Notes Of Going Places

Theme of the Lesson

The short story “Going Places” explores the hopes and desires of young people as well as the anguish of
broken dreams and unfulfilled promises. Along with the teenage fantasising and hero-worship, it deals
with the intricacies of human relationships.

This story’s central theme is hero worship and teenage fantasies. Teenagers often have irrational
expectations, especially if their families are struggling. This is due to the fact that a young person’s
socioeconomic background has a significant impact on the job they choose to pursue. If the fantasy is
too far fetched for a person, it might result in misery. We see the main character as building castles in
the air which is a pointless activity.

Going Places Summary

Sophie and Jansie are two teenagers who are coming back from school. They both work in a biscuit
factory. Sophie is lost in her imagination of owning a boutique shop and becoming famous like Mary
Quaint, a fashion designer. Jansie tells her not to dream big as it requires lots of money which they don’t
have. To this she replies that she will become an actress, earn a lot and then own a boutique. Jansie
being a realistic person does not support her thoughts. On reaching home Sophie feels choked in that
small house which is full of the stove’s steam and looks untidy because of the dirty dishes. Her father is
eating and her mother is busy in the kitchen. She goes to meet her elder brother Geoff, who is a trainee
mechanic and is busy repairing some motorcycle part. Geoff talks very less about his personal life which
made her imagine of his personal life which she considers very interesting and wants to be part of it. She
shares a secret with him that she met Danny Casey the famous footballer in a boutique. Her brother and
her father do not believe her. But she tries to make them believe this. She also tells her brother about
her date with Casey. Her brother does not believe her but gives her a chance to believe her story. On
Saturday Sophie and her family go to watch a football match as all of them are great fans of football.
Their favorite team wins due to a goal made by Casey. All of them feel so overjoyed. When Sophie
returns home with her little brother Derek, Jansie questions her about the reality behind her meeting
with Danny Casey. Sophie gets angry with her brother because of letting her secret out but tries to
handle the situation and succeeds. She then visits a secret place near a canal to meet her hero Casey
who doesn’t show up. She knows that it was just her imagination but she was so lost in his love that she
doesn’t want to come out of this. In the end she returns back to her home with sadness in her heart. But
when she comes across the Royce’s boutique, she again finds herself lost in her hero’s dreams.

Q1- Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends. What were the differences between them that
show up in the story?

Ans: Sophie and Jansie were totally opposite of each other though they were friends. Sophie was always
lost in her dreams. She wanted to lead a life full of luxury and sophistication. She dreamt of owning a
boutique, be like Mary Quaint or an actress and wanted to become rich and famous. On the other hand,
Jansie was a girl who had a realistic approach towards life. She knew that they came from a poor family
and were working in a small factory. Therefore, she did not involve herself in daydreams like Sophie.
Rather she tried to teach her that such dreams required a lot of money and a meager salary from the
factory was not enough to fulfill such dreams.

Q2- How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father?

Ans: Sophie’s father is a plump and aggressive person. Sophie fears his anger. He doesn’t believe in the
wild stories of his daughter but as a caring father, he reminds her not to make such stories as this could
lead her to trouble. He is a football fan because he visits the football ground with his kids, every
Saturday, to watch his favorite team ‘United’ play the match. He also wishes Danny Casey to become
like Finney and enjoys the winning of his team by visiting the pub.

Q3- Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did
he symbolise?

Ans: Geoff was an introvert type of person and so he spoke less about himself. This made Sophie like
him as she thought that he visited some secret places that were full of interesting people. So, she tried
to win his affection in order to get a chance to ride with him to that special place where she would visit
by wearing a beautiful yellow dress. She also imagined of being welcomed by the crowd there. Sophie
wanted to live that beautiful life which was full of colours and happiness that Geoff lived but she could
not.

Q4- What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of her family’s
financial status?

Ans: Sophie belonged to a lower middle class family. She lived in a small house with her family. When
she returned home from school, she felt uncomfortable because of the steam and the untidy look of her
house. Her mother was stooping because of the burden of the work she did. Her father was a labourer
and her elder brother was a mechanic. She also worked in a biscuit factory in order to support her
family. Such things indicated that Sophie belonged to a lower middle class family.

