With the Photographer: ICSE Class 10 English answers, notes

Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, workbook solutions (Evergreen and Morning Star), extras, and pdf of the story “With the Photographer” by Stephen Leacock, which is part of ICSE Class 10 English (Treasure Chest: A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories). However, the notes should only be treated as references, and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.

Summary

The writer, Leacock, goes to a photographer’s studio to get his photo taken. He has to wait for an hour before the serious photographer calls him into the inner room. It’s clear the photographer is not pleased with Leacock’s face. He says it is “quite wrong” and would look better taken at three quarters full. When Leacock tries to compliment the photographer’s perceptiveness, he is ignored.

The photographer positions himself behind the camera under a covered cloth. He comes closer to Leacock, tenderly holding his face. Leacock closes his eyes, thinking he is about to be kissed. But instead, the photographer roughly turns Leacock’s face in different directions, trying to find the most flattering angle.

The photographer begins ordering Leacock to alter his expressions and pose – close mouth, droop ears, expand lungs, etc. Leacock grows frustrated and confused by the demands. After 40 years of living with his natural face, imperfections and all, he is annoyed that the photographer finds so much fault with it.

Just as Leacock becomes angry and is about to get up, the photographer secretly takes a photo, pleased to have captured his animated emotion. He tells Leacock to return on Saturday to see the proof. To Leacock’s great annoyance, the photographer has edited his eyebrows, mouth, and wants to edit his ears using advanced techniques.

Leacock argues that he simply wanted a photo depicting his true self, so friends and family could remember him after he dies. But the photographer does not seem to understand. Extremely angry, Leacock declares the edited photo worthless and leaves the studio in tears, feeling humiliated.

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Evergreen workbook answers/solutions

Multiple Choice Questions

(a) Analysis, Application and Evaluation :

1. The story highlights the theme of ………………..

(a) value of attractive appearance
(b) distortion of the self
(c) rejection of one’s real self
(d) acceptance of one’s real self

Answer: (b) distortion of the self

2. In the story the author has used the technique of ………………..

(a) irony
(b) foreshadowing
(c) contrast
(d) detailing

Answer: (a) irony

3. I don’t care for it. I like to get the hair clear back to the superficies and make out a new brow line.”
These lines tell us that the photographer is ………………..
(Board’s Practice Question)

(a) angry
(b) weak
(c) insensitive
(d) anxious

Answer: (c) insensitive

4. Which of the following options contains the same literary device that appears in the following line :
“…….the machine still staggering from the shock…..” (Board’s Practice Question)

(a) The house roofs seemed to heave and sway.
(b) In the vestibule below was a letter box.
(c) So heavy they were, tidal waves come over the islands.
(d) It became transparent like a thin veil.

Answer: (a) The house roofs seemed to heave and sway.

5. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between statements I and II from the story With the Photographer.
(Board’s Practice Question)
Statement I : The author felt that his eyes in the photograph didn’t look very much like his.
Statement II : The photographer had retouched the eyes.

(a) Statement I is true, and Statement II is false.
(b) Statement II is true, and Statement I is false.
(c) Statement II is the cause for Statement II.
(d) Statement I and Statement II are independent of each other.

Answer: (c) Statement II is the cause for Statement II. (Assuming the question intends to ask if Statement II is the cause for Statement I, as the photographer retouching the eyes (II) caused the author to feel they didn’t look like his (I)).

6. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between statement I and statement II.
Statement I. I still don’t quite like the face.
Statement II. I swung myself round on the stool.

(a) I is independent of II.
(b) I is a contradiction of II.
(c) I is an example of II.
(d) I is the cause of II.

Answer: (d) I is the cause of II.

7. The photographer’s behaviour with the narrator made him feel. ………………..
1. happy
2. sad
3. angry
4. irritated

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 abd 3
(c) 3 and 4
(d) 1 and 4

Answer: (c) 3 and 4

8. “Is it me?” I asked.
Which of the following words best describes the speaker’s mood ………………

(a) disbelief and surprise
(b) sadness and frustration
(c) pleasing and playful
(d) none of these

Answer: (a) disbelief and surprise

9. Which of these statements is NOT true?

(a) The narrator went to a photographer’s house
(b) The photographer took the narrator’s photograph
(c) The photographer used his technical skills to improve upon the photo
(d) The narrator was not satisfied with his photograph.

