| Name | Going Places |
| Subject | English |
| Class | 12th |
| Board | CBSE |
| Author | A.R. Barton |
Going Places-Short Summary
The narrative opens by introducing the reader to Sophie, a teenage girl. She has a lot of desires and dreams, like any other typical adolescent. Sophie comes from a lower-middle class household that faces financial difficulties. She hopes to open a store someday, though. She also hopes to work as an actress and a fashion designer. Her companion Jansie is also more sensible & practical. She is aware that they are forced to work at a biscuit factory because they do not come from stable economic status. Jansie doesn’t have any unrealistic fantasies. She makes every effort to keep Sophie grounded in reality, but Sophie won’t pay attention, despite her best efforts.
Sophie has two brothers & lives with her parents in a small house. She is not afraid to communicate her fantasies and aspirations. Her parents, who are much more mature than she is, do not give it much attention. They do not trust her dreams because they are already dealing with life’s harsh reality. Geoff, Sophie’s older brother, is tall, powerful, and attractive but yet reserved. She finds her older brother to be quite fascinating. This is the case because she becomes jealous of him when he is silent & wonders what he is thinking about.
We also discover that Sophie constantly fantasises about Danny Casey, a young Irish football player. She comes to like him after watching him play in several games. She invents tales about him since she is constantly living in her fantasyland. She gives her older brother, Geoff, a made-up tale about how they first met in the streets. Geoff does not accept her account since he is more logical. He thinks it is extremely impossible that she merely happened to run across such a sensation in the street.
However, Sophie begins expressing realistic details since she is so skilled at losing herself in a fantasy world. Hence, after hearing these specifics, even Geoff hopes that what she was saying is true. She also adds that Danny has guaranteed her that they will see each other again. Sophie becomes so emotionally involved in the fictional tale as a result that she begins to take it seriously. She continues expecting Danny to show up, but sadly, he never does. She is so considering how Danny’s absence will let down Geoff as she makes her way back. But she still has fantasies about him and is confident that they will eventually meet.
About The Author
A.R. Barton is a pseudonym for a British author who has written several short stories for young adults. The author’s real identity is not known, and they prefer to remain anonymous. “Going Places” is one of their most popular stories and is often included in school textbooks in India.
Conclusion
In overview, the Going Places summary teaches us about the innocent fantasies of youth and how reality could surprise us because the world is full of sacrifices & costs that come with big dreams.