THE LIVING

PHOTOGRAPH

COMPILED BY :
EN.NAGARATNAM A/L KUTTAYAN
 LITERAL MEANING
Stanza
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 black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her
own death in the eye.
It was true after all; that look.
My tall grandmother become
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.
Meaning
The persona described her
grandmother as tall and well-
dressed with a kind smile. Her
smile comes from her eyes. On
her deathbed, she held the
persona’s small black hand in
her big white hand. She was not
afraid to leave the world.
The persona accepts that her
grandmother has passed to the
other world, as all
grandmothers do. Grandmother,
who was of a tall stature
became small, hunched and
forgetful.
The persona at the age three
had taken a photograph with
grandmother. When she looks at
the photograph, she feels
grandmother’s presence. To the
persona, her grandmother is
still very much alive and smiling
at her.
Stanza 1
Line
Meaning
1 My small grandmother is tall there,
The persona’s grandmother looks tall in the photograph.
2 straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt , (a type of
embroidery with decorative patterns that include quite
large open parts, usually done on white cotton cloth)
She is standing with good posture, wearing an embroidered
lace blouse.
3 pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
She wears the blouse with a pleated skirt, non-heeled 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.
6 white hand in black hand.
The contrast of their skin colours can clearly be seen in their
linked hands.
7 Her sharp blue eyes look her death in the eye.
Her grandmother’s blue eyes suggest that her death 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.
13 Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.
Upon her death, she went to a place that no one knows.
Stanza 3
Line
Meaning
 14 But there she is still,
However, in the photograph, her grandmother will always be
alive.
15 in the photo with me at three,
The persona was there years old in the photograph with her
grandmother.
16 the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

Her grandmother’s smile is still so alive and real.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

(a) In stanza 1, what part of her body does grey bun refer to?
Her hair.

(b) In stanza 2, which phrase indicates that the grandmother had

become forgetful?
Her soup forgot to boil.

(c) Why do you think the persona’s grandmother is ‘tall’ in the photo?
From the viewpoint of a small 3 years old, she looks tall
comparatively.

(d) Do you think “The Living Photograph” is a suitable title for the
poem? Provide a reason to support your answer.
Opinion : Yes, it suitable.
Reason : The poem reminds us how a photograph can keep the
memories of our loved ones alive.

(a) In stanza 1, which line indicates that the grandmother and

the persona were of different races?
White hand in black hand

(b) In stanza 3, how old the persona when the photo was taken?
3 years old.
 (c) She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.
What has happened to the persona’s grandmother?
The persona’s grandmother has passed away.

(d) the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

What can you say about the persona’s feelings towards her
grandmother? Provide a reason to support your answer.
Response : The persona very love her grandmother.
Reason : She looks at the old photograph and feels presence
of her grandmother as if she is still alive because her
grandmother’s smile looks so real.

HOTs Questions + Answers

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,
we cannot have them anymore.

OTHER SAMPLE QUESTIONS

 In Stanza 1, which word refers to grandmother’s hair?

Bun
 Why do you think the grandmother forgot to boil the soup?
She has become forgetful/ She has become senile
 How old was the persona when the photograph is taken?
Three years old
 We should spend more time with the elderly members in our family. Do you agree?
Provide a reason for your answer.
Yes because we can make them happy by showing our love towards them.
…………………………………………………………………………………
 In Stanza 1, what is the colour of grandmother’s hair?
Grey
 In Stanza 2, which word describes death as something unpleasant?
Awful
 What does the line “Her soup forgot to boil’ indicate about grandmother?
She has become forgetful/ She has become senile.
 Suggest two ways you can express your love towards your elderly
1. I will celebrate their birthdays and their special days
2. I will bring them for a vacation to make them happy
…………………………………………………………………………………
 Her big hand holds mine, white hand in black hand. Whom does the white hand belong to?
The grandmother
 Why do you think the persona mentions the different colours of the two hands?
There is an inter-marriage in the family.
 In Stanza 2, give a reason why the grandmother’s back became round and hunched.
She has become very old./ It is the sign of an old age.
 Apart from keeping photos, give another choice to make sure memories stay alive. Give a
reason for your answer.
Choice: We can visit her graveyard.
Reason: By this way, we can always pay her respect.
…………………………………………………………………………………
 List down ONE item that the persona’s grandmother was wearing in the photo.
white broderie anglaise shirt OR pleated skirt OR flat shoes
 What does the attire imply when describing her grandmother?
She is a rich woman / She dressed up well
 In Stanza 2, which word tells the grandmother’s body was bent?
Hunched
 Some children sent their parents to the nursing homes as they get older. Do you agree with
their deed? Give a reason to support your response.
I agree because the good nursing home can give better attention and medical treatment to
the aging parents. We can always go and visit them there.