Q1 Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from having dreams?

Ans. Jansie and Sophie both belonged to low middle class families. They did not have any means to fulfil
their ambitions and dreams Jansie had calmly accepted her fate. But Sophie was a very ambitious girl.
She had very unrealistic dreams and fantasies. Jansie knew that her friend had to meet disappointment
in the end. Therefore she discouraged Sophie from having dreams.

Q2 What did Sophie think of doing after her school?

Ans. Sophie was a highly ambitious girl. First she decided to open a boutique, then she thought of
becoming a manager to start with. She also thought of becoming an actress.
Q3 Why did Sophie long for her brother’s affection?

OR

Why did Sophie like her brother more than any other person? (CBSE 2010)

Ans. Sophie liked her brother more than any other person. But he was very introverted. He would not
tell any of his secrets. However he was the only person who listened to Sophie’s wild stares: Therefore.
Sophie longed for her brother’s affection.

Q4 Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her meeting with Danny? (CBSE 2011)

Ans. Sophie thought if Jansie came to know about her meeting with Danny, she would tell everyone.
Then thousands of people would come to her house and it would make her father very angry. She
thought that her father could then possibly murder her.

Q5 Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from entertaining thoughts about the sports star Danny Casey?
(CBSE 2011)

Ans. Jansie knew her friend Sophie well. She knew that Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey was just her
imagination. She wanted Sophie to be practical. She thought such thoughts would create troubles for
Sophie Therefore she discouraged Sophie from entertaining thoughts about the sports-star Danny
Casey.

Q6 It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams? What would you say are the benefits and
disadvantages of such fantasizing?

Ans. Teenage is considered the best period in a person’s life. In this age the person has maximum energy
and he is free from every responsibility. But it is also the age when the person has dreams and fantasies.
Every teenager has some role model. Also it would be beneficial for the person if he goes into the
direction of his/her dreams diligently. But mere fantasising and dreaming bring nothing but
disappointment.

Q7 Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing: Why did Sophie say so? (CBSE 2010)

Ans Sophie told her brother, Geoff about her meeting with Danny Casey She was sure that he would not
tell anybody her secret. But on the other hand, Geoff told that secret to Jansie’s brother and Jansie
asked Sophie about it Sophie became very angry with her brother and said, Damn that Geoff, this was a
Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.
Q8 How did Sophie’s father react when Geoff told him about her meeting with Danny Casey?

Ans.Sophie’s father turned his head on his thick neck to look at her. His expression was one of disdain.
Sophie told him that Danny Casey was going to buy a shop. At this her father muttered This is another of
your wild stories. One of these days you’re going to talk yourself into a load of trouble” This shows that
the old man knew his daughter very well.

Q9 What is Geoff’s profession? How is he different from his sister?

Ans. Geoff left his school three years ago Now he works as an apprentice mechanic. He has to travel to
his work to the far end of the city. But he is very introverted. He is not a daydreamer like Sophie But he
loves his sister very much so he listens to her wild stones patiently.

Q10 Who was Danny Casey? How can you say that the members of Sophie’s family were great fans of
his?

Ans. Danny Casey was a young football player. He played for the United Sophie and the members of her
family were a great fan of his Sophie even started dreaming to have a date with him. Her family went to
see a football match in which Danny was playing.

Q11 Do you think that Sophie’s meeting with Danny actually happened or it was just a part of her
imagination?

Ans. It appeared possible that Danny might have met with Sophie at the arcade it also appeared possible
they might have talked a bit. But it didn’t appear to be possible that Danny would have called her to
meet the next week. The last part of her story is highly improbable; it was just a part of her imagination.

Q12 What thoughts come to Sophie’s mind as she sit by the canal? (CBSE 2011)

Ans. Sitting by the side of the canal Sophie waits for Danny Casey to come. The time keeps on passing.
She starts feeling pangs of doubt inside her. Then she remembers Geoff saying he would never come.
She thinks that she will never be able to prove that the others were wrong to doubt her.

