THE LIVING
PHOTOGRAPH
By Jackie Kay
Sources:
Tan, C. (2016). Understanding new lit: Selected poems, short stories and drama form
4. Johor: Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd.
Appuduray, S. & Kok, A. (2015). Lets score in literature: Selected poems, short
stories and drama form 4. Selangor: Penerbitan Ilmu Bakti Sdn. Bhd.
Illustrations & PPT Slides Prepared by : Mdm. Adlina (teacheradlina@[Link])
LITERAL MEANING
STANZA 1
The persona describes her grandmother as tall and
well-dressed with a kind smile. Her smile comes
from her eyes. On her deathbed, she held the
personas small black hand in her big white hand.
She was not afraid to die.
LITERAL MEANING
STANZA 2
Grandmother, who was tall, became small, hunched
and forgetful. The persona accepts that her
grandmother has passed to the other world, as all
grandmothers do.
LITERAL MEANING
STANZA 3
The persona took a photograph with her grandmother
when she was three years old, When she looks at the
photograph, she feels grandmothers presence. To the
persona, the grandmother is still alive, smiling at her.
FIGURATIVE MEANING
STANZA 1
In the beginning, we are young and we stand tall and
confident. We make sure everything is done properly. We
approach every situation with a smile even as we offer
encouragement to others and receive support in return.
When faced with a difficult situation, we face it bravely.
FIGURATIVE MEANING
STANZA 2
We can feel the challenges when we look around
and see the changes. We begin to lose our grip as
things get too difficult. We may even forget things
but finally, when the situation is out of our hands
and we have to let go.
FIGURATIVE MEANING
STANZA 3
Sometimes, we can look back at our past
experiences and remember the good things that
have shaped our lives. We may have mementos like
photos and certificates to keep our memories alive.
Love and
appreciation
Close family ties
THEMES
Death is a
part of life
Tema
Letting go
Value of
photographs
Memories are
to be
treasured
We should value our
relationship with our
loved ones.
We should
treasure our
loved ones when
they are still alive.
MORAL
VALUES
Nilai & Pengajaran
We must learn to accept
that death is a part of
life and learn to let go.
Keeping a
memento like
photographs helps
keep memories
alive.
Stanza 1:
Nostalgic
Overall:
Sense of
strong
family ties
TONE &
MOOD
Stanza 3: Positive
Stanza 2:
Melancholic
POETIC DEVICES
vSOUND DEVICES
- Alliteration
: tall there / hand holds
- Assonance
: soup forgot to boil / still living
vLITERARY DEVICES
- Symbol
: The photograph is the symbol of close family ties
- Contrast
: straight-back vs hunched / white vs black
- Imagery
: Stanza 1, lines 2-3: image of a prim and proper lady
Stanza 2, line 4: being forgetful
POETIC DEVICES
vLITERARY DEVICES (CONTD)
- Diction
: back round and hunched / crinkled smile / still
living, breathing
vFIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
- Metaphor
: her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye
- Personafication
: her soup forgot to boil << soup personified as someone
who forgot to do something
the crinkled smile is still living, breathing << the smile
means a friendly person
POETIC DEVICES
vFIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (CONTD)
- Irony
: The title itself is an irony. The use of the term
living to refer to a person who has passed away
- Foreshadowing : Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye
foreshadows the grandmothers death in the next
stanza
SETTING
vTime
: When the persona has grown
up
vPlace
: At the family home, looking at
old photographs
PRACTICE 1
The following words are found in the poem. Give the opposite of
each word.
1. Kind
5. Awful
2. Hunched
6. True
3. Death
7. Sharp
4. Forgot
8. Smile
PRACTICE 1 - ANSWERS
The following words are found in the poem. Give the opposite of
each word.
1. Kind
cruel
5. Awful
nice
straight
6. True
false
3. Death
life
7. Sharp
dull
4. Forgot
remembered
8. Smile
frown
2. Hunched
PRACTICE 2
Complete the sentences in your own words. Write only ONE word.
1. In the poem, the persona is recalling memories of her __________.
2. The persona was _______ years old when the photograph was
taken.
3. In the photograph, the persona is holding her grandmothers ____.
4. The grandmother has ______ eyes.
5. When the grandmother grows older, she becomes __________.
6. The last two lines in Stanza 2 tells us that the grandmother is _____.
PRACTICE 2 - ANSWERS
Complete the sentences in your own words. Write only ONE word.
1. In the poem, the persona is recalling memories of her grandmother.
2. The persona was three years old when the photograph was taken.
3. In the photograph, the persona is holding her grandmothers hand.
4. The grandmother has blue eyes.
5. When the grandmother grows older, she becomes forgetful.
6. The last two lines in Stanza 2 tells us that the grandmother is dead.
PRACTICE 3
Match the nouns to the correct adjectives.
place
smile
shoes
shirt
eyes
smile
photograph
skirt
back
bun
ADJECTIVES
1. Broderie anglaise
2. Kind, old
3. Round and hunched
4. Unknown, unthinkable
5. Living, breathing
NOUN
EXERCISE 3 (CONTD)
Match the nouns to the correct adjectives.
place
smile
shoes
shirt
eyes
smile
photograph
skirt
back
bun
ADJECTIVES
6. sharp, blue
7. pleated
8. grey
9. flat
10. living
NOUN
PRACTICE 3 - ANSWERS
ADJECTIVES
NOUNS
ADJECTIVES
NOUNS
1. Broderie
anglaise
shirt
6. sharp, blue
eyes
2. Kind, old
smile
7. pleated
skirt
3. Round and
hunched
back
8. grey
bun
4. Unknown,
unthinkable
place
9. flat
shoes
5. Living,
breathing
smile
10. living
photograph
PRACTICE 4
Answer the questions based on your understanding of the poem.
1. How are the people in the photograph related?
2. What kind of person was the grandmother?
3. What happened to the grandmothers physical appearance as she
aged?
4. What does the phrase the awful place refer to?
5. How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
PRACTICE 4
SUGGESTED ANSWERS
1. How are the people in the photograph related?
They are family / They are grandmother and grandchild.
2. What kind of person was the grandmother?
She was prim and proper / She was well-dressed.
3. What happened to the grandmothers physical appearance as she
aged?
She became smaller and hunched.
PRACTICE 4
SUGGESTED ANSWERS
4. What does the phrase the awful place refer to?
The afterlife / The life after death / The grave.
5. How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
3 / Three
The End
Thank you for your kind attention!
