Describe the two visits of the narrator to Mrs Dorling’s house, No. 46, Marconi Street.

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After the war, the narrator came back alone to her town. Her mother, Mrs S, was dead. Before dying, she had told her about Mrs Dorling and her address. Mrs S had also told her how she had left all her belongings in the ‘safe’ hands of Mrs Dorling. The narrator decided to go to Mrs Dorling’s house. She rang the bell and a woman appeared. The woman refused to recognise her. The narrator told her that she was Mrs S’s daughter. The woman stood staring at her. The narrator realised that perhaps she had rung the wrong bell. But soon her doubt was dispelled. The woman was wearing her mother’s green knitted cardigan. No mistake was made. She was at the right address. And the woman was Mrs Dorling. Mrs Dorling regretted that she could do nothing for her. She asked the narrator to come at some other time.

During the next visit Mrs Dorling was not at home. Her fifteen-year old daughter was alone in the house. Now the narrator was in the midst of all those ‘nice things’ that, once belonged to her mother. All the silver cutlery, antique plates, and large vases were there. She was pained to note that they were ‘tastelessly’ arranged and shabbily used. No doubt, those articles aroused nostalgic feelings in her. But their true owner was no more in the world. The narrator resolved to forget them. She also resolved to forget No. 46, Marconi Street. It was the address where all those ‘nice things’ were lying uncared and neglected.

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The narrator is a young lady. She is the daughter of Mrs S. Her mother Mrs S is no more in this world. The narrator is a sufferer of the war that shook Holland for years. She loses not only all the precious articles and belongings but also their true owner—her mother.

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As it generally happens, wars always bring death and destruction. This is exactly what happened in Holland too. The war affected the fortunes of many people. It led to disruption of normal life. Mrs S and her family had to leave their town to go to a safer place. The mother died. When war ended, only the daughter returned home alive to tell her tragic tale.

The narrator takes us back to the first half of the war. She was at home for a few days. She noticed that various things were missing from the rooms. Her mother had told her about a lady named Mrs Dorling. Her mother had handed over all her valuables and ‘nice things’ to Mrs Dorling. The woman assured her that they would be in safe hands during the war. There was no written agreement. Mrs S didn’t seem to doubt Mrs Dorling’s intention. But the narrator was not convinced. Mrs Dorling went away with all the silver cutlery, antique plates, crockery and big vases. Everything went to No. 46, Marconi Street.

The war ended. Gradually things became normal. But the narrator didn’t have her mother. She was left alone to face the new realities oflife. She went to 46, Marconi Street twice in search of her mothers belongings. They aroused a feeling of nostalgia in her. Mrs Dorling showed no intention of giving them back to the narrator. But now they were useless. Their true owner was dead. Hence, they had to be forgotten. Life had to be started afresh

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Mrs Dorling is an important character of Marga Minco’s short story The Address’. She is introduced to us as the mother of a fifteen-year old daughter. Like her daughter, Mrs Dorling has a ‘broad back’. When the narrator rings the bell, Mrs Dorling appears wearing the green knitted cardigan of the narrator’s mother. This shows how mercilessly she is using all ‘nice things’ of Mrs S.

Mrs Dorling’s behaviour towards Mrs S’ daughter is quite cold, unfriendly and inhuman. When the narrator introduces herself as the daughter of Mrs S, Mrs Dorling shows no sign of affection. Her remarks are very shocking and uncharitable. She utters : “Have you come back ?” She is not at all pleased to receive the daughter of Mrs S. She doesn’t feel “convenient”. She very coldly asks her to come “another time”.

Mrs Dorling lacks human qualities of head and heart. She is selfish. She is rude and ill mannered. She also lacks good sense and decency. She only knows how to exploit people and situations to her own advantage. She exploits Mrs S’s fear for war. She walks away with all her ‘nice things’ to 46, Marconi Street. She makes no effort to return them when the narrator visits her.

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120, James Avenue Amsterdam

20th March, 2008 Dear Hans

It takes all sorts of people to make this world. Mrs Dorling is such a character that everyone would like to forget. You know how we had to flee to another place during the first half of the war. But as they say misfortunes never come alone. So came Mrs Dorling as our saviour but proved totally otherwise. She suggested that my mother should hand over all her nice things to her. She would keep them safe. My mother suffered from war-fright. She willingly gave all her silver cutlery, antique plates, vases and other articles to her. No written agreement. She just had faith in Mrs Dorling.

You know I came back home alone after the war. My poor mother couldn’t survive the war. I went to 46, Marconi Street in search of my mother’s belongings. Mrs Dorling met me. She refused to recognise me. I told her that I was Mrs S’s daughter. That didn’t move her too. Perhaps she was not happy to see me alive. I was anxious to talk to her. But she was not. She was wearing my mother’s green cardigan. It hurt my feelings. She regretted that she could do nothing to help me. Nor did she talk about those ‘nice things’ that she had taken away from us. I was shocked and surprised at her behaviour. Her behaviour was evasive, unfriendly and even insulting.

Yours truly Edwina