A PHOTOGRAPH

Central Idea of the Poem

Shirley Toulson’s poem ‘A Photograph’ is a tribute to her mother. The poem
describes three stages in the passage of time. In the first stage, the photograph
shows the poet’s mother standing at the beach enjoying her holiday with her two
girl cousins. She was around 12 years old at that time. The second stage takes us
twenty or thirty years later. The mother would laugh at the way she and her
cousins were dressed up for the beach holiday. In the third stage, the poet
remembers the dead mother with a heavy heart. The photograph revives a
nostalgic feeling in the poet.

Stanza Wise Explanation

Stanza 1. “The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother’s hands,
And she the big girl — some twelve years or so.”

Word Meanings:
cardboard – very stiff paperboard on which the photograph was pasted
paddling – walking through shallow water in bare feet
big girl – mother is referred to as the big girl as she was the eldest among the
three girls

Explanation: An old photograph of the poet’s mother which was pasted on

cardboard makes the poet recall the old memories of her mother’s childhood. The
photograph is a depiction of her mother’s enjoyable moments at a sea-beach with
her two cousins who were younger to her. They were walking in shallow water
with bare feet near the beach.
The mother was standing in the middle and holding hands of her two cousins,
who were standing on each side. The poet’s mother was twelve years old then. It
shows that the photograph was very old but the poet has kept it very carefully as
it reminded her of sweet memories of her mother’s childhood. The photograph
also indicates how enjoyable her mother’s childhood was.

Stanza 2. “All three stood still to smile through their hair

At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s, that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.”
Word Meanings:
still – without moving or shaking
smile through – smiling faces could be seen through their hair which was flying
over their faces
terribly – extremely
transient – temporary, lasting only for a short time

Explanation: The photograph shows that all three girls – the poet’s mother and
her two cousins – stood still and smiled at the camera when their uncle clicked
their photograph at the sea beach. As the weather was windy at that time, their
hair was flying over their smiling faces. The expression on the faces of the poet’s
mother and her cousins was that of happiness and enjoyment. The mother was
looking very pretty at that time and the photograph was taken a long time ago.
Everything has changed since then; her mother grew up; now she was dead and
the poet was reviving her memories. The only thing that has remained unchanged
is the sea which was washing the feet of all three girls. The mention of the word
‘transient’ indicates the ever-changing lives of human beings as well as the
shortness of their stay on this World, in contrast to the eternality of nature. The
girls’ life changed drastically during this period but the sea has not changed. The
stanza beautifully explains the transient nature of human beings.

Stanza 3. “Some twenty-thirty – years later

She’d laugh at the snapshot. “See Betty
And Dolly,” she’d say, “and look how they
Dressed us for the beach.” The sea holiday
Was her past, mine is her laughter. Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.”

Word Meanings:
snapshot – photograph
dressed us – put on clothes
wry – disgusted
laboured – achieved after a lot of hard work, done with great effort
ease – comfort

Explanation: Even 20-30 years later the mother would look at the photograph and
laugh nostalgically remembering the happy memories of her past. Mother would
look at the photograph and comment on the dresses worn by the cousins Dolly,
Betty and herself.
Sea holiday was her mother’s past and her mother’s laughter has become a thing
of the past for the poet as her mother was now dead. The poet still remembers
how her mother would laugh at the photograph remembering the sea-holiday
with a fondness as well as a sense of loss because that time would never come
back. In the same way poet feels nostalgic thinking about her mother and her
laughter which has become a thing of the past.

The words ‘laboured’ and ‘ease’ are opposite to each other, but describe the same
entity, loss.

Stanza 4. “Now she’s been dead nearly as many years

As that girl lived. And of this circumstance
There is nothing to say at all.
Its silence silences.”

Word Meanings:
circumstance – situation
silences – make someone unable to speak

Explanation: The poet recalls that it is nearly twelve years since her mother died.
The poet is consumed with grief but is left with no words to express her loss and
pain. The poet is totally absorbed in memories of her dead mother. The painful
silence of this situation leaves the poet speechless. The poet can feel the grief but
is unable to express it through words. The silence caused by death makes the
atmosphere gloomy, where no one is able to utter words.

Poetic Devices:
Allusion: An allusion is a reference or an incidental mention of something, either
directly or by implication. An example of allusion in this poem is ‘cardboard’ which
actually refers to the photograph.
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of the initial letter (generally a
consonant) of several words marking the stressed syllable in a line of poem.
Examples of alliteration in this poem are ‘stood still to smile’, ‘terribly transient’,
‘Its silence silences’ etc.
Transferred Epithet: A transferred epithet is a description that refers to a
character or event but is used to describe a different situation or character.
‘Transient feet’ is an example of the transferred epithet in the poem. It refers to
human feet but it is used to describe the lack of permanence of human life.
Oxymoron: In this literary device, there are two opposite ideas that are joined to
create an effect. ‘Laboured ease’ in the poem is an example of an oxymoron.
Laboured meaning with ‘great difficulty’ and ease means ‘comfortably’. Both
words have opposite meanings but here they are clubbed together.
Personification: The example is ‘Its silence silences.’ The situation has been given
the human quality of silence.

Summary:
A Photograph Summary compares the internal state of nature and the
momentary state of humans. In the poem, poetess describes a photograph of her
mothers’ childhood. In the photograph of time when she went for a sea holiday
with her two girl cousins.

The main idea:

In Shirley Toulson’s photography, the central idea is change or mutability. A
photograph records the past and time. Through the photograph, the poet recalls
the time of recent past in present. The speaker speaks about the time when her
mother has been dead.

