Stanza 1

Line Meaning
The persona’s grandmother looks tall in the
1  My small grandmother is tall there,
photograph.
She is standing with good posture, wearing an
2  straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt ,
embroidered lace blouse.
She wears the blouse with a pleated skirt, non-heeled
3  pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
shoes and her hair in a bun.
4  a kind, old smile round her eyes. She is smiling kindly.
5  Her big hand holds mine, Her big hand is holding the persona’s hand.
The contrast of their skin colours can clearly be seen
6  white hand in black hand.
in their linked hands.
Her grandmother’s blue eyes suggests that her death
7  Her sharp blue eyes look her death in the eye.
is near.
Stanza 2
Line Meaning
8  It was true after all; that look. The persona’s reference of death came true.
9  My tall grandmother became small. The grandmother became thinner and more fragile.
10  Her back round and hunched. Her back became hunched.
11  Her soup forgot to boil. She became forgetful.
12  She went to the awful place grandmothers go. Soon, she passed away.
Upon her death, she went to a place that no one
13  Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.
knows.
Stanza 3
Line Meaning
However, in the photograph, her grandmother will
14  But there she is still,
always be alive.
The persona was there years old in the photograph
15  in the photo with me at three,
with her grandmother.
16  the crinkled smile is still living, breathing. Her grandmother’s smile is still so alive and real.
Moral Value
1  We must treasure our loved ones when they are alive.
 We must spend as much time as we can with our loved ones while they are still living
 When they pass away, all that will be left are the memories, as is illustrated in the poem.
  2  It is difficult to lose a family member.
 It is always difficult to deal with the death of a loved one.
 The persona loses her grandmother when she was younger but she will always remember her.
3  We must never forget the importance of family relationship.
 We should not forget to love and care for our family, especially our grandparents who are the
pillars of a family.
 When they are old and sick, we must continue to take care of them.
Summary of Stanza 1
The persona is looking at an old photograph of her grandmother and herself. She describes the
photograph – her grandmother is standing tall and straight, dressed in a white embroidered lace blouse
with a pleated skirt, and flat shoes. Her grey hair is pulled neatly into a bun. She is smiling kindly while
holding the persona’s hand in hers, giving her the security and comfort. As the persona describes their
linked hands – white hand in black hand – it is clear that they come from a mixed race family. The last
line seems to suggest that the persona knows that her grandmother’s death will come soon.
Summary of Stanza 2
While the first describes the photograph, in the second stanza, the persona is remembering her
grandmother later, when she is older and has become ill. The persona recalls how her grandmother soon
grows thinner and more fragile. Her back is hunched and she becomes forgetful as is illustrated in the
 line, Her soup forgot to boil. Eventually, she passes away and upon her death, she goes to an
unimaginable place.
Summary of Stanza 3
However, in the photograph, the persona’s grandmother will forever be alive. She is still there, holding the
hand of her three-year-old granddaughter, with her smile looking so alive and real.
Themes
 1    The everlasting quality of a photograph                                                               
 A photograph immortalizes a person or a moment. What  is captured in a photograph will remain
alive forever.
  In the poem, the persona’s grandmother  has already  passed away. However, in the photograph,
she will always be healthy and alive.
  A photograph also allows us grandmother passes away to reflect on what happened  in the past
and relive our memories.
 2    Death
 Death is a definite  outcome for all of us.
 In the poem, the persona recalls how her grandmother was once strong and healthy but soon
grows older and  becomes ill.
 In the end, the grandmother passes away and the persona is only able to relive her memories with
her grandmother through a photograph.

MORAL VALUES:
 Love& care
 Appreciation
 Kindness
 Thoughtfulness
 Gratitude

TIME    STANZA 1 : Present (Looking at the photograph)

STANZA 2 : Past (Remembering what happened)

STANZA 3 : Present (Looking at the photograph again)

HOTs QUESTIONS:

1.    Why do you think the grandmother wore flat shoes?

Most probably because she is aging and cannot wear heeled-shoes.

2.    Why do you think the grandmother became small?

She became small because she had aged and her back had hunched.

