2. A PHOTOGRAPH
BY SHIRLEY TOULSON. …STD IX
• Shirley Toulson's poem 'A Photograph' is a
loving tribute to her mother. The poem
reflects the passage of time and its three
stages. In the first stagethe photograph shows
his mother enjoying a holiday on a beach
along with her two girl cousins. ...
The photograph revives nostalgic waves in the
poet.
3. NOTES
• What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem?
Why has this word been used?
Answer:
• The word ‘cardboard’ in the poem refers to the
photograph of the poet’s mother enjoying a sea-holiday
with her two cousins when she was twelve years old.
• The cardboard stands for the frame that supports and
holds the photograph. It signifies that life is transient
and what remains is an insignificant piece of paper.
4. NOTES
• Question
The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this
laugh indicate?
• Answer:
The poet’s mother was a girl of twelve or so when the
photograph was taken. The photograph has captured the
smiling face of the poet’s mother. She laughed in nostalgia
at the snapshot that was taken years ago and also at the
way all of them were dressed for the beach. She pointed it
out to others. Perhaps they looked funny. This laugh
indicated that the poet’s mother enjoyed remembering her
childhood days, when she was young and free from the
tensions and worries of adult life.
5. NOTES
• Question .
What is the meaning of the line ‘Both wry with the
laboured ease of loss.’
Answer:
The context of the above lines is the mother’s
recollection of her childhood days and the poet’s
recollection of her mother’s laughing face. The mother
had fond memories of her past but there was a sense of
loss of the carefree childhood days. The poet’s loss
referred to here is the loss of her mother through death
and her smile. The memories in each case were beautiful,
but painful to recall as time slipped away so easily.
6. CONTD.
• A Photograph Short Questions and Answers (2
Marks)
• Question 1.
The poet talks about a particular cardboard. How is it
special to her?
Answer:
The poet talks about a particular cardboard to which
is pasted her mother’s photograph taken at the sea
beach. The mother seems to have been enjoying her
sea holiday. The photograph is special as she has lost
her mother sometime back and looking at the
photograph makes her happy as well as sad.
7. contd
• Question
What has the camera captured?
Answer:
The camera has captured some happy childhood
moments of the poet’s mother when she has
gone for a sea holiday with her two cousins Dolly
and Betty. The girls were paddling in the water
and enjoying the moment. The photograph
clicked by the mother’s uncle shows the girls’
innocent smiling faces while their hair was flying
over their faces.
8. contd
• Question 6.
What does ‘this circumstance’ refer to?
Answer:
‘This circumstance’ refers to the death of the poet’s
mother. Whenever she saw the photograph of her
mother, she becomes sad as the photograph brings
sad nostalgic feelings. She gets lost in the old sweet
memories of the past. But she can’t do anything
about it now. She has nothing to say at all about it.
She maintains silence and this silence leads to a
deeper cover of silence.
9. contd
• Question 7.
The three stanzas depict three different phases. What are they?
Answer:
Shirley Toulson’s ‘A Photograph’ describes three phases in time.
• In the first phase, the poet’s mother is described as a twelve year old
girl with a sweet and innocent smile. She is standing on the beach
enjoying a holiday with her two cousins — Dolly and Betty. This was
the phase before the poet’s birth.
• In the second phase, the poet’s mother’s middle age is described,
where she is laughing at her own snapshot. Perhaps the girls were
looking quite funny in the beach clothes.
• The third phase describes the poet’s feelings for her mother, who has
died many years ago. This is the current phase. The photograph
revives nostalgic feelings in her and it leads to a deeper silence.
10. contd
What can you say about the childhood of the poet’s
mother?
Answer:
The childhood of the poet’s mother must have been
filled with fun and happiness. This is clear from the
snapshot of the sea holiday. They are enjoying their
holiday.
• The mother of the poet laughs when looking at the
snapshot even after many years have passed since the
sea holiday. All this shows us that it was a very pleasant
childhood.
11. Contd.
• Question .
What moment does the photograph depict?
Answer:
The photograph clicked by. the uncle of the poet’s
mother depicts a sea-holiday being enjoyed by the
poet’s mother and her two cousins Dolly and Betty.
They are full of smiles in their beach dresses, not
worrying about their flying hair.
12. NOTES
• Question
Were the three cousins camera friendly? Who was taking their
photograph?
Answer:
The three cousins appear to be camera-friendly as they stood at
the sea beach without moving when the uncle took the
photograph.
• Question 5.
The poet’s mother would laugh looking at the photograph. Why?
Answer:
The poet’s mother was in middle age when she looked at that
photograph and used to laugh remembering those golden days
of her childhood, enjoying a sea holiday. She would also laugh at
the beach dresses which looked weird after many years.
13. • Question 6.
What impression do you form about the poet’s mother?
Answer:
The poet’s mother was very pretty at the age of twelve. She
enjoyed the sea holiday. This is indicated by the happiness that she
gets in middle age after looking at her childhood photograph.
