THE LIVING

PHOTOGRAPH

by Jackie Kay

captured
twoKay
images
of was
her adoptive
grandmother
seen in the
photograph
when
The persona
poet's name
is Jackie
which
bornNovember
9 1961-one
in Edinburgh,
Scotland
to a Scott

EXERCISE1
THEMES
1.
2.
3.
4.

MORAL VALUES

Appreciation and affection for a grandparent

1. Filial piety
Search for the persona's identity
2. Inter-racial harmony
The mystery of ageing and death
Readthefollowingstatements
Filial piety (virtue respect for one's ancestor)
andstatewhethertheyare
TONE/MOOD OF POEM

The poet used childlike voice but with confidence and optimism despite her reference to the grand
TRUEorFALSE.
1.Thepersonarecollectsthememoriesofhergrandmotherasshelooksatthe
PERSONA/SPEAKER

The persona in the poem is a child who grows from the age of three in the photograph to a more m
photograph.
(___________)
2.Thepersonasgrandmotherisstilllivingwithher.
(___________)
3.Thegrandmotherseemstobeafriendlyandkindwoman.
(___________)
4.Thepersonaisthreeyearsoldwhenhergrandmotherdies.
(___________)
5.Thegrandmotherremainsstrongandhealthyuntilherdeath.

(___________)
EXERCISE2
Answerthefollowingquestionsbasedon
yourunderstandingofthepoem.
1.Howoldwasthepersonawhenthe
photographwastaken?
__________________________________
2.Whichlineinthepoemtellsusthe
grandmotherhasbecomeforgetful?
__________________________________
3.Howoldisthepersonawhenher
grandmotherdies?
__________________________________
5.Whatisthedifferencebetweenthe
descriptionofthegrandmotherinthefirst
stanzaandthesecond?
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
6.Listtwoitemsgrandmotherwears
inthephoto.
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

EXERCISE3
Answerallthequestions.
1.Listdown3themesofthepoem?
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
2.Give2moralvaluesthatarefoundinthe
poem.
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
3.Howdoyouthinkofthepersonafeels
towardshergrandmother?Supportyour
answerwithevidencefromthepoem.
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________