Q13 Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny?
Ans. Sophie didn’t want Jansie to know her story about Danny Casey. She thought that Jansie would fill
everyone in on it. Then the people would come in large numbers to know about it in detail Sophie was
very afraid of her father. She feared that her father would become furious. He could also murder her.

Q14 Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey?

Ans. It is very difficult to say whether Sophie met with Danny Casey: She might have seen hun from a
distance and then she weaved the whole story about her meeting with him in her mind.

Q15 Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did
he symbolise?

Ans. Sophie liked her brother because she had full faith in him. She thought that he would never let her
secrets out. Therefore, she used to share her secrets with Sophie’s brother and spoke very little. Sophie
thought he was a symbol of some exotic and interesting world. Q1 Sophie lives in a world full of dreams
which she does not know she cannot realise. Comment.

OR

Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies. (CBSE 2009)

Ans. Sophie belongs to a low middle class family. She has no means to gain name and fame. Therefore,
she starts weaving in her mind the unrealistic dreams and fantasies. First of all she thinks that she would
open a fine boutique in the city When her friend Jansie tells her that it would take a lot of money to
open a boutique, she says that she would become a manager to begin with. She does not realise that no
one would make her a manager straight off.

Then she thinks of becoming an actress. She takes a chance meeting with Danny Casey as the beginning
of a love affair with him. She dreams of meeting with him. But this and her other dreams are just a
product of her imagination. She doesn’t know how to realise them.

Q2 Describe the bond between Geoff and Sophie in spite of differences in their temperament and
thinking.

Ans. Geoff was Sophie’s elder brother. He was an apprentice mechanic and left his school three years
ago. Unlike Sophie he was very introverted. Sophie was in fact jealous of his silence. But in spite of all
this he loved his sister very much. Sophie would share all her secrets with her Geoff knew that most of
the stories Sophie told him were just a product of her imagination.
But even then he listened to her very patiently. He knew that Sophie’s story of meeting with Danny
Casey was not true. But even then he promised her that he would not let her secret out to anybody.
However, be warned Sophie that Danny Casey was a famous player. He must have a lot of girlfriends. He
knew that Danny Casey would not turn up next week to meet her. He tried to persuade Sophie against
her craziness for Danny in fact Geoff was not only the elder brother of Sophie but also her friend and
guide.

Q3 How different is Jansie from Sophie? Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her.
Bring out the contrast between the two friends, citing relevant instances from the story, “Going Places”.

OR

Sophie and Jansie were class-mates. What were the differences between them that show up in the
story?

OR

Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the contrast between the two
friends citing relevant instances from the story, “Going Places”. (CBSE 2009)

Ans. Sophie and Jansie are classmates and friends But they are poles apart as far as their character and
temperament is concerned Jansie is a very down to earth girl. She knows that she belongs to a low
middle class. She knows her limitations. She has accepted her fate that she has to work in a biscuit
factory as a petty employee after her school education.

On one hand Sophie is an ambitious girl. She too belongs to a low middle class: But she has very
unrealistic ambitions and dreams. First of all, she says that she will open a boutique, then she says she
will become a manager. She also wants to become an actress In fact she doesn’t know what she wants
to become. She weaves a fantasy around a famous football player: She imagines that he would come
and meet her. As a result of her unrealistic dreams and fantasies she has to face disappointment.

Q4 Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her dreams. (CBSE 2012)

Ans. Sophie belongs to a low middle class family. She has no means to gain name and fame Therefore
she starts weaving in her mind the unrealistic dreams and fantasies. First of all, she thinks that she
would open a fine boutique in the city. When her friend Jansie tells her that it would take a lot of money
to open a boutique, she says that she would become a manager to begin with.

She does not realise that no one would make her a manager straight off. Then she thinks of becoming an
actress. She takes a chance meeting with Danny Casey as the beginning of a love affair with them. She
dreams of meeting with him. But this and her other dreams are just a product of her imagination In fact,
Sophie is a woman who lives in her dreams. She doesn’t know how to realise her dreams.
Q5 Teachers always advise their students to dream big yet the same teachers in the classroom find fault
with Sophie when she dreams. What is wrong with Sophie’s dreams?