Answer: (a) The narrator went to a photographer’s house

(b) Recalling and Understanding :

10. The photographer looked at the narrator ……………….. .

(a) cheerfully
(b) with enthusiasm
(c) without enthusiasm
(d) indifferently

Answer: (c) without enthusiasm

11. The narrator was asked to wait for ………………..

(a) 15 minutes
(b) 30 minutes
(c) one hour
(d) 45 minutes

Answer: (c) one hour

12. The studio was ……………….. .

(a) well-furnished
(b) quite modern
(c) dimly lighted
(d) very big

Answer: (c) dimly lighted

13. The photographer had the looks of ………………..

(a) a sick man
(b) an angry man
(c) a natural scientist
(d) a crooked politician

Answer: (c) a natural scientist

14. The second visit to the photographer was paid by the narrator ………………..

(a) the next day
(b) the same evening
(c) the next Saturday
(d) after a fortnight

Answer: (c) the next Saturday

15. The narrator’s face was found to be ……………….. by the photographer.

(a) quite ugly
(b) quite attractive
(c) quite wrong
(d) very innocent

Answer: (c) quite wrong

16. While waiting for the photographer the narrator ……………….. .

(a) read the latest news
(b) a journal for the infants
(c) listened to the music
(d) kept writing something in his diary

Answer: (b) a journal for the infants

17. What was the age of the narrator when he went to the photographer to have his photograph taken ?

(a) fifty
(b) forty
(c) thirty
(d) forty five

Answer: (b) forty

18. The Delphide is a process employed by the photographer to ………………..

(a) add new features
(b) remove unwanted feature
(c) adjust body posture
(d) show attractive teeth

Answer: (a) add new features

19. Choose the option that lists the sequence of events in the correct order from the story With the Potographer.
(Board’s Practice Question)
(i) The photographer hurriedly backs away from the machine and, with a serious expression, comments that there is something wrong with the narrator’s face.
(ii) He crawls under the cloth draped over the machine and waits for some time.
(iii) The narrator thinks that the photographer is praying.
(iv) The photographer calls the narrator into the inner room and rolls a machine into the middle of the room.

(a) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
(b) (iv), (ii), (iii), (i)
(c) (ii), (iii), (iv), (i)
(d) (iv), (iii), (i), (ii)

Answer: (b) (iv), (ii), (iii), (i)

Comprehension passage

PASSAGE-1

The photographer looked at me without enthusiasm. He was a drooping man in a gray suit, with the dim eyes of a natural scientist. But there is no need to describe him. Everybody knows what a photographer is like.

(i) Give reason for the photographer’s apathy towards the narrator. (Analysis)

Answer: The photographer looked at the narrator without enthusiasm, possibly because he was a drooping man who seemed to be engaged in scientific pursuits, and the narrator felt he was intruding with a face like his. Later, the photographer explicitly stated that the narrator’s face was quite wrong, which might also explain his initial lack of enthusiasm.

(ii) Explain the narrator’s attitude towards the photographer. (Analysis)

Answer: Initially, the narrator felt a sense of intrusion and insecurity, believing he had unwarrantably broken in on the photographer’s scientific pursuits. He showed a brief moment of hope when the photographer suggested a way to make his face look better, as he was glad to find a human side to the man. However, as the photographer criticized his features and manhandled him, the narrator became annoyed and then asserted with dignity that his face was his own, one he had learned to love. Ultimately, upon seeing the heavily retouched photograph, his attitude shifted to one of shock, disgust, deep disappointment, and anger, as he found the result to be a worthless bauble. He was also satirical of professionals like the photographer who impose their own standards.

(iii) What was the narrator’s experience with the photographer ? (Understanding)

Answer: The narrator’s experience with the photographer was a bitter one, described as an ordeal and a nightmare. It began with a long wait and a feeling of having intruded. The photographer was critical, calling the narrator’s face “quite wrong,” and manhandled him by twisting his head. The narrator was subjected to numerous humiliating instructions about his features and posture, which made him feel annoyed. The photograph taken was so heavily retouched—with altered eyes, removed eyebrows, an adjusted mouth, and a plan to remove the ears—that the narrator found the final product to be a disaster, a worthless bauble, and he left the studio shocked and disgusted.

(iv) What tells you about the appearance of the photographer ? (Understanding)

Answer: The photographer was described as a drooping man in a gray suit, with the dim eye of a natural scientist.

(v) How did the narrator spend his time while waiting for the photographer ? (Understanding)

Answer: While waiting for an hour for the photographer, the narrator spent his time reading old magazines, specifically the Ladies Companion for 1912, the Girls Magazine for 1902, and the Infants Journal for 1888.

PASSAGE-2

He was only in it a second, just time enough for one look at me, – and then he was out again, tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes with a hooked stick, apparently frantic for light and air.

(i) Who is ‘he’ here in this extract ? Was ‘he’ at peace with himself? (Evaluation)

Answer: ‘He’ in this extract is the photographer. He did not seem to be at peace with himself, as he was described as “apparently frantic for light and air” and was tearing at the cotton sheet and window panes because he was not feeling satisfied with something and was trying to bring in more light.

