real story

    ReplyDelete
  22. walla very good ,
    great story , good good

    ReplyDelete
  23. I was finding this chapter very confusing, but thx to this plot my doubts are all cleared. TnTha you so much for uploading this.

    ReplyDelete
  24. How did Charley find the letter of Sam in his collection of first day covers

    ReplyDelete
  25. Same I’m also dwelled up with these thoughts,, if Sam could be imaginary but how about her wife looking up for Sam, is this also imaginary.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I found this review very much helpful and is written in very well.....

    ReplyDelete
  27. Some what ok may be it can be little bit small

    ReplyDelete
  28. Was Charlie right about going to past or was everything just an illusion?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Nice but some points are unclear

    ReplyDelete
  30. Nice but sime points are unclear

    ReplyDelete
  31. Very nicely explained. It was of great help. Thanks for this๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€

    ReplyDelete
  32. I will pass my fiest term because of this summary๐Ÿ˜‚thanks alot ๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿฟ

    ReplyDelete
  33. This story s very boring

    ReplyDelete
  34. Good explanation thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

    ReplyDelete
  35. As I read the last line "the most mysterious thing was that Sam was his psychiatrist friend", it took me to an assumption of a lot of possibilities about the Sam's character... We know that Charlie was so desperate to prove everyone that he went to third level, so he killed Sam without knowing that he was doing it and made up the whole story. It looks stupid but I've connected it with the movie "The Uninvited".

    ReplyDelete
  36. Who is sam is there any more information available

    ReplyDelete
  37. An amazing story. I really loved it. The unexpected turning points are really interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Loved reading this ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•

    ReplyDelete
  39. I am not clear abt sam going missing

    ReplyDelete
  40. How does Sam want to gallesberg

    ReplyDelete
  41. Why couldn't charley find the third level later?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Charley couldn't find the third level later because the Grand Central had only 2 levels. The story is a combination of fantasy interwoven with reality. It was just an escapism for Charley from the harsh realities of life.

      Delete
  42. Why did Charlie keep on insisting that he was gone to the third level ? Include the efforts persons who don not believe on him and try to convince him on non existence of the third level ...?? Pls answer this question....

    ReplyDelete
  43. I think if not movie then atleast a webseries need to be made on this story, which can explain more about Sam's character and the whole story with some explanation, as many people think that Sam is nothing but just an imagination of Charlie but I don't think so. I really think that Sam has time travelled and gone 100 years back.

    ReplyDelete