Going Places

• Incongruity: Unsuitability as a quality; something out of place.
• Prodigy: A young kid who possesses outstanding abilities (referring to Danny Casey).
• Chuffed: Incredibly pleased or delighted.
• Solitary elm: A tall, secluded tree (where Sophie imagined meeting Danny).
• Arcade: A promenade or passage with shops and stalls on both sides.
• Amber glow: The lamp’s orange-yellow glow.
• Wharf: A location near water bodies where ships can be loaded or unloaded.
• Pangs of doubt: A quick awareness of apprehension or sharp feeling of uncertainty.

Sophie and Jansie were earmarked for the biscuit factory. They belonged to lower-middle-class families, and despite Sophie’s dreams, this was their likely destiny.

Sophie’s Dreams: She envisioned herself as a boutique owner (like Mary Quant), an actress, or a fashion designer. She planned to be a manager first to save money.

Jansie’s Reaction: Jansie was realistic and “nosey.” She discouraged Sophie because she knew they needed money for such big dreams, which their working-class background couldn’t afford. She wanted Sophie to be sensible.

She wriggled out of fear. She knew her father’s aggressive and short-tempered nature. She knew he would despise her “wild stories” and might get angry. She hadn’t expected Geoff to share her secret so casually.

No, Geoff did not really believe her. He initially said, “It’s never true.” He found it to be “the strangest thing he ever heard” and constantly questioned the details, suspecting she was making it up.

No, her father is skeptical and dismissive. He ignores her at first, talking about Tom Finney instead. When pressed, he warns her, “One of these days you’re going to talk yourself into a load of trouble,” indicating he views it as another one of her “wild stories.”

Sophie was jealous of Geoff’s silence and the “unknown world” he inhabited. She fantasized that he had access to a secret life. In her dreams, she saw herself riding behind him on his motorcycle, wearing a yellow dress with a cape flying behind, as the world rose to applaud them.

Danny Casey was a young Irish prodigy who played for Ireland (and the club United).

Sophie: A daydreamer who escaped reality. She was ambitious, imaginative, but impractical. She lived in a world of boutiques, actresses, and Danny Casey.

Jansie: Grounded and realistic. She accepted her fate at the biscuit factory. She was “nosey” but sensible, warning Sophie against unrealistic expectations.

1. Sophie’s Mind: Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey was entirely a figment of her imagination. She invented it to impress her family, specifically Geoff. Her disappointment when he didn’t show up at the wharf was self-inflicted pain caused by believing her own lie.

2. Benefits & Disadvantages:

• Pros: Fantasizing inspires ambition and hope. It provides an escape from a harsh reality and can drive creativity.
• Cons: It creates a disconnect from reality. When the gap between the dream and reality becomes too wide, it leads to depression, disappointment, and an inability to cope with life (as seen with Sophie’s burden of sadness).

Sophie’s father represents the harsh reality of the working class. He is hardworking but cynical. He is described as heavy, breathing hard, and sitting in his vest at the table. He is a realist who dismisses Sophie’s dreams as nonsense. He loves football (Danny Casey) but treats his daughter’s claims with aggression and skepticism. He is authoritarian and lacks emotional softness.

Sophie liked Geoff because he didn’t speak much. To her, his silence was not emptiness but a container for secrets and “unknown worlds.” He symbolized freedom and liberty—a ticket out of their small, suffocating house and into the glamorous world she desired.

The only real sighting was when Sophie, her father, and brothers went on their “weekly pilgrimage” to watch United play. She saw him from the stands as he ghosted past defenders to score a goal.

• “Words had to be prized out of him like stones…” – It was extremely difficult to get Geoff to speak; it required physical effort.
• “Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.” – A physical reaction to fear or anxiety (fear of her father).
• “If he keeps his head on his shoulders.” – If he remains sensible and doesn’t let fame make him arrogant.
• “Weekly pilgrimage.” – Their devotion to football was religious; going to the stadium was a sacred ritual.
• “Ghost past the lumbering defenders.” – Danny moved so quickly and silently that he seemed like a spirit, while the defenders seemed heavy and slow.

The present participle (verb + ing) is used to show two actions happening simultaneously.

Examples:

• “Sophie said, coming home from school.” (Main action: Said. Simultaneous: Coming home).
• “Jansie, linking arms with her…” (Main action: Looked doubtful. Simultaneous: Linking arms).

The movie Chain Kulli Ki Main Kulli explores similar themes. Karan, an orphan, finds a bat he believes was used by Kapil Dev in the 1983 World Cup. This “magic bat” gives him the confidence to play for India. Like Sophie, he creates a fantasy connection to a sports icon. However, unlike Sophie, he eventually learns that the magic was inside him, not the object/person he worshipped.

Interview Questions for a Role Model:

1. Why and when did you decide to pursue your current field?
2. What does success mean to you beyond money or fame?
3. How do you handle stress or failure?
4. What do you do in your leisure time to stay grounded?
5. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?