(ii) What do you think of the studio where the photographer was to take the narrator’s photograph? (Analysis)

Answer: The studio was a dimly lit, old-fashioned room that seemed to lack any attractive appearance. A beam of sunlight filtered into it through a sheet of factory cotton that was hung against a frosted skylight. The photographer had his machine, his camera, in the middle of this room.

(iii) What was the photographer trying to do in his studio ? (Understanding)

Answer: In his studio, the photographer was trying to bring in more light. He did this by tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes with a hooked stick, appearing frantic for light and air.

(iv) What was the photographer’s reaction when he came out of the black cloth draped on the camera ? (Understanding)

Answer: After looking at the narrator for a second and then adjusting the light, the photographer crawled back into the machine and drew a little black cloth over himself. When he came out at last from under the cloth, he looked very grave and quite grim, and he shook his head.

(v) What was thought to be the problem with the face of the narrator? (Understanding and Analysis)

Answer: The photographer, not being satisfied with the author’s face, told him that his face was quite wrong. He then proceeded to find specific faults with the narrator’s head, mouth, ears, and eyes.

PASSAGE-3

“I’m sure it would,” I said enthusiastically, for I was glad to find that the man had such a human side to him. “So would yours. In fact,” I continued, “how many faces one sees that are apparently hard, narrow, limited, but the minute you get them three-quarters full they get wide, large, almost boundless in ––”

(i) What was the narrator sure of? (Understanding)

Answer: The narrator was sure that his face, as well as the photographer’s, would look better if it were “three-quarters full,” as the photographer had suggested.

(ii) “The man had such a human side to him”. What does the narrator wish to convey about the man? (Analysis)

Answer: When the narrator said the man had such a human side to him, he wished to convey his initial perception that the photographer possessed a relatable human desire to make people look more beautiful or attractive, and to bring about a transformation in human faces.

(iii) How are the faces of the human beings made to look better? (Understanding)

Answer: According to the narrator’s continuation in this passage, human faces that are apparently hard, narrow, and limited are made to look better when you get them “three-quarters full,” at which point they get wide, large, and almost boundless.

(iv) What is the tone of the narrator when he says that human faces are made to look better? (Analysis)

Answer: The narrator’s tone, when he spoke of how human faces are made to look better, was enthusiastic, as he was glad to find what he perceived as a human side to the photographer.

(v) Did the photographer himself need some improvement in his face or mind? How do you know this? (Evaluation)

Answer: The narrator implied that the photographer’s face could also be improved by being “three-quarters full” when he said, “So would yours.” Regarding his mind or attitude, the photographer ceased to listen to the narrator and proceeded to impose his will, showing insensitivity by distorting the narrator’s image. His actions, such as being an egoist proud of his skills but lacking humility and respect, and his ridiculous approach, suggest that his mind or attitude needed improvement in terms of empathy and respect for his subject’s feelings.

PASSAGE-4

“The ears are bad,” he said; “droop them a little more. Thank you. Now the eyes. Roll them in under the lids. Put the hands on the knees, please, and turn the face just a little upward. Yes, that’s better.
(Board’s Practice Question)

(i) Describe the photographer’s appearance. Why did he look at the author without enthusiasm ? What impression did he get of the photographer? (Recall and Analysis)

Answer: The photographer was a drooping man in a gray suit, with the dim eye of a natural scientist. He looked at the author without enthusiasm, possibly due to his general nature or his assessment that the author’s face was “wrong,” and because the author felt he was intruding on the photographer’s scientific pursuits. Initially, the author saw him as a natural scientist, but later got the impression that the photographer was critical, insensitive, and focused on an artificial ideal, a somewhat stereotypical, unfeeling professional.

(ii) Where did the photographer make the author sit ? Describe the photographer’s initial attempt to take a picture. (Recall and Understanding)

Answer: The photographer made the author sit in a beam of sunlight that was filtered through a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted skylight. For his initial attempt, the photographer rolled a machine into the middle of the room, crawled into it, looked at the author for a second, then came out frantically tearing at the cotton sheet and window panes for more light. He then crawled back into the machine, drew a black cloth over himself, remained quiet as if praying, and finally came out looking grave and shaking his head.

(iii) What instructions did the photographer give the author before taking his photograph? (Recall)

Answer: Before taking the photograph, after twisting the author’s head sideways, the photographer instructed him to open his mouth a little, then close it. He told him his ears were bad and to droop them more. He then instructed him to roll his eyes in under the lids, put his hands on his knees, turn his face a little upward, expand his lungs, hump his neck, contract his waist, and twist his hip up toward his elbow, though he still didn’t quite like the face, finding it a trifle too full.

