Page 1 - E- LESSON NOTES-THE THIRD LEVEL

THE THIRD LEVEL(JACK FINNEY)

In New York, the Grand Central Station has two levels. Nonetheless, Charley a 31-year-old city
resident talks that there exists a third level. Also, he claims that he has been there. To talk about this
problem, he visits a psychiatrist friend. He calls it a “walking-dream wish fulfilment” and explains
Charley’s psychology by saying that “the modern world is full of fear, insecurity, war, and worry….”
and everybody wants to escape to some “temporary refuge from reality.” As for him, hobbies like
stamp collection is an indicator of this escape.

At times the Grand Central Station seems like a maze to Charley. While taking the subway earlier he
had lost his way a couple of times. One time he entered the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. While the
other time he appeared at an office building that was three blocks away. However, this time he loses
his way and something unique occurs. Charley visits the third level!

In the silent hallway, Charley keeps walking, turning left, and sloping downward, until he touches an
architecturally old station, which is totally different from the two familiar levels. Moreover, this old
small room with fewer ticket counters and train gates, a wooden information booth, wavering open
flame gas lights and brass spittoons. All this remind him of the architecture of the 1800s. Further,
he sees people in outdated outfits. When he noticed the date in the newspaper ‘The World’ he sees
11 June 1894. When he tries to buy two tickets, he realizes that he needs old currency.

He always wanted to travel to Galesburg with his wife, Louisa. Back in his head, it is “a wonderful
town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees….” The place has pleasant
and long summer dusks and where people have ample of time. Hence, the next day during lunch,
he exchanges three hundred dollars for old currency amounting to some two hundred only. In
addition, the amount doesn’t bother him as he believes that everything there will be cheaper.
However, he could never again find the corridor that leads him to the third level.

When her wife came to know about this she asks him to stop looking. Unexpectedly, his friend Sam
Weiner also disappears and his wife keeps on looking for him for in the weekends. Moreover, Sam
was the one whom Charley shares his idea about Galesburg.

Charley inherited the hobby of stamp collection from his grandfather. And someday while looking
at the stamp collection, Charley finds a letter that was earlier not there. Also, it has the postmark on
a faded six-cent stamp with a picture of President Garfield. Further, the envelop read as 18 July 1894
to Charley’s grandfather in Galesburg and it addresses Charley.

In the letter, Sam tells Charley that he has reached Galesburg and he invites Charley and Louisa
there. After going to stamp and coin shop he gets to know that Sam exchange eight hundred dollars