THE LIVING PHOTOGRAPH

By Jackie Kay

Sources:

Tan, C. (2016). Understanding new lit: Selected poems, short stories and drama form

4. Johor: Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd.

Appuduray, S. & Kok, A. (2015). Let’s score in literature: Selected poems, short

stories and drama form 4. Selangor: Penerbitan Ilmu Bakti Sdn. Bhd.

Illustrations & PPT Slides Prepared by : Mdm. Adlina (teacheradlina@gmail.com)

LITERAL MEANING

STANZA 1

The persona describes 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 die.

LITERAL MEANING

STANZA 2

Grandmother, who was tall, became small, hunched

and forgetful. The persona accepts that her

grandmother has passed to the other world, as all

grandmothers do.

LITERAL MEANING

STANZA 3

The persona took a photograph with her grandmother

when she was three years old, When she looks at the

photograph, she feels grandmother’s presence. To the

persona, the grandmother is still alive, smiling at her.

FIGURATIVE MEANING STANZA 1

In the beginning, we are young and we stand tall and

confident. We make sure everything is done properly. We

approach every situation with a smile even as we offer

encouragement to others and receive support in return.

When faced with a difficult situation, we face it bravely.

FIGURATIVE MEANING STANZA 2

We can feel the challenges when we look around

and see the changes. We begin to lose our grip as

things get too difficult. We may even forget things

but finally, when the situation is out of our hands

and we have to let go.

FIGURATIVE MEANING STANZA 3

Sometimes, we can look back at our past

experiences and remember the good things that

have shaped our lives. We may have mementos like

photos and certificates to keep our memories alive.

THEMES Tema

Close family ties Value of

photographs

Letting go

Death is a part of life

Love and appreciation

Memories are to be

treasured

MORAL VALUES Nilai & Pengajaran

We should value our relationship with our

loved ones.

Keeping a memento like

photographs helps keep memories

alive.

We must learn to accept that death is a part of life and learn to let go.

We should treasure our

loved ones when they are still alive.

TONE & MOOD

Stanza 1: Nostalgic

Stanza 2: Melancholic

Stanza 3: Positive

Overall: Sense of strong

family ties

POETIC DEVICES v SOUND DEVICES

- Alliteration : ‘tall there’ / ‘ hand holds’

- Assonance : ‘soup forgot to boil’ / ‘still living’

v LITERARY DEVICES

- Symbol : The photograph is the symbol of close family ties

- Contrast : ‘straight-back’ vs ‘hunched’ / ‘white’ vs ‘black’

- Imagery : Stanza 1, lines 2-3: image of a prim and proper lady

Stanza 2, line 4: being forgetful

POETIC DEVICES v LITERARY DEVICES (CONT’D)

- Diction : ‘back round and hunched’ / ‘crinkled smile’ / ‘still

living, breathing’

v FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

- Metaphor : ‘her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye’

- Personafication : ‘her soup forgot to boil’ << soup personified as someone

who forgot to do something

‘the crinkled smile is still living, breathing’ << the smile

means a friendly person

POETIC DEVICES

v FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (CONT’D)

- Irony : The title itself is an irony. The use of the term

‘living’ to refer to a person who has passed away

- Foreshadowing : ‘Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye’

foreshadows the grandmother’s death in the next

stanza

SETTING

v Time : When the persona has grown

up

v Place : At the family home, looking at

old photographs

PRACTICE 1 The following words are found in the poem. Give the opposite of

each word.

1. Kind 5. Awful

2. Hunched 6. True

3. Death 7. Sharp

4. Forgot 8. Smile

PRACTICE 1 - ANSWERS

The following words are found in the poem. Give the opposite of

each word.

1. Kind cruel 5. Awful nice

2. Hunched straight 6. True false

3. Death life 7. Sharp dull

4. Forgot remembered 8. Smile frown

PRACTICE 2 Complete the sentences in your own words. Write only ONE word.

1.  In the poem, the persona is recalling memories of her __________.

2.  The persona was _______ years old when the photograph was

taken.

3.  In the photograph, the persona is holding her grandmother’s ____.

4.  The grandmother has ______ eyes.

5.  When the grandmother grows older, she becomes __________.

6.  The last two lines in Stanza 2 tells us that the grandmother is _____.

PRACTICE 2 - ANSWERS Complete the sentences in your own words. Write only ONE word.

1.  In the poem, the persona is recalling memories of her grandmother.

2.  The persona was three years old when the photograph was taken.

3.  In the photograph, the persona is holding her grandmother’s hand.

4.  The grandmother has blue eyes.

5.  When the grandmother grows older, she becomes forgetful.

6.  The last two lines in Stanza 2 tells us that the grandmother is dead.

PRACTICE 3 Match the nouns to the correct adjectives.

place smile shoes shirt eyes

smile photograph skirt back bun

ADJECTIVES NOUN

1. Broderie anglaise

2. Kind, old

3. Round and hunched

4. Unknown, unthinkable

5. Living, breathing

EXERCISE 3 (CONT’D) Match the nouns to the correct adjectives.

place smile shoes shirt eyes

smile photograph skirt back bun

ADJECTIVES NOUN

6. sharp, blue

7. pleated

8. grey

9. flat

10. living

PRACTICE 3 - ANSWERS ADJECTIVES NOUNS ADJECTIVES NOUNS

1. Broderie anglaise shirt 6. sharp, blue eyes

2. Kind, old smile 7. pleated skirt

3. Round and hunched back 8. grey bun

4. Unknown, unthinkable place 9. flat shoes

5. Living, breathing smile 10. living photograph

Answer the questions based on your understanding of the poem.

1.  How are the people in the photograph related?

2.  What kind of person was the grandmother?

3.  What happened to the grandmother’s physical appearance as she

aged?

4.  What does the phrase ‘the awful place’ refer to?

5.  How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?

PRACTICE 4

1.  How are the people in the photograph related?

They are family / They are grandmother and grandchild.

2.  What kind of person was the grandmother?

She was prim and proper / She was well-dressed.

3.  What happened to the grandmother’s physical appearance as she

aged?

She became ‘smaller’ and ‘hunched’.

PRACTICE 4 – S U G G E S T E D A N S W E R S

4.  What does the phrase ‘the awful place’ refer to?

The afterlife / The life after death / The grave.

5.  How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?

3 / Three

The End

Thank you for your kind attention!

PRACTICE 4 – S U G G E S T E D A N S W E R S