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What is the central idea of the poem A Photograph?

What is the central idea of the poem A Photograph?

3 Answers

  1. Lucifer
    Best Answer

    The poem A Photograph is written in the memory of poet’s mother who goes into reminiscence after seeing an old photo framed in cardboard. In the photo, there are three people, poet’s mother and two of her cousins who are holding poet’s mother’s hands. The photo was taken when poet’s mother was 12 years old.

    The poet then memorises how her mother laughed seeing her photo of her youth. But deep inside, she was sad because her youth was gone. Now, in the present, the poet’s mother is no more and she is remembering her (mother’s) laugh and missing her.

    So the whole poet is about loss and grief because of it. Both poet and her mother laugh because of their old memories. But ironically both are sad because they have lost something.

    1. Play quiz on A Photograph
    2. Summary of A Photograph
  2. In the poem A Photograph, the central idea is change. A photograph records the past and time. Through the photograph, the poet recalls the time of the recent past in present. She can see the change in the past, which is no more. It is the beauty of change. This is the main idea of the poem.

    In this poem, the poet is expressing the idea that all things are changing and everything has changed. There was a time when there were no photographs but now there are many. All those photographs record the time of past, which is no longer. Photography has captured the beauty of change, which no longer exists.

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