The story is about a teenager named, Sophie who lives with her family. She dreams with her open eyes and always indulges in fantasizing and escaping the realities of life.
One day she thinks about becoming the owner of the boutique and the other day she thought about becoming a fashion designer.
But her friend Jansie who seems to be a little mature tells her that they have to work in the biscuit factory and so she should drop these big dreams and fulfill those who are under their reach.
Sophie while daydreaming also fantasizes about an Irish Footballer Danny Cassey and tells cock and bull stories to her brother Geoff.
Going Places: About The Author
A.R.Barton was an English writer and mainly focussed on writing literary pieces which are laying focus on contemporary problems and daily issues. In this lesson itself, she told and expresses her feelings about what teenagers face during this stage and how they fantasize and indulge in unrealistic dreams.
Going Places: Central Theme
The main gist of the lesson revolves around the protagonist Sophie, who in her adolescence fantasies and daydreams about an Irish football player Danny Cassey. Their family is not well off and they all know about the harsh realities of life and how to cope with it but here Sophie does not try to understand and continuously make concocted stories and lives in her own world.
Going Places: Characters Analysis
1. Sophie
Despite being in a working-class, she daydreams of becoming a fashion designer or owning a boutique. She doesn’t want to accept the reality that in the end, she has to make both ends meet by working in a biscuit factory.
She has an affection towards her brother and she describes her as very handsome, tall but reserved in nature.
She builds castles in the air in front of him by saying that she met Danny and they are going on a date. She has made an image of her in her mind as no bolder and no taller than her.
2. Geoff
He is the eldest child in the family and works as a mechanic. He even owns a motorcycle, which Sophie thinks gives him the advantage to explore the glamorous life.
Geoff on the other hand is more sensible and talks maturely, he doesn’t pay any heed towards her sister’s unrealistic talks as he knows the realities and not to dream so big beyond their reach.
He is reticent and does not have lots of friends to roam and daydream like her. He knows very well does not spare any dreams of Sophie.
3. Janie
She is Sophie’s friend and more sensible and mature to understand the realities. She knows very well that they are earmarked for the biscuit factory.
She tries to explain the same to Sophie but she refuses and continues her illusions. Jansie knows that they all are not meant to dream beyond their reach.
4. Sophie’s Father
He is not named in the story, but the writer describes him as a drunkard and a grim person.
He is very cold in his attitude toward her daughter and doesn’t pay any heed to her dreams and illusions.
He always reprimanded her for telling cock and bull stories; his attitude scared the readers and children.
5. Danny Cassey
He is the story is the famous Irish footballer and the love charm of teen girl Sophie. He has been described as young, bright, and having gentle and soft eyes and Sophie added that he is no bolder and no taller than her.
6. Sophie’s Mother
She is the homemaker of the family and is described as having no affection and attachment toward her family. She wears an apron all the time and is fed up with doing household chores.
Summary Of Going Places Class 12th NCERT
After the character’s sketch, we quickly let’s dive into the summary of going places of class 12th to get a deep and detailed analysis and know what teenagers feel and express during this stage.
The lesson explores the theme of adolescent fantasies and hero worship. It is natural for youngsters to idolize successful people and dream of following in their footsteps. But their dreams drive them away from the harsh realities of life and later on, when this fact dawns on them it becomes difficult for them to come to terms with life.
Sophie and Janie are both in their last year of high school, and both know that they are
destined to work in the biscuit factory as they belong to a working-class family. Yet, Sophie always dreams of big and beautiful things, glamour and glory. She dreams of opening a high-end boutique.
But her ambitions are not rooted in reality i.e., have no relation to the harsh realities of life. In contrast, Jansie, Sophie’s friend, is a realistic and practical girl.
Sophie lives in a male-dominated family where her mother was only a shadow. The men were football fans, and the conversations around the dinner table were about Danny Casey, their Hero.
Sophie wants some attention from her father and brother Geoff and tells them that she met Casey, the wonder boy of football. When she gave the footballer’s detailed physical appearance, he believed her. Also that she had asked for his autograph but since neither of them had a pen or paper, they had decided to meet next week, and Casey had promised to give her an autograph.
But she carries her fantasies too far when she starts to live them. She waits for Casey at her favorite spot and imagines him coming. She tries to balance her excitement by weighing the prospects of his coming with the prospects of his not coming. Her thoughts make her feel sad and miserable. The lesson explores the theme of adolescent fantasies and hero worship.
Sophie and Jansie are both in the last year of high school, and both knew that they
were destined to work in the biscuit factory as they belong to a working-class family. Yet, Sophie always dreams of big and beautiful things, glamour and glory. Her ambitions are not rooted in reality i.e., have no relation to the harsh realities of
life. In contrast is Jansie, Sophie’s friend, a realistic and practical girl.
Sophie lives in a male-dominated family where her mother was only a shadow. The
men were football fans, and the conversations around the dinner table were about
Danny Casey, their Hero.
Sophie wants some attention from her father and brother, and telling them that she
met Casey was her way of drawing their attention toward her. But she carries her fantasies too far when she starts to live them.
Conclusion
The Summary Of Going Places, written by A.R. Barton, tries to explain teenagers’ fantasies and daydreaming. How they all make illusions and start living in their world.
The story tells that the teenage period is all about escaping the harsh realities and showing pseudo maturity to fulfill and accept complex life challenges.
In addition to this, the author feels to accepting the truth of life and dreaming is not bad, but one should, and one can achieve only those dreams that are under his rewatch and to fulfill except this one should be ambitious and hard-working.
Related Articles
