Summary of A Photograph
A Photograph is a poem written by English poet Shirley Toulson. It portrays a daughter’s nostalgic recollection of her mother’s memories and laments over the absence of her mother in her present time. She looks at an old photograph of her mother, which had once been a cherished object that brought happiness to her. Her mother’s laugh and comments on this photograph are part of a joyous moment that no longer exists in her life. She compares and contrasts her mother’s life with the sea, which seems to be a static element throughout lives and does not change much even though people who see it do grow old and die eventually. Keep reading A Photograph Class 11 summary given in the next section to understand the gist of the poem with clarity and critical thinking. You can find summaries of other poems in the Hornbill textbook on BYJU’S CBSE Summary. Students can also refer to CBSE Notes for further explanations and study materials on Class 11 CBSE English syllabus.
CBSE Class 11 English A Photograph Summary
The poet describes a photograph framed on cardboard. It is an old photograph of her mother from when she was young and had gone paddling at sea. It shows her mother with two other girls who are her cousins. She is twelve years old in that picture. She is the eldest of the three, and each of the two younger siblings is holding her hand. They seem to stand still so the photographer can click a good photograph of the three.
The poet gives us a detailed description of how her mother’s face looked in the photograph. The wind had ruffled her hair along with her cousins’. She finds her mother’s face to be sweet. She refers to the simplicity and innocence on her mother’s face as she posed for the photograph. The poet emphasises that this photograph of her mother’s belonged to an era before she was born – when her mother was just a young girl.
The background of the photograph was the sea. It washed the feet of her mother and her cousins. She uses the word ‘transient’ to describe their feet, which are in the process of growth, washed away by the sea, which does not seem to have changed at all. It seemed to retain a look and charm of its own, implying that no matter how old or young one is, the sea does not seem different to anyone. The poet is trying to contrast the ageing of her mother with the unchanging nature of the sea.
Some twenty or thirty years later, when the poet becomes a part of her mother’s life, she is shown the same photograph. Her mother laughs with fond reminiscences of the past. She points out her cousins Betty and Dolly in the picture and comments on how they are all dressed for that particular outing. The poet mentions to the reader that the photograph has become her mother’s past, while the memory of her mother’s laugh is now the poet’s own past. Her mother passed away long back. The poet remembers her mother with a sad longing for the past.
In the last stanza, the poet reveals her mother’s death had taken place twelve years ago – just like the age of her young self in the photograph. This realisation is painful for the poet, and the only reaction that manifests at this moment is that of silence. The silence also refers to the absence of her mother’s laughter from her life. And in a way, it also points at the silence of the image in the photograph. This silence hurts her deeply, and she is at a loss for words to explain her emotional state.
Conclusion of A Photograph
A Photograph Class 11 summary teaches us the value of relationships in life. No matter how close we are to a person, one day, they have to leave us, as is the law of nature. We should cherish those relationships and the time spent together because time waits for none, and so doesn’t life. It goes on irrespective of the ups and downs in our lives. The feeling of loss is natural in such cases of mourning, and all we can do is embrace it.
A detailed understanding of the poem can help students critically analyse and appreciate the poem. Students can refer to our website for further information and content related to the Class 11 English subject for better understanding and preparation for CBSE board exams. They can also access topics like grammar and writing in English.