What does the three paragraphs in the poem a photograph talk about?
The first stanza refers to the childhood days of the poet’s mother when she was
twelve years old or so. The stanza depicts a photograph of her mother when she
went for a beach holiday with her cousins and uncle.
The second stanza refers to the poet’s childhood days when her mother had
become an adult.
The second stanza refers to the poet’s grief and the painful silence of the situation
Due to the death of her mother.

Who are all three in the poem photograph?

In the picture, there are three girls who are walking on the beach holding each
other’s hands. The girl in the middle is the tallest and oldest, the other two girls
on each side are younger than her. The girl in the middle is the poet’s mother.
She is around twelve years old when the picture was taken.

What is the irony in the poem a photograph?

The photograph is ironically a dysphonic one. The state of mother being happy in
the photograph and the happiness of the poet to see her mother in happy state
both are connected to a dark side.

What are the three phases described in the poem a photograph?

1) The first phase depicts the happy childhood of the poet’s mother when she was
of 12.
2) The second phase depicts the happy moments of the poet with her mother at
the beach.
3) The third phase depicts the poet’s sadness because of his mother’s death.

Questions from Textbook

A. Infer the meanings of the following words from the context:
paddling, transient

Answer: ‘Paddling’ means ‘wading’ or ‘walking or standing with bare feet in

shallow water’.
‘Transient’ means temporary.

Think It Out
Question 1: What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this
word been used?
Answer: The word cardboard denotes the photograph pasted on a hard thick
paper. This word has been used to refer to a practice in the past when
photographs were pasted on cardboard and framed with glass front to preserve
them.

Question 2: What has the camera captured?

Answer: The camera has captured the three girls—the poet’s mother and her two
cousins, Betty and Dolly, in their swimming dresses with the poet’s mother in the
middle and the two cousins on either side holding her hands and walking with
feet in sea water.

Question 3: What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something
to you?
Answer: The sea has not changed over the years. Its waves are as fresh, shining
and tireless as they were years ago. The changelessness of sea reminds us of the
changes in human face with advancing age.

Question 4: The poetess’s mother laughed at the snapshot? What did this laugh
indicate?
Answer: This laugh’ indicated her joy at remembering an incident connected with
her past life, when she was quite young and free from the tensions and worries
of life.
Question 5: What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease of
loss”.
Answer: The sea holiday and the laughter of the poet’s mother are incidents of
the past. There is a sense of loss associated with them. Both are amusing yet
disappointing as the state of feeling comfortable or relaxed is unnatural or forced
one. This sense of loss is quite painful to bear.

Question 6: What does ‘this circumstance’ refer to?

Answer: This circumstance refers to the death of the poet’s mother.

Question 7: The three stanzas depict three different phases. Name them.
Answer: 1. The girlhood of the poet’s mother—the period before the birth of the
poet.
2. Her middle age—the period during the childhood of the poet
3. Period after the death of the poet’s mother.

Additional Questions
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1: Which incident has been captured in the snapshot?
Answer: The incident depicts three girls who had gone for a swim in the sea and
were standing still for a short time smiling at the camera. This group photo
captures their joy, buoyant spirits and freedom of girlhood.

Question 2: What do you learn about the poetess’s mother from the photograph?
Answer: The poetess’s mother was a big girl even at the age of twelve. She had a
sweet face and enjoyed swimming as well as wading in sea-water with her
cousins. Years later she laughed at the clothes they had put on for the sea holiday.

Question 3: How did the three girls face the camera?

Answer: They removed hair from their face and stood smiling in the shallow water
near the beach. Betty and Dolly stood on either side of the poetess’s mother,
holding one of her hands.

Question 4: What do you think, made the poetess’s mother laugh?

Answer: The dress and behaviour of her cousins Betty and Dolly made the
poetess’s mother laugh. It is evident that they had put on some quaint dress,
which amused her.

Question 5: The poetess’s mother laughs at her past. How does the poet react to
her past?
Answer: The sea holiday was a past experience for the poetess’s mother. A
glimpse of the photograph perhaps revived some feelings of shared joy and she
laughed. For the poet, her laughter is an incident of the past. It is amusing in ironic
manner. The sense of loss overcomes the pleasure.

Question 6: Why, do you think, does the poetess say nothing about her mother’s
depth?
Answer: The poet has no words to express her reaction to this solemn and painful
incident. Death silences everyone. The extensive quietness and prevailing gloom
silence her.

Question 7: Comment on the tone of the poem.

Answer: The tone of the poem is that of sadness. Shirley Toulson looks at an old
photograph of her mother and is sadly reminded of her mother who is no more.
She mentions about death of her mother indirectly only but this photograph has
made her speechless and silent.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1: What impression do you form of the poetess and the poetess’s
mother after reading the poem A Photograph’?

Answer: The poem presents the poet as a sensitive person who is quite
affectionate towards her mother and is deeply attached to her. She loves ‘her
‘sweet’ face and notes the changes in it as she advances in age. She remembers
all the incidents connected with her life including her laughter on looking at the
photograph. She finds it hard to bear her death. The pangs of separation stun her
to speechlessness.

The poetess’s mother appears as a physically well-formed person with sweet face
and beautiful smile. She has a friendly temperament and free mixing nature. She
has great affection for her two girl cousins and goes with them for a sea-holiday
where they put on quaint dresses. She poses with them smilingly for a snap. Her
laughter on seeing the dresses in the snap shows her fine temperament and good
humour.

Question 2. 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.
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.

Question 3. “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.

Question 4. 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.
Question 5. ‘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.

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