Elevator Notes

1. Why did Martin feel nervous in the elevator from the very first day?
Martin felt nervous in the elevator from the very first day because it was a very small elevator
in an old building and could carry only three people. He was always uncomfortable in
elevators, afraid they would fall, but this one was especially unpleasant. The poor lighting,
dirty walls, the door that never stayed open long enough and slammed shut with a loud
clanging noise, and the way the elevator shuddered as if exhausted, all made him nervous.

2. Why didn’t Martin take the stairs instead of the elevator?

Martin had tried the stairs once after school. The stairs were worse. There were no windows,
the lights were not working, and his footsteps echoed behind him on the cement, as though
someone else was climbing. By the time he reached the seventeenth floor, he was gasping for
breath.

3. What did Martin’s father say when Martin avoided the elevator?
Martin’s father frowned at him and asked why he didn’t take the elevator. He said, “You’re
not only skinny and weak and bad at sports, but you are also a coward.” After that, Martin
always took the elevator.

4. Describe the fat lady who got into the elevator.

The fat lady wore an old green coat that ballooned around her. She was so big that her coat
brushed against Martin and he had to squeeze into a corner. She had large fleshy cheeks, no
chin, just a huge mass of neck. Her blue eyes were tiny but sharp, and seemed to be boring
into Martin’s face.

5. How did the woman’s behaviour disturb Martin?

She turned around and stared at Martin instead of facing the door. She didn’t stop staring, and
even when Martin looked away, she kept watching him. He felt nervous, as she never stopped
looking at him.

6. Why was Martin confused about where the fat lady lived?
Martin had never seen her before and the building was not very big. He wondered if she lived
there or was visiting someone. But it was 7:30 in the morning, too early for visiting.

7. What happened the next time Martin saw the fat lady in the elevator?
When Martin returned from school, the elevator stopped on the third floor, and the fat lady
stepped in. She had green coat, piggish face, blue eyes already staring. She pressed the button
for eighteen, the top floor, and the elevator began to go up.

8. What did Martin think when the fat lady got in at the third floor?
Martin felt it was like a nightmare. He squeaked, “Going up!” and hoped she wouldn’t get in.
But she nodded and stepped on. He watched her pudgy hand press eighteen and felt afraid.

9. What did Martin try to do to avoid her?

Martin wanted to press seven so he could get out and walk up the stairs, but he couldn’t reach
the buttons without touching her, and he didn’t want to do that.

10. What happened when Martin’s father asked him why he was worried?
Martin told his father there was a strange lady who rode with him twice and kept staring. His
father replied, “What am I going to do with you, Martin? Honestly, now you’re afraid of
some poor old lady.”

11. What was Martin’s reaction to his father’s disbelief?

Martin didn’t want to cry in front of his father, so he waited until he got to his room. His
father probably knew he was crying anyway. He slept very little.

12. What happened the next morning when Martin saw the fat lady again?
In the morning, when the elevator door opened, the fat lady was waiting. Martin stood unable
to move. Her expression changed as she saw him. She smiled, and the door slammed shut.

13. Describe what happened when Martin ran down the stairs.
Martin started running down the dark stairs and fell. His father took him to the hospital.
Martin had broken his leg and needed crutches. He could not use the stairs now.

14. What made Martin feel safe later?

On the way back from the hospital, Martin’s father was with him in the elevator. The fat lady
couldn’t get in. Martin thought his father might understand if he saw her. At home, he was
told to rest, and he felt quite safe from the fat lady.

15. What happened at the end of the story when Martin’s father stepped out of the elevator?
Martin’s father said he had to visit Mrs. Ullman. Martin pleaded to go with him. But the door
was already closing. His father told him, “Grow up, Martin.” Martin pressed nine, but the
elevator stopped at ten, where the fat lady was waiting. She moved in quickly and pushed the
Stop button after saying, “Hello, Martin,” and laughing.

16. What made the elevator especially unpleasant for Martin?

Martin was always uncomfortable in elevators, but this one was especially unpleasant. It had
poor lighting, dirty walls, a door that never stayed open long enough and slammed shut with a
loud clanging noise. The elevator shuddered each time it left a floor, as if it was exhausted,
and it seemed too small. It seemed crowded even with only two people.

