Question 2 - A Photograph - Hornbill - Poems (Literature) - English Class 11

Read the given extract and answer the questions

Extract:

All three stood still to smile through their hair

At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,

My mother’s, that was before I was born.

And the sea, which appears to have changed less,

Washed their terribly transient feet.

(A photograph)

Question (i)

Who is the uncle with the camera in this extract? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The uncle with the camera in this extract is the poet's mother's uncle.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our comprehension skills and our knowledge of family relationships.👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
•  The question asks us to complete the sentence with the correct answer.🖋️
•  We need to find the clue in the extract that tells us who the uncle with the camera is.🔎
•  The clue is in line 2, where the poet says "At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face, My mother’s".📷
•  This means that the uncle with the camera is related to the poet's mother, and he is taking a photograph of her and her cousins.👩‍👧‍👧
•  The uncle with the camera is the brother of the poet's mother's father or mother.👴👵
•  Therefore, the uncle with the camera in this extract is the poet's mother's uncle.👨

Question (ii)

What does the use of the word 'transient' suggest? 

Answer:

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Answer written by the student:

The use of the word 'transient' suggests that the girls' lives were short and temporary.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our inference skills and our vocabulary.🧠
•   The word 'transient' means lasting only for a short time or changing quickly.⏳
•  In this extract, the poet says that the sea washed their terribly transient feet.🌊
•  This implies that the g irls' feet were only in contact with the sea for a brief moment, and that their lives were also fleeting and impermanent.😢
•  The poet uses the word 'transient' to contrast the lasting nature of the sea and the photograph with the mortality of the people.👥
•  Therefore, the use of the word 'transient' suggests that the girls' lives were short and temporary.⚰️

Question (iii)

How does the poet feel about her mother's sweet face? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The poet feels affectionate and nostalgic about her mother's sweet face.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

• To answer this question, we need to use our interpretation skills and our emotions.🥰
•  The question asks us to describe how the poet feels about her mother's sweet face.👩‍👧
•  We need to find the clue in the extract that shows the poet's feelings.🔎
•  The clue is in line 3, where the poet says " A sweet face, My mother’s, that was before I was born."🍬
•  This means that the poet admires and loves her mother's face, which looks young and happy in the photograph.💕
•  The poet also feels nostalgic, which means a longing for the past, because she knows that her mother is no longer alive and that she never saw her face like that.😔
•  Therefore, the poet feels affectionate and nostalgic about her mother's sweet face.❤️

Question (iv)

What is the effect of using the word 'still' in line 1 of this extract? (Select the option that is NOT true)

• a) To show that the photograph captures a moment in time
• b) To contrast the movement of the sea with the stillness of the people
• c) To imply that the people are no longer alive or smiling
• d) To create a sense of suspense and mystery

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The option that is NOT true is d) To create a sense of suspense and mystery.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our analysis skills and our understanding of word choice.📝
•  The question asks us to select the option that is NOT true about the effect of using the word 'still' in line 1 of this extract.❌
•  We need to examine each option and see if it matches with the poet's intention and tone.👀
•  Option a) To show that the photograph captures a moment in time is true because the word 'still' means not moving or changing.📷
•  Option b) To contrast the movement of the sea with the stillness of the people is true because the word 'still' creates a contrast between the dynamic sea and the static people.🌊
•  Option c) To imply that the people are no longer alive or smiling is true because the word 'still' suggests that the people have changed or died since the photograph was taken.😢
•  Option d) To create a sense of suspense and mystery is NOT true because the word 'still' does not create any suspense or mystery in this extract. The poet does not hide or reveal anything surprising or mysterious.😐
•  Therefore, the option that is NOT true is d) To create a sense of suspense and mystery.❎

Question (v)

What is the rhyme scheme of this extract? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The rhyme scheme of this extract is abba.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our interpretation skills and our knowledge of rhyme scheme.🎵
•  The rhyme scheme is the pattern of sounds that end each line of a poem.🔊
•  To identify the rhyme scheme, we need to assign a letter to each sound and see how they repeat or change.🔤
•  In this extract, the words that end each line are: hair, camera, born, and less.🔚
•   The words 'hair' and 'less' rhyme with each other, so we assign them the letter 'a'.🅰️
•  The words 'camera' and 'born' rhyme with each other, so we assign them the letter 'b'.🅱️
•  The rhyme scheme of this extract is abba, which means that the first and fourth lines rhyme, and the second and third lines rhyme.🆎

Question (vi)

How does this extract relate to the theme of nostalgia in the poem? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

This extract relates to the theme of nostalgia in the poem by showing the poet's longing for her mother and her childhood.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our evaluation skills and our understanding of theme.👍👎
•  The theme is the main idea or message that the poet wants to convey through the poem.📜
•  To identify the theme, we need to look at the overall tone and mood of the poem.🎭
•  In this poem, the theme is nostalgia, which means a sentimental longing for the past.😍
•  In this extract, the poet relates to the theme of nostalgia by showing her longing for her mother and her childhood.👩‍👧
•  The poet looks at an old photograph of her mother and her cousins smiling on a beach.🏖️
•  The poet wishes she could see her mother's sweet face again and experience the happiness and innocence of her childhood.🥺
•  The poet feels sad and lonely in the present, as she has lost her mother and her childhood.😢
•  Therefore, this extract relates to the theme of nostalgia in the poem by showing the poet's longing for her mother and her childhood.❤️

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