(iv) Which feature in the author’s photograph had some resemblance to his face ? How did the photographer offer to set this right? (Recall)

Answer: The author felt that his ears in the photograph struck him as a good likeness, saying they were just like his. The photographer offered to set this “right” in the print by using a process called Sulphide to remove the ears entirely.

(v) Comment on the photographer’s retouching and altering of the author’s photograph. Mention one modern-day equivalent of what the photographer attempted to do. Give one reason why the photographer’s action was insensitive. (Analysis)

Answer: The photographer’s retouching involved making the eyes come out splendidly, removing the eyebrows with “the Delphide” process to put in new ones and alter the hairline, adjusting the mouth because he found the original too low, and planning to remove the ears entirely with “the Sulphide” process. A modern-day equivalent would be extensive digital photo editing with software like Photoshop, including airbrushing, changing facial features, and applying filters. The photographer’s action was insensitive because he completely disregarded the narrator’s wish for a photograph that looked like him, as Heaven gave him, imposing his own aesthetic standards and devaluing the narrator’s actual appearance and feelings, thereby causing anguish.

PASSAGE-5

“Stop,” I said with emotion but, I think, with dignity. “This face is my face. It is not yours, it is mine. I’ve lived with it for forty years and I know its faults. I know it’s out of drawing. I know it wasn’t made for me, but it’s my face, the only one I have-“

(i) In what mood is the speaker ? What does he want? (Analysis)

Answer: The speaker, the narrator, was in a mood of emotion mixed with a desire for dignity; he was upset, frustrated, and hurt, as indicated by the break in his voice, but he was trying to assert himself. He wanted the photographer to stop altering his face and to take a photograph that was a true representation of himself, faults and all.

(ii) What prompted the speaker to say, “It is not yours, it is mine”? (Understanding)

Answer: The photographer’s persistent and extensive criticism of the narrator’s features—calling his face wrong, disliking his head, finding his ears bad, and giving numerous manipulative instructions, culminating in still not quite liking the face—prompted the speaker to declare that the face was his own, not the photographer’s.

(iii) What is the tone of the speaker? Give one reason for it. (Analysis)

Answer: The speaker’s tone was one of emotion, dignity, assertiveness, and exasperation. This tone was due to his frustration with the photographer’s continuous criticism and attempts to change his natural appearance, which he had lived with and accepted for forty years, making him feel his identity was being dismissed.

(iv) Comment on the statement, ‘I know it wasn’t made for me, but it’s my face, the only one I have…………’ (Analysis)

Answer: This statement reflects the narrator’s profound self-acceptance and a certain resignation regarding his physical appearance. He acknowledges its imperfections, stating he knows its faults, that it’s out of drawing, and wasn’t made for him, yet he firmly claims it as his own, the only one he has, and one he has learned to love. It signifies a deep connection to his authentic identity and a rejection of artificial alterations.

(v) Which idea does the narrator try to convey through the extract ? (Understanding and Analysis)

Answer: Through this extract, the narrator tries to convey the idea of self-acceptance, the significance of one’s natural identity, and the rejection of artificial changes imposed by others. He emphasizes that his face, with all its flaws, is intrinsically his, a gift from God that must be respected and accepted, and that he has come to terms with it and even loves it, asserting his right to his own appearance.

PASSAGE-6

The photographer beckoned me in. I thought he seemed quieter and graver than before. I think, too, there was a certain pride in his manner.
He unfolded the proof of a large photograph, and we both looked at it in silence.
“Is it me?” I asked.

(i) Where was the narrator asked to come and by whom? (Understanding)

Answer: The narrator was asked by the photographer to come back to the photographer’s studio on Saturday to see a proof of the photograph.

(ii) What was the photographer proud of ? (Understanding)

Answer: The photographer seemed to have a certain pride in his manner, and he was proud of the product, which was the retouched photograph he had produced, showcasing the skills with which he could bring about a great transformation.

(iii) Both the photographer and the narrator looked at the proof of the photograph in silence. Why do you think both were silent ? (Analysis)

Answer: The photographer was likely silent due to a certain pride in his manner, perhaps expecting admiration for his work. The narrator was silent likely out of shock and disbelief, as he found the photograph far removed from reality and shocking, to the point where he had to ask if it was indeed him.

(iv) What was the narrator’s reaction on seeing his photograph? (Understanding and Analysis)

Answer: On seeing his photograph, the narrator’s immediate reaction was to ask, “Is it me?” He then hesitatingly pointed out that the eyes didn’t look like his, the eyebrows were not his, and questioned if the mouth was his. He felt shocked and disgusted because the photograph was far removed from reality.