17. Why didn’t Martin like sharing the elevator with others?
Martin didn’t like it when there were other passengers. He didn’t like to be close to them and
disliked the way people tried hard not to look at one another, staring at nothing.

18. What did Martin observe about the fat lady’s eyes?
Martin noticed that her blue eyes were tiny but sharp. They seemed to be boring into his face.
Even when he looked away, she didn’t stop staring. He wondered if she was still looking at
him.

19. How did the fat lady’s coat affect Martin’s movement?
Her old green coat ballooned around her, and as she stepped into the elevator, she was so big
that Martin was sure he felt it sink under her weight. The coat brushed against him, and he
had to squeeze into a corner. There was no room for anybody else.

20. What was strange about the way the elevator moved when the fat lady was inside?
The elevator seemed to be moving more slowly than usual when she was inside. It trembled
and began to go up only after she pressed eighteen, the top floor. Martin noticed this
peculiarity.

21. Why did Martin hesitate to press the elevator button himself?
Martin wanted to press seven so that he could get out and take the stairs, but he couldn’t
reach the buttons without touching her. And he didn’t want to do that.

22. What did Martin’s father say when Martin told him about the fat lady?
Martin’s father was not looking away from the television when he replied, “Can’t say I
have.” When Martin explained how the woman kept staring at him, his father responded
impatiently, “What am I going to do with you, Martin? Honestly, now you’re afraid of some
poor old lady.”

23. How did Martin feel after talking to his father about the fat lady?
Martin knew he was probably making a mistake but felt he had to tell somebody. He didn’t
want to cry in front of his father, so he waited until he got to his room. His father probably
knew he was crying anyway. He slept very little.

24. What did Martin notice about the fat lady’s behavior the morning he broke his leg?
The fat lady was waiting for him when the elevator door opened. She saw him and her
expression changed. She smiled just as the door slammed shut. This silent smile unsettled
Martin.

25. How did Martin injure himself?

Martin started running down the stairs. The stairs were dark and he fell. As a result, he broke
his leg and had to walk on crutches.

26. What did Martin suspect about the fat lady’s smile after his fall?
Martin wondered if that was why the fat lady had smiled. He questioned whether she knew
what would happen and whether she had expected him to fall. This thought added to his
dread.

27. Why did Martin feel safer once he was back from the hospital?
He felt quite safe because he couldn’t use the stairs anymore and his father was with him in
the elevator. There was no room for the fat lady to get in, and if she did, his father would see
her and maybe understand.

28. What was the significance of Martin’s father pressing number nine at the end?
His father said, “Oh, I almost forgot,” and reached out to press number nine. Martin, trying
not to sound afraid, asked, “What are you doing?” The gesture indicated Martin’s continued
fear despite trying to hide it.

29. What did Martin plead when his father said he was going to visit Mrs. Ullman?
Martin pleaded, “Let me go with you. I want to visit her too!” He was struggling to move on
his crutches, indicating his desperation not to be left alone in the elevator.

30. How does the story end, and what makes the ending chilling?
The elevator stopped at ten. The fat lady was waiting. She moved in quickly, and Martin was
too slow to get out. The door closed, and the elevator began to move. She said, “Hello,
Martin,” laughed, and pushed the Stop button. The sudden and deliberate act created a
chilling and unresolved ending.

Reference to Context 1

“She was so big that her coat brushed against him, and he had to squeeze himself into a
corner. There was no room for anybody else. The door closed quickly behind her, and instead
of facing it, she turned around and stared at Martin.”

i. Who is being described here?

The fat lady who got into the elevator at the fourteenth floor is being described.

ii. How did Martin feel in this situation?

Martin felt extremely uncomfortable and nervous. He was forced to squeeze himself into a
corner, and her act of staring made him anxious.

iii. Why did the woman’s behavior make Martin uncomfortable?

Her behavior was strange and unsettling. Instead of facing the door, she turned around and
stared at Martin, making him feel watched and trapped.

iv. What does the act of turning around and staring signify about the woman’s character?
The act suggests that she is menacing and intrusive. It gives her an eerie, possibly predatory
presence, heightening the suspense in the story.

