Lit.Questions

THE LIVING PHOTOGRAPH by Jackie Kay

The Living Photograph
My small grandmother is tall there,
straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt, Hat 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 became 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.
                                                  -Jackie Kay

(01) Where does the word ' there' refer to in the poem?
(02) Which line indicates that the two people belonged to two different races?
(03) Why has the grandmother become small?
(04) How does the persona look upon death? Give evidence from the poem to justify your answer.
       Evidence 1:____________________________
       Evidence 2:____________________________

(05) From stanza 1, what impression do we get of the poet's grandmother from the following?
       (a) straight-back:___________________ (b) her big hand holds mine

(06) From stanza 2, what happened to the grandmother before she died?
(07)The poem is titled 'The Living Photograph'. Suggest two reasons why the poet has chosen the this
        title.
        Reason 1:__________________________
        Reason 2:__________________________

(08) From stanza 1, which line suggests that the grandmother had a determined look?
(09) Which words in the poem refer most directly to death?

(10) 'But there she is still'  What does there refer to?
(11) Grandmothers are greatly loved by their grandchildren. Suggest two reasons why the poet loved           her grandmother.
        Reason 1:______________________
        Reason 2:______________________

(12)  In stanza 1, which words tell us that the narrator was an adopted child?
(13)  From stanza 2, which word tells us that the grandmother's body was bent?
(14) Why do you think her soup forgot to boil?

(15) 'My small grandmother is tall there', The narrator admires her grandmother for her personal
       qualities. State one personal quality of her grandmother. Support your answer from the evidence
       from the poem.
       Quality : ______________________
        Evidence : ____________________
(16)  State two physical attributes of the grandmother in the photograph.
(17) How has the straight back of the grandmother changed in stanza 2?
(18) How old was the persona in the picture?
(19) How does the persona look upon inter-racial relationships? Give a reason to support your answer
        Inter-racial relationship: ______________________________
        Reason:____________________________________________

(20) Which word in the poem denotes the same meaning as the word 'unimaginable'?
(21) Describe the contrast between the 1st stanza and the 2nd stanza.
(22) Give one moral value one can learn from the poem.

(23) In stanza 1, which words mean 'open embroidery on white linen'?
(24)Describe the grandmother's skirt and shoes.
(25)Why do you think the grandmother forgot to boil the soup?
     
            look her own death in the eye
(26)Where do you think the persona was when the grandmother passed away?
       Provide a reason for your answer.

(27)What do the 'sharp blue eyes' tell us about the grandmother's race?
(28) According to the persona, where has the grandmother gone?
(29) Do you think the grandmother can be described as brave?
       
       my tall grandmother became small
(30)What has happened to the grandmother's height and how does she look then?

(31) In stanza 3, which word means 'creased'?
(32) When do you think the grandmother can be described as 'tall there ? 853
(33) Which line tells us that the persona and her grandmother are of different race?
(34) What do you think was the age gap between the persona and her grandmother in the photo?
        Provide a reason for your answer.
(35) In stanza 2, which word means 'to have a bent back'?
(36) How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
(37) What happened to the soup and where do you think it was?

(38)  'she went to the awful place grandmothers go...'
      Do you think the persona understand about death? Provide a reason for answer,
(39) In stanza 3, what does the smile tells us about the face?
(40) What is the main theme of the poem?
(41) Which phrase tells us the grandmother's race is different from that of the persona?
     
       'But there she is still'
(42) How do you think the persona feels when she looks at the photograph? Provide a reason for                 your answer.