Lecture Notes on Poem 'A Photograph' by Shirley Toulson

Introduction

• Poem Title: A Photograph
• Poet: Shirley Toulson
• Importance: Highly significant for exams (pre-board, finals).
• Main Theme: Nostalgia, loss, and transient nature of life.

Main Idea

• The poem highlights the poet's reflection on a photograph of her mother’s childhood.
• Discusses two types of loss:
  • Poet’s mother's loss of her childhood.
  • Poet's own loss of her mother.

Detailed Explanation

Stanza 1

• Line: "The cardboard shows me how it was..."
  • Cardboard: Refers to the photograph mounted on a thick paper frame.
• Scene: Poet’s mother (12 years old) with her cousins, paddling at the beach.
• Imagery: Their hair flying and smiling at the camera held by an uncle.

Stanza 2

• Time Frame: Before poet was born.
• Line: "...My mother’s sweet face..."
  • Sweet face: Poet praises the beauty of her mother as a child.
• Change: The sea remains unchanged, contrasting with the transient human life.

Stanza 3

• Reflective Mood: Poet’s mother often laughed at the old photograph.
• Memory: Laughing at how they were dressed by their parents.
• Nostalgia: Mother’s recollection of her past.

Stanza 4

• Lines: "Some twenty-thirty years later..."
• Reflection: Mother reminisces about her past, finds joy in old memories.
• Expression: Poet recalls the joy mother found in her childhood memories.

Stanza 5

• Impact of Loss: The poet’s mother’s death has been deeply felt.
• Lines: "Now she's been dead nearly..."
• Expression: Poet experiences a profound sense of silence and emptiness.

Stanza 6

• Finality of Loss: Nothing more to say, only silence remains.

Poetic Devices

• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (e.g., "Mickey Mouse").
• Transferred Epithet: Adjective used to describe a noun (e.g., "terribly transient feet").
• Personification: Non-human objects given human qualities (e.g., "the cardboard shows me...").
• Oxymoron: Combination of contradictory terms (e.g., "laboured ease...").

Summary

• The poem revolves around memories of the poet and her mother, highlighting feelings of loss and a longing to revisit the past.
• Discussion Points:
  • What was the mother missing?
  • How does the poet feel about her mother’s laughter?

Conclusion

• The poem is deeply emotional, reflecting on the irreplaceable void left by the mother’s absence.
• The concept of transient human life versus the permanence of nature is beautifully illustrated.
• Engage with the poem and comment your thoughts.

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Best of luck with your studies!