Reference to Context 2

“Martin looked away, but the woman didn’t turn around. Was she still looking at him? He
glanced at her quickly, then looked away again. She was still watching him.”
i. Why did Martin avoid meeting the woman’s gaze?
He felt afraid and disturbed by her constant staring. It made him feel vulnerable and trapped
in the confined space of the elevator.

ii. What emotion does this repeated act of watching convey to the reader?
It conveys a sense of fear, discomfort, and growing suspense. The woman’s silence and stare
create an atmosphere of psychological tension.

iii. How does this moment contribute to the suspense in the story?
It increases the reader’s unease and mirrors Martin’s rising anxiety. The uncertainty of the
woman’s intentions adds to the mystery.

iv. In what way does this scene reveal Martin’s psychological state?
It reveals Martin’s deepening fear and helplessness. He is too afraid to confront her or even
look at her directly, indicating his timid nature and emotional distress.

Reference to Context 3

“Can’t say I have,” he replied, not looking away from the television.

i. Who is the speaker of this line, and whom is he addressing?

Martin’s father is speaking to Martin.

ii. What had Martin asked just before this reply?

Martin had asked his father if he had ever noticed a strange lady in the elevator.

iii. What does this response show about the speaker’s attitude towards Martin’s concern?
It shows that the father is dismissive and uninterested in Martin’s fear. He is more absorbed
in watching television than listening to his son.

iv. How does this moment affect Martin emotionally?

Martin feels neglected and alone. He realizes that his father will not understand or validate
his fear, making him feel more isolated.

Reference to Context 4

“She was in the elevator with me twice today. She just kept staring at me. She never stopped
looking at me for a minute.”

i. Who says this, and why is it important?

Martin says this to his father. It is important because it shows his growing fear and
desperation to be understood.
ii. What does this repetition of “staring” and “looking” suggest?
The repetition emphasizes how disturbed Martin felt. It underlines the intensity and
persistence of the woman’s gaze.

iii. How does this line deepen the reader’s understanding of Martin’s fear?
It shows that his fear is not just physical, but psychological. He feels watched and haunted,
even when others dismiss his feelings.

iv. Why is Martin’s need to share this significant in the context of the story?
It shows his vulnerability and search for reassurance. His father’s dismissal later reinforces
his emotional isolation and helplessness.

Reference to Context 5

“Afraid to be in the elevator alone?” said his father. “Grow up, Martin.” The door slammed
shut.

i. What triggered this reaction from Martin’s father?

Martin had pleaded to go with his father to visit Mrs. Ullman. His father misunderstood it as
cowardice.

ii. What is the tone of the father’s remark, and how does it contrast with Martin’s state of
mind?
The father’s tone is mocking and impatient. It sharply contrasts with Martin’s fearful,
desperate mental state.

iii. How does this line serve as a turning point in the story?
It marks the moment Martin is left alone in the elevator again, setting up the climax. The door
slamming shuts off any protection.

iv. What literary device is used in the phrase “The door slammed shut,” and what effect does
it have?
The phrase uses onomatopoeia and symbolism. It creates a dramatic sound effect while
symbolizing Martin’s isolation and fear being sealed in.

Reference to Context 6

“Hello, Martin,” she said, and laughed, and pushed the Stop button.

i. When and where does this moment occur in the story?

It occurs at the end, in the elevator, after Martin’s father steps out and leaves him alone.

ii. What is the significance of her knowing Martin’s name?

It implies she has been observing him closely and possibly following him. It adds to the
story’s eerie and sinister tone.

iii. What is the implication of her pushing the Stop button?

It suggests that something dangerous or unpredictable is about to happen. It traps Martin
inside, raising fear and uncertainty.

iv. Why is this line an effective ending for the story?

It leaves the story on a chilling and unresolved note. The woman’s laughter, the Stop button,
and Martin’s helplessness create suspense and horror, making the ending memorable.

