The Address Class 11 Extra Questions and Answers Free PDF Download
FAQs on CBSE Important Questions for Class 11 English Snapshots The Address - 2025-26
1. What are the most important long-answer questions from Chapter 2, 'The Address', for the CBSE Class 11 English exam 2025-26?
For the 2025-26 CBSE Class 11 English exam, the most important long-answer questions from 'The Address' focus on its central themes and character analysis. Key areas to prepare for include:
The significance of the title, 'The Address', on both a literal and symbolic level.
The narrator's internal conflict and her final decision to forget the address and move on.
A comparative analysis of the narrator's feelings towards her belongings at her old home versus at Mrs. Dorling's house.
The story's depiction of the human predicament that follows war, exploring themes of loss, memory, and displacement.
2. Provide a brief character sketch of Mrs. Dorling from 'The Address'.
Mrs. Dorling is portrayed as an opportunistic and insensitive character. She takes advantage of the narrator's mother's fear during the war by taking away her valuable belongings under the pretext of 'safekeeping'. Her cold and unwelcoming behaviour when the narrator visits her after the war reveals her lack of empathy. She is materialistic and possessive, as shown by how she uses the stolen items in her own home without any sense of guilt, symbolising the moral degradation that can accompany conflict.
3. Why did the narrator in 'The Address' decide not to claim her mother's belongings in the end?
The narrator decided not to claim her belongings for several profound reasons. Firstly, seeing them arranged tastelessly in Mrs. Dorling's strange and stuffy house made them feel alien and disconnected from her cherished memories. The objects, once full of life and love, now only evoked a sense of loss. Secondly, she realised that these material possessions had lost their true value without the people and the home they were associated with. She chose to preserve her memories rather than reclaim objects that now brought only pain, resolving to move on by 'forgetting the address'.
4. Explain the significance of the title, 'The Address', by Marga Minco.
The title 'The Address' operates on multiple levels. On a literal level, it refers to Number 46, Marconi Street, the physical location where the narrator goes to reclaim her family's possessions. On a symbolic level, the address represents a link to her past, her memories, and the life she lost due to the war. Initially, the address is a beacon of hope, but it ultimately becomes a symbol of disillusionment. The narrator’s final decision to forget the address signifies her choice to let go of the painful past and move forward.
5. What was the narrator's first reaction upon seeing Mrs. Dorling's daughter wearing her mother's green knitted cardigan?
Upon seeing Mrs. Dorling's daughter wearing her mother's green knitted cardigan, the narrator experienced a mix of shock and detachment. Initially, the cardigan was just a 'woollen cardigan' to her, but as she looked closer, she remembered it belonged to her mother. The sight did not evoke a warm, nostalgic feeling but rather a sense of painful disconnect. The object, once a part of her loving home, now looked out of place, reinforcing the idea that the belongings had lost their emotional connection and were no longer truly hers.
6. How does the story 'The Address' illustrate the trauma and emotional aftermath of war?
'The Address' powerfully illustrates the emotional aftermath of war by focusing on personal loss rather than combat. The story highlights:
Loss of Identity and Home: The narrator loses her family, her home, and her sense of belonging.
Painful Memories: The material objects, which should have been comforting, become painful reminders of what has been lost.
Human Opportunism: Characters like Mrs. Dorling represent the moral decay and opportunism that can thrive during such crises.
The Struggle to Move On: The narrator's final decision shows the immense difficulty of reconciling with a traumatic past and the necessity of letting go to survive emotionally.
7. What impression do you form of the narrator's mother in 'The Address'?
The narrator's mother is portrayed as a kind, caring, and somewhat naive woman. She was a loving mother who cared deeply for her family and her home, which was filled with beautiful things. Her trust in Mrs. Dorling, an old acquaintance, shows her trusting nature. She allowed Mrs. Dorling to take her belongings, believing it was for their safety. This suggests she was more concerned with preserving her things for her daughter than with suspecting Mrs. Dorling's true motives, making her a tragic figure victimised by the circumstances of war.
8. Why is 'The Address' considered an important chapter for CBSE Class 11 English exam preparation?
'The Address' is a very important chapter as it deals with complex themes like loss, memory, and the human condition post-war, which are common topics for HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) questions. Students can expect questions ranging from short-answer (1-2 marks) focusing on plot details like the address itself, to long-answer (5-6 marks) requiring deep analysis of character, theme, and the symbolic significance of the title.
9. How does the setting of Mrs. Dorling's house at Number 46, Marconi Street, contribute to the story's mood?
The setting of Mrs. Dorling's house is crucial in creating a somber and oppressive mood. It is described as small, stuffy, and filled with familiar objects that are arranged in a tasteless, unfamiliar way. This atmosphere starkly contrasts with the narrator's warm and loving memories of her own home. The muggy smell and the dark, cluttered space create a feeling of suffocation and unease, mirroring the narrator's internal discomfort and her growing realisation that her past cannot be reclaimed in this alien environment.