• Question 7.
The sea ‘appears to have changed less’ in comparison to the three
girls who enjoyed the sea holiday. Comment.
Answer:
The poet compares the mortal nature of human beings with the
eternal nature of the sea or natural objects. With the passage of
time, the poet’s mother died but the vast sea has remained as it
was since the photograph was taken.
14. Long answers
• Question
The poet has paid a tribute to her mother. Similar
instances can be seen in ‘The Portrait of a Lady’. This
made you think that writing about a loved one is much
better than building their statues or drawing their
portraits. Comment.
Answer:
Many writers have paid tributes to their loved ones
through beautiful writing. Khushwant Singh gave an
adorable description about his grandmother through his
story. Shirley Toulson remembered her mother through
her heart-touching poem.
15. NOTES
Answer:In my opinion, writing about a loved one
is much better than building their statues or
drawing their portraits. One can never tell the
true personality of a person just by looking at
their sculptures or portraits. One can never know
about the amazing time someone has spent with
them. That magic can only be created by
words.Words stand the passage of time, whereas
sculptures or portraits may get damaged by it.
Hence, words are the best way by which anyone
can pay a tribute to one’s loved ones.
16. Question
“Its silence silences,” writes Shirley Toulson. The loss of her
mother has silenced her. Do you think that this attitude of the
poet is the right attitude to live life? Why/ why not?
Answer:
There is no doubt that Shirley Toulson has given a very
touching tribute to her mother by remembering her through
her verses. It is apparent that she is very much nostalgic and
is grieving at the loss of her mother. Though she says that
over the years she has adjusted to her mother’s absence, but
circumstances have surely filled her with silence and a deep
void.
17. notes
We cannot deny that it hurts very much to lose
someone, but the attitude shown by the poet at the
end is not the right way to live your life. Life will
keep going on even if we stop to lament our loss.
Loss is universal. It is the law of nature. We cannot
let ourselves get depressed just because of this. It is
also understandable that we will grieve. However,
grieving to the point of hampering the normal
functioning of our lives is not acceptable.
18. Question
“Its silence silences,” writes Shirley Toulson. The loss of her mother has silenced her.
Do you think that this attitude of the poet is the right attitude to live life? Why/ why
not?
Answer:
There is no doubt that Shirley Toulson has given a very touching tribute to her mother
by remembering her through her verses. It is apparent that she is very much nostalgic
and is grieving at the loss of her mother. Though she says that over the years she has
adjusted to her mother’s absence, but circumstances have surely filled her with silence
and a deep void.
We cannot deny that it hurts very much to lose someone, but the attitude shown by
the poet at the end is not the right way to live your life. Life will keep going on even if
we stop to lament our loss.
Loss is universal. It is the law of nature. We cannot let ourselves get depressed just
because of this. It is also understandable that we will grieve. However, grieving to the
point of hampering the normal functioning of our lives is not acceptable.
19. notes
We cannot deny that it hurts very much to lose someone, but
the attitude shown by the poet at the end is not the right way
to live your life. Life will keep going on even if we stop to
lament our loss.Loss is universal. It is the law of nature. We
cannot let ourselves get depressed just because of this. It is
also understandable that we will grieve. However, grieving to
the point of hampering the normal functioning of our lives
is not acceptable.
20. Question
Happy moments are short-lived but provide a lifetime memory. They
provide a cushion to bear the difficulties which the future has in store
for you. Comment in the light of the poem ‘A Photograph’ by Shirley
Toulson.
Answer: Our life is a mixture of happy as well as adverse times. We must
learn to move on with the help of those happy memories which
provided us with so much enjoyment and happiness. As life is not a bed
of roses, everyone at one stage or another is likely to face difficulties.
At the time of difficulties, happy moments can give us solace and fill us
with positivity which is required during difficult times. Happy moments
will certainly provide us with a hope that, as happy moments are short-
lived, so are difficult times. One must learn to cope with the situation.
The memories of happy times can provide us a cushion to bear
difficulties with patience and peace.
21. Question
‘Both wry with the laboured ease of loss.’ The poet is missing her mother. What is the
role of the mother in forming the personality of a child?
Answer: A mother’s role in shaping the personality of a child is of paramount
importance. The child watches his/ her mother intently and learns about the world
and how to react to it at the initial stages. The mother can play an important role by
making the child to deal constructively with mistakes, forgive others, handle
frustration, show kindness and share love.
When a mother is nurturing and caring the child, it will develop a healthy bond with
not only the mother but will be willing to form new relationships with others.
Children and adults both want a sense of independence and autonomy. It is very
important on a mother’s part to offer choices to the child. This makes the child feel
that he/she is smart enough to make choices.
The mother’s thoughts nourish a child’s mind and soul as her personal attention
nourishes a child’s body. She is a child’s first teacher. She tries to imbibe such values
that may help a child lifelong.