1. Explore the theme of fear in “The Elevator.”

The central theme of fear is portrayed through Martin’s intense discomfort with the elevator
and his growing dread of the fat lady. From the beginning, Martin is described as a “thin
twelve-year-old” who “felt nervous in it from the first day.” The elevator itself is depicted as
“very small,” “dirty,” and “shuddering as if it was exhausted,” amplifying his sense of
claustrophobia.
The fear becomes more psychological when the woman appears. She has “large fleshy
cheeks, no chin, just a huge mass of neck,” and her “tiny but sharp” blue eyes “seemed to be
boring into Martin’s face.” Her silent, constant staring and inexplicable appearances at
different floors escalate his paranoia.
The climax of fear occurs when she says, “Hello, Martin,” laughs, and pushes the Stop
button, trapping him inside. His fear, dismissed by his father throughout, becomes
terrifyingly real.

2. How is isolation shown as a recurring theme in the story?

Isolation in “The Elevator” is both physical and emotional. Martin is physically isolated in
the elevator—“a very small elevator” where even “two people” made it feel “crowded.” The
building is old, the elevator claustrophobic, and the stairs dark and echoing, with “no
windows” and “lights not working.”
Emotionally, Martin is isolated from his father, who mocks his fear. When Martin asks about
the woman, his father replies without interest: “Can’t say I have,” continuing to watch
television. Later, he taunts Martin, “Honestly, now you’re afraid of some poor old lady?”
Martin’s emotional loneliness is reinforced by his need to cry secretly in his room and the
line: “His father probably knew he was crying anyway.” Even when injured, Martin is left
alone in the elevator again. The final moment, when the door shuts and the woman says,
“Hello, Martin,” solidifies his complete isolation—trapped, unheard, and vulnerable.

3. Discuss how the theme of bullying appears in the story.

The theme of bullying is subtle but significant. Martin’s father frequently belittles him. He
calls him “skinny and weak and bad at sports,” and labels him “a coward.” These verbal
attacks reduce Martin’s confidence and silence his voice.
At school, it is mentioned that Martin had to “get used to being bullied.” The same
resignation is seen in how he tries to get used to the elevator. Even when genuinely scared, he
is mocked by his father: “What am I going to do with you, Martin?”
The fat lady’s presence echoes a form of silent bullying—her dominating physicality, her
refusal to break eye contact, and her unpredictable appearances unsettle Martin. Her pressing
of the Stop button and the words, “Hello, Martin,” can be interpreted as the culmination of
both physical and psychological intimidation.

4. How is suspense created and sustained in “The Elevator”?

Suspense is masterfully built from the opening. The elevator itself is a source of tension—it
“shuddered,” was “too small,” and had “dirty walls.” Martin’s nervousness is introduced
from the first paragraph.
The suspense intensifies with the arrival of the fat lady. Her physical description—“piggish
face,” “ballooning green coat,” “huge mass of neck,” and her silent, staring eyes—adds to the
creepiness. Her repeated and unexplained appearances on different floors, her knowing stare,
and the strange delay in elevator movement (“The elevator trembled and began to go up”)
sustain the eerie tension.
Even when Martin tries to escape—by running down stairs or pressing other buttons—he
remains trapped by his fear. The story’s ending, with her final words, “Hello, Martin,”
followed by the Stop button being pressed, leaves the reader in a state of unresolved terror.

5. Examine the theme of parental misunderstanding in the story.

Martin’s father fails to understand or support his son. Despite Martin’s visible anxiety, the
father mocks him: “You’re not only skinny and weak… you’re also a coward.” When Martin
finally confides about the strange lady, the father is dismissive: “Can’t say I have,” and later,
“Grow up, Martin.”
The father prioritizes appearances and toughness, not empathy. Even after Martin breaks his
leg, his father remains “silent on the way to the hospital, disappointed and angry.” There is no
acknowledgment of Martin’s emotional suffering.
This misunderstanding culminates when the father leaves Martin alone in the elevator again.
The act of pressing number nine and leaving him behind—after Martin pleaded, “Let me go
with you”—shows a complete lack of sensitivity. His final instruction, “Grow up, Martin,”
reveals the tragic extent of his ignorance.

Character Sketch of Martin

Martin, the protagonist of William Sleator’s “The Elevator,” is a twelve-year-old boy, small
for his age, and described as “thin, narrow-shouldered, and frail.” His physical appearance
immediately places him in contrast to the looming presence of the fat lady and the imposing
pressure of the elevator itself—a cramped, mechanical beast that seems to mirror his
emotional state.
From the very beginning, Martin is shown to be a nervous, introspective, and anxious
character. The text reveals that he was “always uncomfortable in elevators, afraid they would
fall,” and this old, creaking one in his new apartment building especially intensifies his fears.
He attempts to avoid it but is forced to use it after his father mocks him: “You’re not only
skinny and weak and bad at sports, but you’re also a coward.” These harsh words reflect how
Martin is constantly belittled by his father, adding to his emotional fragility and loneliness.