Ans. It is always good to dream big. But the dreams should also be realistic. We can’t achieve great
heights suddenly as if someone has turned a magical wand Sophie belongs to a low middle class family.
She has no means to gain name and fame: Therefore, she starts weaving in her mind the unrealistic
dreams and fantasies. First of all, she thinks that she would open a fine boutique in the city. When her
friend Janse tells her that it would take a lot of money to open a boutique, she says that she would
become a manager to begin with. She does not realise that no one would make her a manager straight
off.

Then she thinks of becoming an actress. She takes a chance meeting with Danny Casey as the beginning
of a love affair with him. She dreams of meeting with him. But this and her other dreams are just a
product of ner imagination. She doesn’t know how to realise them. We should dream big but for that we
should make constant efforts. Mere dreaming brings disappointment as it happens with Sophie.

Q6 What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie discourage her from having
such dreams

Ans. Sophie was a very ambitious girl. She lived in the world of dreams and fantasies. She told Jansie
that she would open a boutique after leaving the school. At this, Jansie informed her that it took a lot of
money to open a boutique. At this Sophie said she would begin her career as a manager Jansie informed
her no one would appoint her as a manager straight off

Then Sophie told Jansie that she would become an actress since the actress had not to work for the
whole day. She said when she had earned enough money then she would open her boutique. Jansie
knew that she and Sophie were both earmarked for a biscuit factory. She wished that Sophie should not
say such unrealistic things. Jansie wanted Sophie to be sensible and she wanted to discourage her from
such fantasies.

Q7 Sophie is caught between the world she lives in and the world she wants to live in. Elucidate. (CBSE
QUESTION BANK)

Ans. Sophie is a girl who attends school. She inhabits a universe that is far apart from the harsh facts of
life and is filled with fantasy. She has lofty aspirations that are outside the scope of her resources. She
considers opening a boutique. She then considers pursuing a career as an actor. She is also capable of
designing clothing. She stands in stark contrast to Jansie, a friend and classmate. Jansie is sensible and
grounded. She is aware that the biscuit factory has been assigned to both of them.
Sophie worships heroes because of her passionate and idealistic personality. Danny Casey, a talented
young Irish football player, is the hero of her dreams. She now finds him to be romantically fascinating.
Even Geoff reminds her that Casey is a well-known person. She must follow him like many other girls do.
But she is a hopeless romantic. He is constantly on her mind. She sits there day after day seeing Danny
Casey approaching her. She is aware that he never will. She feels helpless and depressed. She carries her
hopes and disappointments with her every day. They do not exist. They are all works of her imagination.

Q8 Evaluate the two different perspectives to life that Jansie and Sophie represent. (CBSE QUESTION
BANK)

Ans.Jansie and Sophie were distinct from one another. Sophie loved to daydream and use her
imagination to create her own imaginary worlds. She showed a desire to rise above her working-class
background and achieve refinement by following her dreams of being a fashion designer or actress.

In contrast to Sophie, Jansie was more grounded and sensible. She made unsuccessful attempts to bring
Sophie back to reality. Jansie’s attempt to remind her buddy that they were designated for the biscuit
factory and extravagant ambitions were out of character for their financial situation shows her maturity
and sensibility.

Q9 Unrealistic dreams often lead to a great deal of unhappiness. Justify the statement on the basis of
the story “Going Places‟. (CBSE SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2018-19)

Ans. Unrealistic dreams often lead to a great deal of unhappiness. One must learn to maintain a healthy
balance between fantasies and reality. Fantasising based on realistic goals or the world around, provides
a means to reach higher ambitions and dreams. Sophie is a day dreamer who likes to live in an imaginary
world. She escapes the harsh reality of the world and dreams of opening a boutique as a side business.
She dreamt of becoming a successful actress.

Sophie’s hero worship and fantasising were in clash with her socio-economic background. She belonged
to a family of meager means and resources. However, her dreams and fantasising were quite extreme.
She could not afford to day dream and be lost in her reveries. In order to make her dreams become
realities, she needed to work very hard, which she did not do. Not only did she suffer from day-dreaming
but also became prone to telling lies. As a consequence, nobody trusted her. She was expected to
believe more sensibly by her father, Geoff and Jansie.