Marga Minco’s short story ‘The Address’ is divided into pre-war and post-war times. Actually, the story begins with the narrator visiting 46, Marconi Street to meet Mrs Dorling. She comes back to her town after the war. Her mother is dead. She goes there in search of her mother’s belongings. Mrs Dorling had taken them away to keep them safe and intact.

However, the narrator takes us back to the first half of the war. Normal life is disturbed. The war affects the life of the narrator and her mother. She notices the presence of Mrs Dorling in her house only during this time. Every time Mrs Dorling leaves her house, she takes away one article or the other. She takes away all the silver cutlery and wares in one go. Then comes the turn of antique plates and vases. The narrator’s mother has faith in Mrs Dorling. She is convinced that all her articles will be safe with her during the war. The narrator is not convinced. She doesn’t have faith in Mrs Dorling.

The post-war scene brings normalcy again. People get bread and bed and they can sleep without fear. But the narrator doesn’t feel at peace. She goes to Mrs Dorling in search of her mother’s belongings. During her first visit to 46, Marconi Street, the narrator receives a very cold and indifferent reception. Mrs Dorling even refuses to recognise her. Her words are self-revealing. Perhaps she never expects Mrs S or her daughter to visit her house alive again after the war.

The narrator of the story, the daughter of Mrs S, wants to forget the address. Actually, the narrator goes to 46, Marconi Street to meet Mrs Dorling. She goes there in search of her mother’s belongings. The narrator’s mother hands over all her articles to Mrs Dorling before leaving her town during the war. Mrs Dorling assures her that they will remain safe in her hands. There is no written agreement. The narrator is not at all convinced with this. She has no faith in Mrs Dorling.

After the war the narrator makes an effort to see Mrs Dorling. But the woman refuses to recognize her. She does not give time to her even for talking. Her uncharitable remarks “Have you come back ?” reveal so many things. Mrs Dorling doesn’t want to receive the narrator. Nor has she any intention of returning the belongings of her dead mother to her. During her second visit, the narrator can’t meet Mrs Dorling. She is not at home. Her daughter is alone in the house. The narrator sees everything there. All the silver cutlery, antique plates and big vases are there. But they are useless now. Their true owner is no more in this world. The narrator resolves never to go there again. She wants to forget the address which is of no use to her now.

Marga Minco’s short story ‘The Address’ describes human predicament that follows war. The war had taken even Holland in its grip. People had no safety of themselves and their property. During the war Mrs S was uprooted. She had to leave the city with her daughter. She handed over all her belongings to Mrs Dorling. All her costly silver cutlery, antique plates and vases were taken away by Mrs Dorling.

At last, the war was over. Things began to return to normalcy. The fear of the war gave place to peace. The narrator’s mother died. She was alone when she came back to her town. She went to Dorling’s house in search of the belongings of her mother. She was received very coldly by Mrs Dorling. She even refused to recognise her. She asked her to come at another time. The war upset the narrator and her family. She was alone to face the world. She had no sympathiser. Mrs Dorling proved ungrateful. She didn’t even acknowledge that she owed anything to the narrator.

Certainly, these words of Mrs Dorling to the narrator give some clue about the story. Even when the war was not in its full fury, Mrs Dorling visited Mrs S. The narrator was Mrs S’s daughter. Mrs Dorling’s visits were becoming quite frequent. She used to come and went away with one thing or the other. In this way she went away with all the silver cutlery, vases and antique plates. The narrator’s mother had faith in Mrs Dorling but the girl had no faith in her. They had to leave Holland to save their lives. The war was over. Mrs S, the narrator’s mother, was now no longer in the world. She was dead.

The narrator went to 46, Marconi Street to meet Mrs Dorling. She went there in search of her mother’s belongings. She rang the bell. Mrs Dorling came out. She was shocked and surprised to see a young lady standing there. After the war, the narrator came back to her town. She refused to recognize the girl. The girl reminded Mrs Dorling of her mother. Mrs Dorling only uttered : Have you come back?

Naturally, Mrs Dorling didn’t expect Mrs S or her daughter to come back alive. She didn’t ask her to come inside. Her behaviour was cold and unfriendly. Mrs Dorling very unceremoniously turned the narrator away. She asked her to come at another time.