Here is a comprehensive guide to Chapter 1, “The Third Level,” from the VISTAS textbook, created specifically for AHSEC Class 12 students. This guide includes a summary, complete textual answers, previous years’ AHSEC questions, and other important questions, with all answers based on book
Chapter 1:
The Third Level by Jack Finney
Summary Note
“The Third Level” is a story about Charley, a 31-year-old man living in New York, who feels overwhelmed by the pressures of modern life, which he sees as full of “insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it.” One evening, he gets lost in Grand Central Station and discovers a mysterious “third level” that is not on any official map. This level looks like a scene from the 1890s, with gaslights, old-fashioned clothing, and a ticket counter offering travel to a simpler time.
Charley tries to buy two tickets to his childhood town of Galesburg, Illinois, for himself and his wife, Louisa, but his modern currency is rejected. He leaves, intending to return after exchanging his money for old-style bills. However, he is never able to find the third level again. His psychiatrist friend, Sam, dismisses the experience as a “waking-dream wish fulfillment”—a psychological escape. The story takes a turn when Charley finds an old “first-day cover” envelope in his grandfather’s stamp collection. Inside is a letter from Sam, dated July 18, 1894, from Galesburg. Sam writes that he has found the third level and encourages Charley to keep searching for it, leaving the reader to question whether the third level is a real place or a powerful fantasy.
Complete Textual Question and Answer
1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?
Answers: Yes, the third level was a medium of escape for Charley. His psychiatrist friend explicitly states that Charley was unhappy and that the modern world is “full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it,” which made him want to escape. The psychiatrist calls Charley’s experience a “waking-dream wish fulfillment.” This suggests that the third level was a manifestation of his subconscious desire to escape the harsh realities of his present life.
2. What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?
From Sam’s letter, we can infer that he, too, was unhappy with modern life and eventually found the third level himself. The letter, dated from Galesburg in 1894, serves as “proof” for Charley that the third level is real. In the letter, Sam writes, “I got to believing you were right. And, Charley, it’s true; I found the third level!” He encourages Charley and Louisa to keep looking for it, implying that this escape to a simpler time is worthwhile.
3. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
Answers: The story suggests that people attempt to overcome the stresses of the modern world through various forms of escape. Charley’s psychiatrist points out that Charley’s stamp collecting is a “‘temporary refuge from reality’.” The main example in the story is Charley’s psychological escape by imagining the third level, a portal to a more peaceful time. This highlights the human tendency to use hobbies and imagination to cope with the pressures of contemporary life.
4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?
Yes, the story is built on an intersection of time and space. Grand Central Station, a real and physical place in the present, becomes a portal for Charley to travel back in time to the year 1894. He confirms the time period by seeing a copy of the newspaper The World, which was printed on “June 11, 1894.” This blending of a real, contemporary location with a journey into the past is the central element of the story.
5. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection? Discuss.
The story plays with the idea that what seems illogical might be a different form of reality. The existence of a third level is illogical, as the presidents of the railroads would “swear on a stack of timetables that there are only two.” However, Charley’s personal experience and the subsequent letter from Sam provide “proof” that it exists. This suggests that our understanding of reality is limited and that what we dismiss as illogical might simply be an alternate reality or a dimension that we cannot normally perceive.
6. 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?
Answers: The story shows that philately (stamp collecting) is a way to connect with the past, as Charley’s grandfather started the collection in a time that was “pretty nice and peaceful.” The human tendency to move between the past, present, and future is a central theme. Charley is unhappy with the present and constantly seeks refuge in the past (the 1890s), which he romanticizes as a “peaceful world.” This reflects a common human desire to escape current anxieties by looking back to a simpler, idealized past.
7. You have read ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar in Hornbill Class XI. Compare the interweaving of fantasy and reality in the two stories.