(v) What other changes did the photographer want to make in the final finish of the photograph? Why? (Understanding)

Answer: Regarding the ears, which the narrator thought were a good likeness, the photographer wanted to make a further change by using a process called Sulphide to remove the ears entirely in the final print. He wanted to do this because he was driven by his own aesthetic standards and technical processes, aiming to “improve” the image according to his professional skills, even if it meant completely altering natural features he didn’t like, such as hair low on the skull or a mouth that was too low.

PASSAGE-7

“Yes,” said the photographer thoughtfully, “that’s so; but I can fix that all right in the print. We have a process now -the Sulphide— for removing the ears entirely. I’ll see if-“

(i) What had not been tampered with as far as the body features were concerned? (Understanding)

Answer: As far as the body features were concerned up to the point of seeing the proof, the narrator’s ears had not been tampered with, as he stated they struck him as a good likeness, and the photographer agreed this was so before suggesting their removal.

(ii) To which question of the narrator does the photographer say ‘yes’ ? Does he agree to improve upon the picture? (Understanding)

Answer: The photographer says ‘yes’ in agreement with the narrator’s statement that his ears in the photograph were a good likeness and just like his own. Yes, the photographer did agree to “improve” upon the picture, but his method of improvement was to “fix” the ears by removing them entirely in the print using the Sulphide process.

(iii) Which features had the photographer retouched to make them look better? (Understanding)

Answer: The photographer had retouched the eyes, making them come out splendidly. He had removed the original eyebrows and used the Delphide process to put in new ones and carry the hair away from the brow. He had also adjusted the mouth because he found the narrator’s original mouth to be too low and couldn’t use it.

(iv) How do the photographers bring about changes in a photograph so that it looks completely different from the original? (Understanding and Analysis)

Answer: Photographers like the one in the story bring about changes using various processes and techniques such as retouching for features like eyes, employing the Delphide process for eyebrows and hairlines, adjusting features like the mouth, and using the Sulphide process for entirely removing features like ears. The narrator also sarcastically mentioned processes like dipping in sulphide, bromide, oxide, cowhide, removing eyes, correcting the mouth, adjusting the face, restoring lips, reanimating the necktie, reconstructing the waistcoat, coating with gloss, shading, embossing, and gilding.

(v) What made the narrator express his anger at his photographer later? What did he want to convey? (Understanding and Analysis)

Answer: The narrator expressed his anger later due to the photographer’s complete alteration of his features in the photograph and his casual suggestion to remove the ears as well, which showed a total disregard for the narrator’s desire for a true likeness. The narrator wanted to convey that he had come for a photograph that actually looked like him, as Heaven gave him his face, something his friends could keep as a memory. He wanted to express his disgust with the photographer’s “brutal work” of distorting reality and his belief that the resulting picture was worthless to him because it was not a true representation.

PASSAGE-8

“Coat it with an inch of gloss, shade it, emboss it, gild it, till even you acknowledge that it is finished. Then when you have done all that-keep it for yourself and your friends. They may value it. To me it is but a worthless bauble.”

(i) What is the narrator’s reaction on his photograph in his next visit ? (Understanding)

Answer: On his next visit, the narrator’s reaction to his photograph was one of utter disgust and anger. He sarcastically instructed the photographer to continue his “brutal work” of altering the negative with various chemicals and processes, to remove and correct features, and then told him to keep the “finished” product for himself and his friends, declaring that to him, it was but a worthless bauble. He then broke into tears and left, having blasted the photographer with a bitter rebuke and scorn.

(ii) Mention at least three different processes with the help of which the photographers change the features in a photograph ? (Understanding)

Answer: The story mentions processes such as retouching (for eyes), the Delphide process (for eyebrows and hairline), and the Sulphide process (for removing ears). The narrator also sarcastically lists dipping in chemicals like bromide and oxide, coating with gloss, shading, embossing, and gilding as methods used.

(iii) Does the narrator approve of the techniques of the photographers in bringing about changes in the original photograph? How do you know? (Analysis)

Answer: No, the narrator does not approve of the photographer’s techniques for changing the original photograph. This is known because his entire speech in this passage is a bitter rebuke, calling the work “brutal” and the result a “worthless bauble.” He explicitly stated earlier that he wanted a photograph that would have looked like him and lamented that what he wanted was no longer done. His final act of breaking into tears and leaving further confirms his disapproval.

(iv) Would you support the narrator’s viewpoint or the photographer’s ? Why? (Evaluation)

Answer: I would definitely support the narrator’s viewpoint. His wish to have a photograph that truly looks like him, something natural and a real memory for his friends, seems very genuine and understandable. The photographer, on the other hand, seemed to care more about his own ideas of a “good” picture than about what the narrator wanted. He was quite insensitive to the narrator’s feelings by changing his face so much. I believe a photograph, especially one meant for personal memories, should be true to how a person looks. It’s about capturing a real moment or a real person, not creating an artificial image. The narrator felt his real self was rejected, and that’s why he was so upset, and I think he was right to feel that way.

