The Third Level Value Points/ Summary
Charlie : 31 year old, office goer, claims visiting the third levels
• Description of the Third level
– Small room, few ticket windows and train gates, wooden and old looking information booth.
– Men had beards, side burns, fancy moustaches
– Women wore skirts, high buttoned shoes and leg of muttons sleeves.
– A man looking at a pocket watch
– Old style locomotive with funnel shaped stack
– Open gaslights being used
– Brass spittoons on floor
– Wants to visit his home town, Galesburg
– Past is quiet and peaceful
– Tries to buy two tickets to Galesburg (one ticket for his wife Louisa)
– Clerk grows suspicious as Charlie doesn’t have old style currency.
– Back to present day world
• People’s reaction to Charlie’s experience
– Presidents of NY railroads swear on the existence of two levels.
– Psychiatrist friend Sam refuses to believe
– Interprets it as an escape from insecurity fear, war and worry of the modern world.
– Louisa too disbelieves Charlie
• Charlie’s determination to find the Third Level
– Withdraws money, buys old currency worth 300 dollars.
– Fails to find the Third Level
– Louisa and Psychiatrist worried.
• Unexpected Ending
– Sam disappears
– Charlie finds a first day cover, never seen before
– Note from Sam dated 18th July 1894 from Galesburg
– Sam asks Charlie and Louisa to come to Galesburg and enjoy quiet and peaceful life.
– Charlie discovers Sam had bought old currency worth 800 dollars.
– Enough to help him start hay and grain business in 1894 at Galesburg
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