The Living Photograph

The Living Photograph

My small grandmother is tall there,
Straight back, white, broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes.
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in the black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true, after all, that look.

My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and hunched.
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable

But there she is still,

In the photo with me at three,
The crinkled smile is still living, breathing.
 Exercise 1
Complete the poem. Try not to refer to the text.

The Living Photograph

My small grandmother is tall there,
straight-back, white broderie anglaise (1)___________________,
pleated (2)____________, flat shoes, grey bun,
a kind, old (3)_________ round her eyes.
Her big hand (4)____________mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own (5) ______________ in the eye.
It was (6) __________ after all; that look.
My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and (7) _____________.
Her (8) _____________ forgot to boil.
She went to the (9) ____________ place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, (10) ___________.
But there she is still,
in the photo with me at (11)____________,
the crinkled smile is still (12) _____________ , breathing.

Exercise 2
Complete the bridge map with the antonyms to the words given.
1. true Antonym: ______________
2. sharp Antonym: ____________
3. forgot Antonym: ______________
4. awful Antonym: ______________

Exercise 3
Read the following statements and state whether they are True or False.
1. The persona recollects the memories of her grandmother as she looks at the photograph. (___________)
2. The personas grandmother is still living with her. (___________)
3. The grandmother seems to be a friendly and kind woman. (___________)
4. The persona is three years old when her grandmother dies. (___________)
5. The grandmother remains strong and healthy until her death. (___________)
6. In the photograph, the grandmother will always be alive. (___________)

Exercise 4 : Answer the following questions based on your understanding of the poem.
1. How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
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2. Which line in the poem tells us the grandmother has become forgetful?
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3. The grandmother seems to be a friendly and kind woman.

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4. The persona is three years old when her grandmother dies.
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5. The grandmother remains strong and healthy until her death.

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6. Give one moral value one can learn from the poem.
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Exercise 5 : Answer all the questions.

1. List down 3 themes of the poem?
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2. Give 4 moral values that are found in the poem.

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3. How do you think of the persona feels towards her grandmother? Support your answer with evidence from the
poem.
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4. A picture speaks a thousand words is a common proverb. How would you relate this to the poem The Living
Photograph?
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Exercise 6 : Read the questions carefully and answer all the questions.
1. Sometimes an elderly member of the family is sent to a nursing home. Do you agree with this practice? Provide
your reason.
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2. If you were to take care of your grandmother for a day, what would you do to make her experience an unforgettable
one?
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