(v) Why does the narrator call the photograph a worthless ‘bauble’? (Analysis)

Answer: The narrator calls the photograph a worthless ‘bauble’ because it no longer represented him authentically. It had been so heavily altered and “improved” according to the photographer’s standards that it lost all personal value for the narrator. He had wanted something that would depict his face as Heaven gave it to him, a true image for his friends to remember him by. Since the retouched photo failed this purpose and was a distortion of reality, it was merely a showy but valueless object to him.

Morning Star workbook answers/solutions

Multiple Choice Questions II

1. Why did the photographer look at the narrator without enthusiasm?

A. He did not like the narrator’s looks
B. He was an eccentric man
C. He was an unprofessional man
D. All of the above

Answer: D. All of the above

2. What was the ‘unwarrantable thing’ done by the narrator?

A. Breaking into the private space of the photographer
B. Breaking into his studio without permission
C. Interrupting him during the shoot
D. None of the above

Answer: A. Breaking into the private space of the photographer

3. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below?
‘I knew that he was praying and I kept still.’

A. Simile
B. Metaphor
C. Personification
D. Irony

Answer: B. Metaphor

4. Why did the photographer twist and turn the narrator’s head and face?

A. To get the right angle for clicking the photo
B. To adjust them according to the narrator’s choice
C. To insult and annoy the narrator
D. None of the above

Answer: A. To get the right angle for clicking the photo

5. What has the narrator ‘always known’?

A. The photographer was unprofessional
B. His face was lean
C. His face was wrong
D. None of the above

Answer: C. His face was wrong

6. Why was there a certain pride in the photographer’s manner when the narrator visited him the second time?

A. Altering the narrator’s photo according to his own perception of beauty
B. The narrator had come again to him
C. He had finally made the narrator agree with him
D. None of the above

Answer: A. Altering the narrator’s photo according to his own perception of beauty

7. Why did the narrator ask, ‘Is it me’?

A. The photo was beyond his expectation
B. The photo was no match to his real self
C. The photo was a true copy of his real self
D. None of the above

Answer: B. The photo was no match to his real self

8. For which of the following did the narrator want to have in this photograph?

A. Eyes
B. Mouth
C. Eyebrows
D. Ears

Answer: D. Ears

9. What sort of face did the narrator want to have in his photograph?

A. Exactly like his own
B. Exactly as the photographer wanted it
C. His face minus the flaws in it
D. None of the above

Answer: C. His face minus the flaws in it

10. ‘I found I couldn’t use it’. What was ‘it’ that could not be used by the photographer?

A. The narrator’s photograph
B. The narrator’s mouth
C. The narrator’s eyebrows
D. The narrator’s ears

Answer: B. The narrator’s mouth

11. What is referred to as the ‘brutal work’?

A. The humiliating visit to the photo studio
B. The act of twisting and turning the narrator’s head
C. The act of ‘retouching’ his photo by the photographer
D. None of the above

Answer: C. The act of ‘retouching’ his photo by the photographer

12. Choose the option that lists the sequence of events in the correct order.

1. ‘Oh, there’s nothing to see yet,’ he said, ‘I have to develop the negative first.’
2. When the photographer came out, at last, he looked very grave and shook his head.
3. The photographer had pulled a string. The photograph was taken.
4. Go on then with your brutal work.

A. 4, 3, 2, 1
B. 2, 3, 1, 4
C. 2, 1, 3, 4
D. 3, 4, 2, 1

Answer: D. 3, 4, 2, 1

13. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between statements (1) and (2):

1. ‘I wanted something that would depict my face as Heaven gave it to me, humble though the gift may have been.’
2. ‘No,’ said the photographer, with a momentary glance at my face, ‘the eyebrows are removed. We have a process now—the Delphide—for putting in new ones.’

A. 1 is the cause of 2
B. 1 is an example of 2
C. 1 is independent of 2
D. 1 is a contradiction of 2

Answer: D. 1 is a contradiction of 2

Context Questions and Answers

Extract 1

“I waited an hour. I read the Ladies’ Companion for 1912, the Girls’ Magazines for 1902, and the Infants’ Journal for 1888. I began to see that I had done an unwarrantable thing in breaking in on the privacy of this man’s scientific pursuits with a face like mine.”

(i) For whom does the narrator wait for an hour? Why? What does it suggest about the person for whom he has to wait?

Answer: The narrator waits for the photographer for an hour. It suggests that the photographer is indifferent or preoccupied with his own scientific interests, showing little regard for the narrator’s time.

(ii) What sort of magazines did the narrator read? What does it suggest about the person who has kept those magazines there?

