Chapter 9

A Photograph Summary In English

The photograph pasted on the cardboard shows two girl cousins Betty and Dolly who went paddling in the sea with the poetess mother. Each of them was holding one of the hands of the poets mother, who was a big girl of some twelve year or so at that tinme. Her uncle had a camera. A three stood still facing the camera. They pushed their hair aside to smile

Thus the photograph presents three smiling faces. The face of the poet'S mother is a sweet one. It was of a time before she was born. Their feet which were being washed by sea water for a very short time, have been

photographed along with the sea, which appears to have changed less.

The poet thus indirectly hints that her mother's face has changed over the

years

After a lapse of time, say some twenty or thirty years later, the poet's motherwould laugh at the snapshot. She would refer to the photograph and recollect how her cousins Betty and Dolly had dressed themselveS for the beach when they went on a sea holiday. She laughs as she sees the scanty dress. This sea holiday was an event of her past. Her laughter iS real and pleasant for the poet. It is a precious memory for her. Both her holiday and her laughter are amusing in an ironic way as they areB linked with her loss which requires a forced state of freedom from pain.

Now the poef s mother is dead tor nearv as many vears as that giri in the picture lived The poet feels at a loss of Words io comment on ths event her death. it is a solemn moment and its Silence makes her silent Thus the poetess payS a tribute to her mother itis the old photograph that moves her to silence

We hope CBSE/MP Board Class 11th English "Hornbill" Poem Chapter 1 Poem "A Photograph" will Help you.

Written By - Priyanka Sharma