3.    Why did the grandmother’s back become round and hunched?

This is because she is aging and her bones are weaker.

4.    According to the persona, where has the grandmother gone and why ‘there she is still’?

Her grandmother had passed away and gone to the awful place.

5.    Why is the smile described as still living and breathing?

Most probably the photograph is very well taken.

6.    Why did the grandmother go to that awful place?

She became old and passed away.

7.    Why was the place described as awful?

No one has been there and persona can no longer see or talk to her grandmother.

8.    How do we know that the grandmother looked prim and proper?

She was properly dressed in white broderie anglaise shirt with pleated skirt and flat shoes.

9.    ‘white hand in black hand’

     What other feature mentioned in the stanza tell us the grandmother’s race? Provide reason to support
your answer.

Feature: Blue eyes

Reason:  The persona is black and the grandmother is white

10.   ‘Her soup forgot to boil’

       What other thing do you think the grandmother was likely to forget to do? Give a reason to support
your   
       answer.

Thing: Where she placed her spectacles or forgot to turn on the kettle

Reason: As one gets older, its normal to be forgetful.

......................................................................................................................................

1.    Why do you think her soup forgot to boil?

She was old and forgetful/absent-minded

 2.    Quality                                                        Evidence

       Kind                                    " a kind old smile"

       Protective/caring               " her big hands holds mine"

       fearless/ courageous         " look her own death in the eye"

       friendly                                 " the crinkled smile is still living"

3. 'she went to the awful place grandmothers go...'

      Do you think the persona understands about death? Provide a reason for answer,
     
          Understanding: No, I don't think she understands death.

Reason: She mentions the place as awful, unknown and unthinkable when normally heaven is
described as beautiful.

4.  'But there she is still'

     How do you think the persona feels when she looks at the photograph? Provide a reason for your
answer.

Feeling : She feels happy and loved.

Reason : She mentions that the grandmother's crinkled smile is still living and breathing as
though her grandmother is still standing beside her

5.    Give one moral value one can learn from the poem.

     The poem teaches us that we must spend time with our loved ones because when they pass
away,
Novel The Living Photograph : Sample Questions + Answers
 -How old was the poet when the photograph was taken?
Three years old

 -The grandmother had become senile. How do you know this?

Her soup forgot to boil/ She has forgotten to boil her soup

 -How does the poet want to remember her grandmother?

Smiling/ living/ breathing

 -The poet shows how she loves and appreciates her grandmother in
the poem. Give two other ways how you can show your love and
appreciation towards your family members.
1. We can celebrate their birthdays together.
2. We can go for a picnic together./ We can cook their favourite dishes / We can buy
them presents
………………………………………………………………………………………

 -To whom do you think the title of the poem relates to?
The persona’s grandmother

 -What happened to her grandmother’s physical appearance as she

aged?
She becomes small and short because her back becomes round and hunched.

 -How does the persona describe the other world? How does this
reflect the persona’s perception of life after death?
It is described as an awful, unknown and unthinkable.

I think she feels the other world is a terrible unknown place and she cannot understand
the living condition there.

 -Who are in the photograph?

The persona and her grandmother.

 -In stanza 1, which words mean ‘open embroidery on white linen?

Broderie anglaise

 -Describe the grandmother’s skirt and shoes?

The skirt is pleated and the shoes are flat.

 -Why do you think the grandmother forgot to boil the soup?

She has become forgetful/ She has become senile.
 -Where was the persona when the grandmother passed away? Provide
a reason for your answer.
She was by her  grandmother’s side. The reason is because of the line her big hands hold
mine.

 -Give one moral value that can be learnt from this poem?
1. We must treasure our loved ones when they are alive
2. It is difficult to lose a family member
 -What does the photograph represent?
The photograph represent the memories the persona has of her late grandmother

 -How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
3 years old

 -Which line in the poem tells us the grandmother has become

forgetful?
Her soup forgot to boil

 -Why do you think the writer’s ‘small grandmother is tall’ in the

photograph?
I think it is probably because the photo was taken when the writer’s grandmother was
younger

 -Which line tells you that the writer and her grandmother are from
different ethnic background?
White hand in black hand’