Answer: The narrator reads Ladies’ Companion for 1912, Girls’ Magazines for 1902, and Infants’ Journal for 1888. This suggests that the person who has kept these magazines is somewhat disorganized, indifferent to modern reading material, or perhaps inattentive to their clients’ preferences.

(iii) What is the “unwarrantable thing” that the narrator has done? How?

Answer: The “unwarrantable thing” is the narrator intruding on the photographer’s professional, perhaps overly serious, scientific pursuits by asking for his photograph to be taken, especially considering the narrator’s insecurity about his own appearance.

(iv) Why does the narrator say ‘with a face like mine’? What does it suggest about the narrator?

Answer: The narrator says this to express his insecurity or dissatisfaction with his own face. It suggests that the narrator is self-conscious and feels his appearance is inadequate or flawed.

(v) What were the man’s scientific pursuits? For whom does he carry out these pursuits later in the story?

Answer: The man’s scientific pursuits involve photography and a somewhat mechanical, emotionless approach to his craft. He carries out these pursuits for his clients, though his detachment makes it seem like he prioritizes the technical process over personal connection.

Extract 2

“The photographer rolled a machine into the middle of the room and crawled into it from behind. He was only in it a second – just time enough for one look at me, and then he was out again, tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes with a hooked stick, apparently frantic for light and air. Then he crawled back into the machine again and drew a little black cloth over himself. This time he was very quiet in there. I know that he was praying, and I kept still.”

(i) What does the photographer want to do with the machine? Who has asked him to do that and why?

Answer: The photographer wants to use the machine to take the narrator’s photograph. The narrator has asked him to do this, as he desires a photo of himself, despite his self-doubt about his appearance.

(ii) Why does the photographer remain inside the machine just for a second? What does it suggest about the photographer?

Answer: The photographer remains inside the machine just for a second because he is dissatisfied with the lighting and atmosphere in the room. It suggests that the photographer is meticulous, easily frustrated, and obsessed with perfection in his work.

(iii) When the photographer entered into the machine for the second time, why does he remain there for a longer time than before? Why does the narrator think that he was praying?

Answer: The photographer stays longer the second time because he is preparing to take the photograph under better conditions. The narrator imagines that he was praying because of the photographer’s long silence, projecting his own nervousness onto the situation.

(iv) Why does the photographer look very grave? What does he say after this extract about the narrator? How does the narrator react?

Answer: The photographer looks grave because he is dissatisfied with the narrator’s face. He comments on how the face is “quite wrong,” which likely makes the narrator feel self-conscious and embarrassed. The narrator tries to humorously engage with him about it, masking his discomfort.

(v) What do you think about the photographer from his activities in this extract? Give a reason to support your answer.

Answer: The photographer seems detached and more concerned with the technical aspects of photography than with his client’s feelings. His frustration with the conditions and the narrator’s appearance suggests he sees his work as more scientific than artistic.

Extract 3

“Stop,” I said with emotion but, I think, with dignity. This face is my face. It is not yours, it is mine. I’ve lived with it for forty years, and I know its faults. I know it’s out of drawing, I know it wasn’t made for me, but it’s my face, the only one I have – I was conscious of a break in my voice but I went on – ‘such as it is, I’ve learned to love it.”

(i) To whom does the narrator say ‘Stop’? What does he ask him to stop? In what mood is the narrator in this extract?

Answer: The narrator says “Stop” to the photographer. He asks him to stop adjusting his face and body for the photograph. The narrator is emotional, defensive, and somewhat indignant.

(ii) What does the narrator say about his face? What does he mean by saying that he knows its faults?

Answer: The narrator acknowledges that his face is not perfect and is flawed. By saying he knows its faults, he means he is aware of his physical imperfections and has come to accept them over time.

(iii) Why does the narrator feel a break in his voice? But then how does he go about it?

Answer: The narrator feels a break in his voice because he is emotionally affected by having to defend his appearance. However, he pushes through the emotion to assert his ownership and acceptance of his face.

(iv) What does the narrator mean by saying that he has learned ‘to love it’? What does it suggest about the narrator?

Answer: The narrator means that, despite its flaws, he has grown to accept and appreciate his face. This suggests the narrator has a sense of self-acceptance, even though he is sensitive about his appearance.

(v) The narrator asks the photographer if his ‘machine is too narrow’. What does it mean when he says so? Do you agree with his point of view?

Answer: The narrator is implying that the photographer’s expectations of beauty or symmetry are too rigid or narrow. Yes, his point of view is valid because the photographer is trying to conform his appearance to a standard that the narrator does not believe is necessary or fitting.

