A Photograph class 11 Poem 1 English Hornbill Explanation, Question and Answer

A Photograph class 11 Poem 1 English Hornbill Explanation, Question and Answer

A Photograph class 11 Poem 1( English Hornbill ) Summary and Detailed explanation of the Poem along with meanings of difficult words. Also, the explanation is followed by a Question and Answer of the poem and literary devices used. All the exercises and MCQ’s given at the back of the lesson have been covered

A Photograph by

( Shirley Toulson)

A Photograph class 11 Introduction of the Poem

• Shirley Toulson an English Poetess, she was born on 20th may 1924 in henley on Thames, England. However she has spent most of her life in somerset.
• Toulson has worked as a teacher of create writing for adults. between 1967 and 1970, she was the features editor of journal teacher.
• Her 1st collection of stories entitled SHADOWS In An ORCHARD came out in 1960
• Toulson has left this world on 23rd september, 2018
• The poem A” Photograph ‘ is written by Shirley Toulson
• In this poem, she recalls her mother and her memories while looking at a childhood photograph when her mother was twelve years old or so.
• She has been decades twelve years ago and she cannot explain him grief on her mother’s loss

A Photograph class 11 Explanation

The Cardboard shows me how it was when the two girl cousins went padding Each one holding one of my mother’s hands and she the big girl – some twelve years or. so 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 have born. and the sea. which appears to have changed less. washed their terribly transient feet.

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.

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.

Literary Devices

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.

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.

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.

A Photograph class 11 summary

It is a beautiful poem presented as a tribute to her mother by Shirley Toulson. her mother is not alive but her memories in a tangible form like a photograph continue to reside with the poetess. The poem begins with the description of a photograph in which the mother of the poetess ( around 12 years old at that time ) is standing and enjoying holidays at the beach with two of her cousin’s betty and Dolly. Each of them is holding her mother’s hands at the seashore. the photograph was being by an uncle of the poetess and it shows three girls standing at the shore getting their feet washed by seawater. The second describes the period 20 or 30 years later. poetess” mother would laugh at the way they were being dressed up for the beach holiday. here the poetess says that the sea beach holiday was her mother’s past but her mother’s laughter is a past for her now. the photograph revives the memory of losing her mother in the poetess. the third phase describes the death of the mother and tells us that when the poetess looks at the photograph she remembers her mother. she says nothing and accepts the silence of the circumstance.

Conclusion of summary

The poem is actually presenting an ironical situation. On one side it is describing the happiness and happy moments in the photograph. on the other side it is describing the loss and the silence. that prevails after the death of a loved one.

A Photograph class 11 Question and Answer

(Think It out )

Question:1 what does the word” cardboard’ denote in the poem? why has this word been used?

Answer” Cardboard ‘refers to the photograph only. this word has been used because photograph it lost it colur and also clarity of its images.

Question”2 what has the camera captured ?

Answer” The camera has captured some happy moments from the childhood of the poet’s mother. it was a scene taken from a beach where she had gone with her cousins and her uncle for a sea holiday. the girls were padding in the water.

Question”3 what has not changed over the years ? does this suggest something to you ?

Answer” The sea had not changed over the years. it is still the same. the sea symbolizes eternity

Question”4 The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot . what did this laugh indicated ?

Answer” This laugh indicates her remembering has past. she looked back to her childhood with nostagia and remembered the innocent joys of her childhood days.

Question”5 what is the meaning of the line”both wry with the laboured ease of loss”

Answer” The line refers to the sea holiday as remembered by her mother and the poet remembering her mother’s laughing face. both these now belong to the past. her mother is no more now.

Question”6 what does this circumstance” refer to ?

Answer” The Circumstance’ refers to the present situation of the poet wherein the poet is absorbed in the painful memory of her dead mother. looking ‘s laughter the poet also realises that it has been the same number of years since her mother died as her mother’s age in the photograph.

Long Question and answers

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 or 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 status or drawing their portraits. comment

Answer” Many writers have paid tributes to their loved ones through beautiful writing. Khushwant singh gave an adorable description of 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 portraits. one can never know about the amazing time someone has spent with them. that magic can only be created by words.

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 to her mother by remembering her through her verses. it is apparent that she is very much nostagic 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 provides 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. is 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 labored 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 deal constructively with mistakes. forgive others, handle frustration, show kindness, and share the love.

when a mother is nurturing and caring for the child, it will develop a healthy bond with not only the mother but will be willing to form new relationship with others.

Children and adults both want a sense of independence and autonomy. it is very important on a mother’s part of 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.

A Photograph class 11 MCQ’s Question and Answers

Question”1 who is the poet/ poetess of the poem A” Photograph ?

1. Shirley Toulson
2. Rudyard Kipling
3. Elizabeth Jennings
4. Markus Natten

Question”2 what is the poem A” Photograph “about?

1. About poet’s childhood memories
2. tribute to the poet’s mother
3. Poet’s photograph
4. Poet’s father

Question”3 what was the age of the poet’s mother when the photograph was taken ?

1. eleven years old
2. thirteen years old
3. twelve years old
4. fourteen years old

Question”4 when did her mother die ?

1. two years ago
2. five years ago
3. thirteen years ago
4. twelve years ago

Question”5 How many people were in the photograph ?

1. two girls
2. three girls
3. two girls and one boy
4. only her mother

Question”6 which material was the frame of the photograph made of ?

1. Cardboard
2. wood
3. steel
4. plastic

Question”7 who are on both sides of her mother ?

1. Cousins, betty and Dolly
2. parents
3. Cousins, dolly and Adam
4. Friends

Question”8 what are the three of them doing in the photograph ?

1. playing
2. standing besides house
3. holding hands
4. holding hands and went for paddling

Question”9 who took the photograph of her mother with her cousin?

1. Her grandfather
2. Her uncle
3. Her mother’s friend
4. Her grandmother

Question”10 what is the meaning of the word wry?

1. Ironic
2. cry
3. sad
4. None of the above

Question”11 what does “terribly transient feet” mean in the poem ?

1. Her feet represent the mother who changed with time while the sea remained the same
2. temporary
3. age is temporary
4. None of the above

Question”12 what was the favourite memory of her mother ?

1. beach holidays
2. school memories
3. vacations
4. None of the above

Question”13 what would the mother show to her daughter while showing her the photograph ?

1. how her parents dressed her for the beach
2. her cousins
3. her own childhood photograph
4. the background

Question”14 what Oxymoron literary devices was used in the poem ?

1. Terribly transient
2. Through their
3. both wry
4. Laboured ease

Question”15 How many phases were depicted in the poem by the poet ?

1. one
2. two
3. three
4. four

Question”16 what was the last phase in the poem ?

1. after her mother died
2. after she grown up
3. after her mother grown up
4. None of the above

Question”17 what does she feel in the last phase ?

1. pain and grief
2. happy and nostalgic
3. sad and nostalgic
4. pain and nostalgic

MCQ’s Answers

Q.No	Answer	Q.No	Answer
1	A	11	A
2	B	12	A
3	C	13	A
4	D	14	D
5	B	15	C
6	A	16	A
7	A	17	A
8	D
9	B
10	A