Below are the most important exam-focused questions and answers, summary of main ideas, character sketches, literary devices, and quick-revision points for the first poem of Class 11 English, "A Photograph" by Shirley Toulson.
A Photograph: Summary
- The poem "A Photograph" explores memory, loss, and the passage of time by describing an old photograph of the poet’s mother and reflecting on her death.
- It highlights how memories remain, even as life and people change, symbolizing both nostalgia and grief.
Important Questions & Answers
1. What does the word 'cardboard' denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?
Ans.
- "Cardboard" refers to the material of the photo frame and also symbolically to memory preserved but faded with time.
- The use emphasizes the age and fragility of the photograph and the memory it captures.
2. What has the camera captured?
Ans. The camera has captured a joyful moment of three girls — the poet’s mother and her two cousins, paddling at the beach while smiling for the camera.
3. a. What has not changed over the years?
Ans. The sea, which was present in the photograph, has remained unchanged; this contrasts with the transient nature of human life.
b. Explain “the sea… appears to have changed less.”
Ans. The sea stands for permanence/nature: while people age and die, the sea seems unchanged — underscoring human transience against nature’s continuity.
4. What did the poet’s mother’s laughter at the snapshot indicate?
Ans. It reflects fond nostalgia and amusement at childhood memories, as well as a bittersweet acceptance of the passage of time.
5. What is the meaning of "Both wry with the laboured ease of loss"?
Ans. Both the poet and her mother react with subdued sadness and nostalgia, showing that remembering lost times and loved ones is painful yet inevitable.
6. What is the main theme of the poem?
Ans. The poem conveys loss, remembrance, and the fleeting nature of life through the symbol of an old photograph and the memories it stirs.
7. How does the poet express grief over her mother’s death?
Ans. Through the line “It’s silence silences,” the poet conveys that deep grief cannot be described in words and brings more silence.
8. Explain the structure and time phases depicted in the poem.
Ans. The poem moves through three phases: the mother’s childhood (photograph), the mother as an adult recalling childhood, and the poet’s grief after her mother’s death.
9. What does “this circumstance” refer to?
Ans. “This circumstance” refers to the poet’s mother’s death and the poet’s sense of irreparable loss after her passing. It highlights the situation where the poet is faced with her mother’s absence and is left speechless, overwhelmed by grief and silence.
Summary of Character Descriptions
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| Poet’s Mother | Presented as a happy, carefree girl in the photograph; later, as a grown woman, reminiscing about her childhood; eventually revealed to have passed away. |
| Poet (narrator) | Reflects on the photograph and her mother's death, expressing deep grief and loss through the poem. |
| Cousins (Betty & Dolly) | Briefly mentioned in the photograph, representing the circle of childhood and familial connection. |
Literary Devices Used
- Metaphor: “Cardboard” and "transient feet" symbolically represent time and impermanence.
- Imagery: Vivid description of the photo, beach scene, and the unchanged sea.
- Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds ("laboured ease of loss").
- Repetition: Use of words like “silence” to highlight deep personal grief.
- Contrast: Between the unchanged sea and changed lives.
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