Extract 4

“Listen!” I interrupted, drawing myself up and animating my features to their full extent and speaking with a withering scorn that should have blasted the man on the spot. Listen! I came here for a photographer—a picture—something which (mad though it seems) would have looked like me, humble though the gift may have been. I wanted something that my friends might keep after my death, to reconcile them to my loss.”

(i) Whom does the narrator interrupt and why?

Answer: The narrator interrupts the photographer, accusing him of altering his appearance too much in the photograph. He interrupts to assert that he wanted a picture that looked like himself.

(ii) Why does the narrator speak to him ‘with a withering scorn’? In what mood was the narrator in this extract?

Answer: The narrator speaks with scorn because he is frustrated and disappointed with the photographer’s attempts to change his appearance. He is in a mood of indignation and anger.

(iii) What kind of photographer does the narrator wish to have? Was it up to the expectation?

Answer: The narrator wishes for a photographer who would capture his natural appearance honestly. It was not up to his expectation, as the photographer was more concerned with altering his features.

(iv) Why does the narrator describe his face as a “humble gift”? What does it suggest about the narrator?

Answer: The narrator describes his face as a “humble gift” to express both his modesty and self-acceptance. This suggests that the narrator is aware of his flaws but values his own identity.

(v) Give a character sketch of the narrator.

Answer: The narrator is self-aware, modest, and sensitive about his appearance. He values authenticity and has a strong sense of self-acceptance, despite moments of insecurity. His interactions with the photographer show his frustration when others try to impose their standards on him, revealing his underlying confidence.

Extras/additional

Questions and Answers

Extract 1

“I WANT my photograph taken” I said. The photographer looked at me without enthusiasm. He was a drooping man in a gray suit with the dim eye of a natural scientist. But there is no need to describe him. Everybody knows what a photographer is like.
“Sit there” he said “and wait.”
I waited an hour. I read the Ladies Companion for 1912, the Girls Magazine for 1902, and the Infants Journal for 1888. I began to see that I had done an unwarrantable thing in breaking in on the privacy of this man’s scientific pursuits with a face like mine. After an hour the photographer opened the inner door.
“Come in,” he said severely.

(i) Why does the narrator feel that asking for a photograph was an ‘unwarrantable thing’?

Answer: The narrator feels it was ‘unwarrantable’ to interrupt the photographer’s scientific pursuits because the long wait and the photographer’s dismissive attitude made him think his appearance was not worth the photographer’s time.

(ii) How does the narrator describe the photographer?

Answer: The narrator describes the photographer as a drooping man in a gray suit with the dim eye of a natural scientist, emphasizing his lack of enthusiasm.

(iii) What effect does the photographer’s demeanor have on the narrator?

Answer: The photographer’s indifferent and severe attitude causes the narrator to question whether it was appropriate to disturb him, making him feel guilty for asking for the photograph.

(iv) What magazines does the narrator read while waiting?

Answer: The narrator reads The Ladies Companion from 1912, The Girls Magazine from 1902, and The Infants Journal from 1888.

(v) What does the photographer’s command to ‘wait’ indicate about his attitude towards the job?

Answer: The command to ‘wait’ without explanation reflects the photographer’s impatience and lack of interest in engaging with the narrator, treating the request as more of a burden than a service.

Extract 10

“I came here for a photograph—a picture—something which (mad though it seems) would have looked like me. I wanted something that would depict my face as Heaven gave it to me, humble though the gift may have been. I wanted something that my friends might keep after my death to reconcile them to my loss.”

(i) What does the narrator want from the photograph?

Answer: The narrator wants a photograph that represents his true, natural appearance, something his friends could keep as a memory of him after his death.

(ii) Why does the narrator refer to his wish as ‘mad though it seems’?

Answer: The narrator refers to his wish as ‘mad’ because it contrasts sharply with the photographer’s excessive editing, suggesting that wanting a simple, honest representation is now unusual or unrealistic.

(iii) How does the narrator feel about the photographer’s alterations?

Answer: The narrator feels disillusioned and frustrated with the photographer’s alterations, as they distort his appearance rather than preserving his natural likeness.

(iv) What does the phrase ‘reconcile them to my loss’ suggest about the narrator’s intentions for the photograph?

Answer: The phrase suggests that the narrator intended the photograph to serve as a memento for his friends, something that would remind them of his true self after he is gone.

(v) How does this passage highlight the theme of identity in the story?

Answer: This passage highlights the theme of identity by contrasting the narrator’s desire for a true reflection of his appearance with the photographer’s artificial alterations, raising questions about authenticity and self-representation.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. The photographer was a ____ man in a grey suit.

A. cheerful B. drooping C. drowsy D. flamboyant

Answer: B. drooping

22. How did the author describe the final photo?

A. As a masterpiece B. As a fine work of art C. As a worthless bauble D. As an impressive click

Answer: C. As a worthless bauble

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