Martin’s sense of fear transforms into paranoia with the appearance of the fat lady. Her silent
staring, her piggish face and ballooning green coat, and the way she fills the elevator’s space
all symbolize Martin’s growing psychological terror. Even though her actions are subtle—
staring, pressing buttons, getting in at odd times—Martin’s timid and sensitive disposition
makes him feel helpless and threatened. He is not just afraid of her physical presence but of
what she might do: “Was she still looking at him? He glanced at her quickly, then looked
away again. She was still watching him.”

What makes Martin’s character particularly poignant is his desire to be believed. He tries to
voice his fear, confiding in his father, but his vulnerability is brushed off. His isolation
deepens when even a genuine cry for help is dismissed. He says, “She never stopped looking
at me for a minute,” but his father replies with scorn: “Now you’re afraid of some poor old
lady?”

In the story’s chilling conclusion, Martin is left alone in the elevator—injured, desperate, and
trapped—as the woman presses the Stop button and says, “Hello, Martin,” laughing. It is a
powerful end that underscores the fragility of a child’s psyche, the horrors of being
dismissed, and the terror of being believed too late.

Martin’s character is a quiet echo of the fears we carry alone—of being small in a vast world,
unheard among adults, and haunted by things that others cannot or will not see.

Character Sketch of The Fat Lady

The fat lady in “The Elevator” is the mysterious, silent antagonist, cloaked in ambiguity and
menace. She is never named, never speaks until the final line, and yet her presence dominates
the story—not with actions, but with stillness, silence, and a stare that pierces like a blade.

Her physical appearance is vividly described: she wears an old green coat that balloons
around her, she has “large fleshy cheeks,” “no chin, just a huge mass of neck,” and “tiny but
sharp blue eyes” that “bore into Martin’s face.” Her body fills the small elevator, and she
displaces not only space but also Martin’s sense of safety. The line “There was no room for
anybody else” takes on symbolic weight, implying that her presence leaves no space for
Martin’s comfort, control, or voice.

Her character is a shadowy embodiment of fear—she never speaks, never moves

aggressively, yet she exerts complete control. Her silence is oppressive, her repeated
appearances are unsettling, and her unpredictability deepens the horror. Whether she lives in
the building or not is never confirmed—“He had never seen her before” and “It was too early
for visiting” only add to the suspense.

In the final moment, when she breaks her silence with a chilling “Hello, Martin,” laughs, and
presses the Stop button, she crosses the line from passive threat to active predator. This subtle
but climactic shift makes her a symbol of psychological terror—an unseen, unspoken fear
that quietly corners the vulnerable until it is too late.

Character Sketch of Martin’s Father

Martin’s father in “The Elevator” is the voice of dismissal, dominance, and traditional
masculinity—a man who values toughness, scoffs at fear, and fails to recognize his child’s
vulnerability. He is portrayed as emotionally distant, often absorbed in television, and quick
to ridicule rather than understand.

From the beginning, he sets the tone for Martin’s internalized shame: “You’re not only
skinny and weak and bad at sports, but you’re also a coward.” These words are harsh and
demeaning, reducing Martin’s self-worth and forcing him to suppress his fear. Even when
Martin expresses genuine distress about the fat lady, the father replies with scorn: “What am I
going to do with you, Martin?” and later, “Grow up, Martin.”

He never listens, never sees. He doesn’t notice the emotional tremor in Martin’s voice, nor
does he question the eerie coincidences. His insistence that Martin be “brave” is not rooted in
love but in rigid expectations. His silence after Martin’s injury—“silent on the way to the
hospital, disappointed and angry”—further highlights his failure as a support figure.

In the end, he presses number nine and leaves Martin alone again in the elevator, despite his
son’s pleading: “Let me go with you!” His decision seals Martin’s fate. His character
becomes a symbol of parental blindness—not just to danger, but to the emotional world of a
child.