Answers: Both “The Third Level” and “Adventure” explore the theme of alternate realities by blending fantasy with a realistic setting. In “The Third Level,” Charley discovers a portal to the past within the real Grand Central Station. In “Adventure,” Professor Gaitonde experiences a different version of Indian history. Both protagonists are rational individuals whose incredible experiences challenge their own and the reader’s understanding of reality. The stories end with a sense of ambiguity, leaving it unclear whether the events were real or a product of the mind.
Previous Year AHSEC Question Answers (2015-2025)
Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)
1. What was the third level? Where was it situated? (AHSEC 2015, 2017, 2019)
Answers: The third level was an imaginary, fantastical level at Grand Central Station that served as a portal to the past, specifically to the year 1894. According to Charley, it was situated at Grand Central Station in New York, reachable by getting lost in an arched doorway on the second level and following a downward-slanting corridor.
2. What is a first-day cover? (AHSEC 2016)
A first-day cover is an envelope with a newly issued stamp, which stamp collectors mail to themselves on the very first day of the stamp’s sale. The postmark on the envelope proves the date. The envelope is usually never opened and contains a blank piece of paper inside.
3. Why did Charley want to go to Galesburg? (AHSEC 2018, 2022)
Charley wanted to go to Galesburg, Illinois, because he remembered it as a “wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees.” He saw it as a peaceful and idyllic place, representing an escape from the stress and worries of modern life in New York.
4. How did Charley’s psychiatrist friend, Sam, disappear? (AHSEC 2020)
Charley’s friend Sam Weiner disappeared suddenly. Nobody knew where he had gone, but Charley “sort of suspected because Sam’s a city boy, and I used to tell him about Galesburg.” The letter Charley later finds confirms that Sam had found the third level and escaped to Galesburg in 1894.
Long Answer Questions (5-7 Marks)
1. Describe the third level as seen by Charley. (AHSEC 2015, 2018)
Charley described the third level as being different from the first two. The room was smaller, with fewer ticket windows and train gates. The information booth in the center was made of wood and looked old-fashioned. The lights were dim, open-flame gaslights, which flickered. There were brass spittoons on the floor. He saw that everyone in the station was dressed in 1890s-style clothing, with men sporting beards, sideburns, and handlebar mustaches. He also saw a small Currier & Ives locomotive with a funnel-shaped stack, confirming he had traveled back in time.
2. Do you think the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why? (AHSEC 2016, 2019, 2023)
Answers: Yes, the third level was a medium of escape for Charley. The story clearly states that the modern world is “full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it,” and Charley’s psychiatrist identifies his experience as a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” stemming from his unhappiness. Charley’s intense desire to go to Galesburg of 1894, a town he describes as peaceful and serene, shows his deep-seated need to escape the anxieties of his present life. The third level, whether real or imagined, provided him with the possibility of this escape.
Most Important Question Answers
1. What is the significance of Sam’s letter in the story?
Answers: Sam’s letter is highly significant because it blurs the line between reality and fantasy. For Charley, it serves as tangible “proof” that the third level is real and that his desire to escape is not just a hallucination. For the reader, it creates ambiguity. It can be seen either as confirmation that time travel is possible within the story’s universe or as a deeper layer of Charley’s own fantasy, where he imagines his psychiatrist validating his escapist dream.
2. Why couldn’t Charley buy tickets for Galesburg at the third level?
Answers: Charley could not buy tickets because the currency he had was from the modern era. When he counted out the money for two tickets, the clerk at the ticket counter stared at him and said, “That ain’t money, mister.” The clerk thought Charley was trying to cheat him and glanced at his cash drawer, implying he might call the police. Fearing jail, even in 1894, Charley quickly left.
3. How did Charley know he had traveled back to 1894?
Answers: Charley confirmed he was in the past through several observations. The old-fashioned clothing, gaslights, and brass spittoons were his first clues. The definitive proof came when he saw a stack of newspapers at a newsboy’s feet. The newspaper was The World, which hadn’t been published for years. The lead story was about President Cleveland, and the date on the front page was “June 11, 1894.”
