Everything You Need to Know About A Photograph by Shirley Toulson

The poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is a poignant piece included in the Class 11 English Hornbill textbook. This guide delves into the emotional core and poetic devices of the poem. It also provides a summary and explores its theme and literary nuances. This is done in a manner that resonates deeply with students, teachers, and literature enthusiasts alike. Through this article, we offer a complete guide to A Photograph by Shirley Toulson. It is perfect for academic preparation. It also suits literary appreciation.

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Summary of A Photograph by Shirley Toulson

The poem reflects on the enduring impact of loss and the passage of time. It opens with a photograph of the poet’s mother, taken when she was around twelve. She stands on the beach with her two cousins, smiling innocently, capturing a moment of carefree childhood. The poet notes how her mother once looked at the photo and recalled the sea holiday with fondness and a sense of nostalgia.

The tone shifts in the second stanza, where the poet reflects on her mother’s death, which occurred twelve years ago. While the mother grieved her lost childhood, the poet now grieves the loss of her mother. The cycle of grief is evident. The stillness of death is profound. The inability to verbalise loss is significant. These are captured in the closing line: “It’s silence silences.”

This emotional layering of past and present and memory and reality highlights the transient nature of life. It underscores the timelessness of loss.

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Theme of A Photograph by Shirley Toulson

The central theme of the poem revolves around loss, memory, and the passage of time. The poet examines the fragility of human life. The poem shows that memories, captured in a photograph, can remain long after a person is gone. The poem also explores:

• Nostalgia: Both the poet and her mother reflect on the past with longing.
• Transience: The contrast between the living moment and the stillness of death.
• Grief and Silence: How the pain of loss often leaves us speechless.

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Poetic Devices and Literary Techniques

Shirley Toulson makes expert use of literary tools to deepen the emotional impact of the poem:

Poetic Device	Example from the Poem	Effect
Alliteration	“stood still to smile”	Creates musicality and emphasis
Transferred Epithet	“laboured ease of loss”	Reflects the emotional weight of grief
Imagery	“The cardboard shows me how it was”	Helps the reader visualise the past
Irony	“Its silence silences me”	Highlights the poet’s helplessness in expressing grief
Enjambment	Sentences flow without punctuation	Mirrors the continuity of thoughts and memories

Line-by-Line Explanation of the Poem

Stanza 1

“The cardboard shows me how it was / When the two girl cousins went paddling, / Each one holding one of my mother’s hands…”

• “Cardboard” symbolises an old photograph.
• The scene depicts a carefree moment from childhood.
• The poet’s mother is at the centre, holding her cousins’ hands.

“That was the time the sea holiday / Was her past, mine is her laughter. / Both wry / With the laboured ease of loss.”

• The poet contrasts her mother’s nostalgia with her own.
• The phrase “laboured ease of loss” implies that while both have accepted loss, the pain lingers.

Stanza 2

“Now she’s been dead nearly as many years / As that girl lived.”

• The mother has been dead for nearly the same number of years as her age in the photo.
• This shows the passage of time and underlines the poet’s deep sense of grief.

“And of this circumstance / There is nothing to say at all, / Its silence silences me.”

• A powerful conclusion.
• The silence of death overwhelms the poet, leaving her voiceless.

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Word Meanings – Vocabulary from the Poem

Word	Meaning
Cardboard	The material on which photographs were printed
Paddling	Walking in shallow water
Wry	Showing dry, mocking humour or disappointment
Laboured	Requiring a lot of effort; emotionally heavy
Ease	Comfort or freedom from pain
Circumstance	A condition connected with an event or action
Silences	State of being quiet or speechless

Questions and Answers

1. What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?
The word ‘cardboard’ refers to the photograph. It has been used to show how fragile and old the photograph is, capturing a memory from long ago.

2. What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?
The sea has not changed over the years. It suggests the permanence of nature compared to the short and fragile human life.

3. The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this laugh indicate?
It showed her amusement and joy as she remembered her carefree childhood holiday.

4. What is the meaning of the line “Both wry / With the laboured ease of loss.”?
It means both the mother and the poet felt sadness and pain while recalling their losses, though they accepted them with effort.

5. What does “Its silence silences me” signify?
It signifies the overwhelming grief the poet feels. The silence of death leaves her speechless.

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Extract Based MCQs

Extract 1

“The cardboard shows me how it was / When the two girl cousins went paddling”

1. What does ‘cardboard’ refer to?
A. A drawing board
B. An old photograph ✅
C. A painting canvas
D. A memory book

2. What is the scene captured in the cardboard?
A. A school day
B. A market visit
C. A sea holiday ✅
D. A birthday party

3. How many girls are in the photograph?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three ✅
D. Four

Extract 2

“That was the time the sea holiday / Was her past, mine is her laughter.”

1. Whose sea holiday is mentioned?
A. The poet’s holiday
B. The mother’s holiday ✅
C. Cousins’ holiday
D. Family holiday

2. What is now the poet’s memory of her mother?
A. Her voice
B. Her smile
C. Her laughter ✅
D. Her walk

3. What is contrasted in the lines?
A. Joy and sorrow
B. Mother’s past and poet’s memory ✅
C. Life and death
D. Silence and sound

Answer Key:
Extract 1 – 1:B, 2:C, 3:C
Extract 2 – 1:B, 2:C, 3:B

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Important Questions from A Photograph for Exam Practice

1. How does the poet contrast the eternal sea with human life?
The poet shows that the sea has remained the same while human life has changed and ended. This contrast highlights the temporary nature of life.

2. What does the photograph symbolise in the poem?
The photograph is a symbol of memory. It freezes a moment in time and represents the emotional connection to the past.

3. Why does the poet feel silent at the end of the poem?
She is overwhelmed by grief and the finality of death. Her sorrow is so intense that words fail her.

4. How does the poem explore the theme of grief?
Through the lens of a simple photograph, the poet unfolds two layers of grief—her mother’s for her childhood and her own for her mother’s death.

5. Comment on the use of irony in the poem.
The poet uses irony in the line “Its silence silences me,” where silence, which is supposed to be peaceful, becomes a burden of unspeakable grief.

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Conclusion

“A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is a reflective, gentle, and deeply emotional poem that speaks volumes about the loss of loved ones, the power of memories, and the permanence of grief. Its simplicity hides the depth of pain and the human struggle with silence and remembrance.