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The Third Level four

The document discusses Jack Finney's short story 'The Third Level,' which explores themes of escapism, time travel, and the complexity of the human mind against the backdrop of 1950s America. The main characters, Charley, a sensitive and imaginative man, and his psychiatrist friend Sam, both seek refuge from the insecurities of modern life, with Charley believing in the existence of a mysterious third level at Grand Central Station. The story concludes with ambiguity regarding the third level's existence, suggesting it may symbolize a desire to escape to a more peaceful past.

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8 views28 pages

The Third Level four

The document discusses Jack Finney's short story 'The Third Level,' which explores themes of escapism, time travel, and the complexity of the human mind against the backdrop of 1950s America. The main characters, Charley, a sensitive and imaginative man, and his psychiatrist friend Sam, both seek refuge from the insecurities of modern life, with Charley believing in the existence of a mysterious third level at Grand Central Station. The story concludes with ambiguity regarding the third level's existence, suggesting it may symbolize a desire to escape to a more peaceful past.

Uploaded by

hinduja232003
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THE THIRD LEVEL

-JACK
FINNEY
Jack Finney

⮚October 2, 1911- November


16,1995
⮚American writer.
⮚Known for his science fiction
and thrillers
⮚Major works The body
snatcher and time and again.
⮚Notion dominates in his works
– time slip
THEME OF THE LESSON

⚫Complexity of human mind.


⚫Escapism
⚫Time travel.
⚫Sense of insecurity.
⚫Run away from reality
America of
1950s

Cold war

Fear Insecurit Anxiety


y
MAIN CHARACTERS

⚫CHARLEY

⚫LOUISA

⚫SAM WEINER
CHARLEY

⚫Protagonist and narrator


⚫Super sensitive and highly imaginative who
indulges in flights of fancy.
⚫Loving husband.
⚫True representative of the modern .
⚫Victim of insecurity and indecisions and wants
to escape from the hubdub of the modern world.
More about Charley

⚫Fond of stamp collection, which Sam calls “a


temporary refuge from reality”.
⚫Fascinated by good old simple days of his
grandfather when ‘things were pretty nice
and peaceful.
Charley and the Third Level

⚫ Intrigued by the mystery whether the third level


exists in the Grand Central Railway Station.
⚫ Having been there once, he fails to locate it a
second time.
⚫ Even when he and his wife think that they have
proof of existence, they fail to find it despite their
best efforts.
⚫ Describes himself as an ordinary man in tan
gabardine suite.
SAM WEINER

⚫The psychiatrist.
⚫Perfect in his profession.
⚫Friend of Charley.
⚫His diagnosis is precise and terse.
⚫He does not believe in mixing up his
profession with his friendship.
More about Sam

⚫Clearly tells charley that he is looking for


ways to escape since he is not happy.
⚫Wants to escape from the hub dub of modern
world.
⚫Dubs the narrator’s hobby of stamp collection
to be a “temporary refuge from reality”.
Sam and the Third Level

⚫Later, he too, is affected by the pulls and


pressures of the modern life and in his sub-
conscious mind seeks an escape route, although
he knows the truth very well as he is a
psychiatrist.
⚫In the end of the story, he too ‘discovers’ the
third level of the Grand Central Railway Station
and escapes to Galesburg of 1894.
LOUISA

⚫ Charley’s wife.
⚫ Refuses to accept any criticism, even if happens
to be a positive and rational one.
⚫ The psychiatrist’s observation that hr husband
was ‘unhappy’ angers her and she challenges it.
⚫ She takes this comment as a personal attack on
her responsibility and care as a wife towards her
husband and she feels ‘kind of mad’.
⚫ Loving and caring wife.
More About Louisa

⚫On being told about the ‘modern world is full of


insecurity, fear’ etc. she feels satisfied with the
psychiatrist’s explanation, little realising the fact
that he is saying the same thing in different words.
⚫When Charley talks to her about his predicament
regarding the third level, she gets pretty worried
and advises him not to look for the third level
anymore.
Louisa and the Third Level

⚫However, she is a credulous lady not given to


reason but things on her own.
⚫When Charley tells her about Sam’s
disappearance, she joins him in looking for
the third level ‘every weekend’
OTHER PERSONALITIES REFERRED
TO:

1.President Roosevelt

2.President Cleveland

3. President Garfield
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT

⚫Franklin Delano Roosevelt.


⚫Born : 30 January 1882
⚫Died: 12 April 1945,
⚫an American politician
⚫often referred to by his initials FDR.
⚫served as the 32nd president of the United
States from 1933 until his death in 1945.
PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND

⚫Stephen Grover Cleveland


⚫Born: 18 March 1837.
⚫Died: 24 June 1908.
⚫An American politician and lawyer.
⚫The 22nd and 24th president of the United
States.
⚫The only president in American history to serve
two non-consecutive terms in office.
PRESIDENT JAMES GARFIELD

⚫ James Abram Garfield

⚫ Born: 19 November 1831.

⚫ Assassinated: 19 September 1881.

⚫ was the 20th president of the

⚫ United States.

⚫ He is the only sitting member of the United States


House of Representatives to be elected to the
presidency.
Reactions to Charley’s finding the Third Level

Charley’s friend Sam, the


psychiatrist described the
third level as a waking
dream wish fulfilment. He
said it was an attempt to
escape from the modern
world which is full of fear
and worry.

Charley’s friends agreed to


this and said that his
hobby of stamp collection
was a temporary refuge
from reality
Major Changes in Third Level

Leg of Mutton Sleeves

Handlebar moustaches
Major Changes in Third Level

Fancy Sideburns

Open flame gaslights


Major Changes in Third Level

Brass Spittoons

Currier and Ives


Locomotive
Suspicions Confirmed

• A Copy of ‘The World’ dated June 11 1894


• Suspicions confirmed that he had travelled to the past
• ‘The World’ had stopped publishing long ago.
Escape from the Third Level

• Charley tries to buy two tickets for Galesburg.

• Tries to pay with the currency in his pocket.

• Clerk accuses him of paying with fake currency

• Charley remembers that his currency was not


valid in the past.

• He escapes back to the second level fearing


trouble
Disappointment for Charley

• Charley exchanges all his savings for old


style dollar bills. He had to pay a premium.

• But he never found the third level again


First Day Cover

It is an envelope (with a
stamp on it) that stamp
collectors mail to
themselves on the first
day of its sale to mark the
date. The are usually
empty and not meant to
be opened.
Sam’s Letter to Charley

• The letter was addressed to Charley.

• In the letter Sam had informed Charley that he was


living on the third level.

• He had also told Charley and his wife to keep looking


for the third level.

• Sam and Louisa started looking for the Third Level.


Conclusions

• Existence of the Third level is not clear.

• May be a product of Charley’s imagination

• Story can also be interpreted as a Science Fiction


dealing with time travel

• Third Level is a symbol of escape from the present


world full of war, worry and anxiety to a much more
peaceful past.

• War only causes deaths on both sides. War must be


avoided.

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