Going Places Class 12 English Summary of the Story
SUMMARY OF THE STORY
‘Going Places’ is the story of an adolescent girl called Sophie, who, like many of her age, is filled with fantasies and desires. She comes from a poor family. She wishes to own her own boutique after school. If not that, she is very certain that she can become an actress or a fashion designer. Her friend, Jansie, tells her that dreams come true if you have money or experience.
Sophie lives in a house, which is very small for the number of people in her family. Her family does not believe her, as she is known to make up stories and scenarios in her head that are far from reality. Her elder brother Geoff, who does not let anyone enter his life, fascinates her. He is strong, handsome and tall. She is jealous of his silence and wants him to take her on bike rides. Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey, an Irish football player, whom she had seen playing in innumerable matches. Sophie imagined that Danny was in love with her and loved her. She thought that she too loved him. She was very excited and shared the treasured secret with her brother Geoff. He was skeptical of his sister’s claim but she convinced him eventually. Sophie told him that she was looking at the clothes in Royce’s window when Danny he came and stood beside her. She described his appearance to convince her brother. When her father entered the room, Geoff told him about Sophie’s encounter with Danny Casey. Her father responds that if Danny remains focussed then he might be a better player. Sophie said in favour of Danny that his ability is not to be questioned. When the father is informed that Sophie said that Danny was going to buy a shop, he dismisses them by calling it another of Sophie’s wild stories and states that she is going to get herself in trouble one day.
The next Saturday, Sophie went to watch the customary United match with her family. United won two-nil and Casey drove in the second goal. Sophie’s face glowed with pride at the exemplary genius of Danny Casey. The next week Jansie interrogated about her encounter with Casey. She told her that Geoff had told her brother, Frank, who let Jansie know. Sophie wished that Geoff had kept it a secret between them but then she convinced Jansie that it was indeed the truth and made her promise to keep it a secret.
Sophie was relieved to know that Geoff hadn’t told Frank about her meeting with Casey the next week.
After dark, Sophie walked by the canal and sat down on a wooden bench under a solitary elm tree where lovers sometimes came. While waiting, Sophie imagined Danny coming. She imagined her own excitement at the prospect of his arrival. Not until sometime had elapsed, she began to think that Danny wasn’t coming at all. Her worries were not emotional but about the failure of her love. She rose to go back. Yet she hoped against hope that Danny would meet her in the arcade in front of the Royce’s Store. But Danny never turned up. Sophie’s fantasy came to an end. However, Sophie still fantasises about her hero, unperturbed.
Going Places Class 12 English Character Sketch
CHARACTER SKETCH: Sophie
Sophie has been portrayed as the central character in the story ‘Going Places’. She perfectly represents the girls of her age in poor families.
Sophie always lives in a dream world, dreaming impossible things.
The opening scene of the story clearly tells what sort of girl she is.
She is not ready to accept the reality of her family’s condition and dreams of having a boutique of her own.
She makes up the story of meeting Danny Casey, a charming and upcoming footballer. Nobody believes her but she refuses to accept that it is only her fantasy. Rather, she starts believing that she has met him and to prove that she is telling the truth and makes up another story that she has fixed a date with him. She is so lost in her dreams that she actually goes to the canal and waits for him but he does not show up. She knows that he will not come, but still she becomes sad. On the whole, we can say that she was adamant who did not listen to anybody except her heart which always created problems for her.
CHARACTER SKETCH: Jansie
Even though Sophie and Jansie were of the same age, their characters were poles apart. Jansie unlike her friend Sophie was a very practical and down-to-earth person.
She belonged to a middle class family. She knew they were all going to work in the biscuit factory after leaving school and hence, did not entertain Sophie’s absurd ideas and imaginations. She did not have high ambitions in life like Sophie. Though she was sensible and practical, she was nosey and she loved to gossip.
