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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.

Table of Contents
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Summary
Evergreen workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
Comprehension passage
Morning Star workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions II
Context Questions and Answers
Extras/additional
Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

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.

Evergreen workbook answers/solutions

Multiple Choice Questions

(i) The story ‘With the Photographer’ is written by

(a) Katherine Mansfield (b) Stephen Leacock (c) W.Somerset Maugham (d) Alphonse Daudet

Answer: (b) Stephen Leacock

(ii) The photographer looked at the narrator

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

Answer: (c) without enthusiasm

(iii) The narrator was asked to wait for

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

Answer: (c) one hour

(iv) The studio was

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

Answer: (c) dimly lighted

(v) 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

(vi) 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

(vii) The narrator’s face was found to be

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

Answer: (c) quite wrong

(viii) 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

(ix) 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) fortyfive

Answer: (b) forty

(x) 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

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) Why do you think the photographer did not look at the narrator with enthusiasm?

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Answer: The narrator says “Everybody knows what a photographer is like.” This suggests that photographers generally lack enthusiasm
when dealing with customers.

(ii) Why did the narrator not feel fit to describe the photographer?

Answer: The narrator says “But there is no need to describe him. Everybody knows what a photographer is like.” This implies that
photographers have a common, unexceptional appearance that does not warrant description.

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

Answer: The narrator’s experience with the photographer was quite bitter and frustrating. He felt humiliated by the photographer’s
indifferent attitude and criticism of his facial features.

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

Answer: The narrator describes the photographer 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?

Answer: The narrator spent his time reading old magazines/journals like the Ladies Companion for 1912, the Girls Magazine for 1902
and the Infants Journal for 1888 while waiting for the photographer.

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?

Answer: ‘He’ refers to the photographer. No, the extract suggests he was not at peace with himself as it says “apparently frantic for
light and air.”

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

Answer: The studio seems to be a dimly lit and ill-equipped place with just a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted skylight to
let in light. It did not have a pleasant ambiance.

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

Answer: The photographer was trying to adjust the light entering the studio by “tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes with a
hooked stick, apparently frantic for light and air” before taking the narrator’s photograph.

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

Answer: When the photographer came out from behind the black cloth draped on the camera, he “looked very grave and shook his
head”, suggesting he was not satisfied with what he saw.

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

Answer: The photographer thought the narrator’s face was “quite wrong”, implying there was some problem or defect in his facial
features from the photographer’s perspective.

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?

Answer: The narrator was sure that the photographer could make his face appear “better three-quarters full” by employing some

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techniques to improve the looks.

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

Answer: By saying this, the narrator means that the photographer had the human tendency or quality of wanting to make people look
more attractive by enhancing their facial features through his skills.

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

Answer: The narrator says that even faces that appear “hard, narrow, limited” can be made to look “wide, large, almost boundless” if
captured at the right angle or with certain photographic techniques employed.

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

Answer: The narrator seems enthusiastic and optimistic that the photographer can work his magic to enhance facial appearances when
he says human faces can be made to look better.

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

Answer: Yes, the narrator indirectly suggests that the photographer himself could use some improvement in his looks when he says “So
would yours (face).” This implies the photographer’s own face could be enhanced.

Passage 4

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

(i) Which features are asked to be improved upon and how?

Answer: The photographer asks the narrator to “droop” his ears a little more, roll his eyes in under the lids, put his hands on the knees,
and turn his face a little upward to improve his looks.

(ii) Do you think the narrator is happy and satisfied with the photographer?

Answer: No, the narrator does not seem happy or satisfied with the photographer’s constant adjustments and criticisms of his facial
features, which make him increasingly uncomfortable.

(iii) Which things other than the ones mentioned later in the context are to be set right?

Answer: Apart from the ears, eyes, mouth position and posture, the photographer also suggests adjusting the narrator’s waist by saying
“just contract the waist” to enhance his looks.

(iv) Did all these features of the narrator meet the due approval of the photographer? How do you know?

Answer: No, the narrator’s features did not meet the photographer’s approval even after all the adjustments, as the photographer says “I
still don’t quite like the face, it’s just a trifle too full.”

(v) What does it tell you about the photographer’s art?

Answer: It shows that the photographer’s art involves not just capturing the real image, but also transforming and “improving” a
person’s looks through various posturing and techniques to meet certain standards of appearance.

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) Who is the speaker here? Who is he talking to? What is the occasion?

Answer: The speaker here is the narrator. He is talking to the photographer on the occasion of getting his photograph taken at the
photographer’s studio.

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

Answer: The narrator says this in reaction to the photographer constantly finding faults with his facial features and trying to change or
adjust them, prompting the narrator to assert that it is his own face.

(iii) What is the tone of the speaker?

Answer: The tone of the speaker (narrator) is one of emotion and dignity, as he explicitly mentions speaking “with emotion but, I think,
with dignity.”

(iv) What does the extract tell about the narrator’s present mood?

Answer: The extract suggests the narrator is in a frustrated and indignant mood due to the photographer’s unsolicited efforts to alter his
natural looks.

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

Answer: Through this extract, the narrator tries to convey the idea that one’s physical appearance is a unique gift that should be
accepted as it is, without trying to artificially alter or “improve” it as per someone else’s standards.

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?

Answer: The narrator was asked/beckoned to come into the photographer’s studio.

(ii) What was the photographer proud of?

Answer: The extract suggests the photographer had “a certain pride in his manner”, indicating he was likely proud of the way he had
processed and transformed the narrator’s photograph.

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

Answer: They were likely silent because they were carefully examining and assessing the proof of the photograph, particularly how the
narrator’s features had been altered, which was the main point of conflict between them.

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

Answer: The narrator’s reaction on seeing his altered photograph was one of shock and disbelief, as evident from his question “Is it
me?”, implying he could hardly recognize himself.

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

Answer: The photographer expresses his intention to “fix” the narrator’s ears and remove them entirely from the photograph using a
process called “the Sulphide.”

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?

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Answer: The narrator’s ears were the only feature that had not been tampered with or altered by the photographer in the photograph.

(ii) To which question of the narrator does the photographer say ‘yes’?

Answer: The photographer says ‘yes’ in response to the narrator’s question about whether the ears in the photograph were a good
likeness of his own.

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

Answer: The photographer had retouched and adjusted features like the narrator’s eyes, eyebrows and mouth to make them look
different or “better” according to his standards.

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

Answer: The extract suggests that photographers use various processes and techniques like “Delphide” and “Sulphide” to add, remove
or retouch different facial features in order to significantly alter the original photograph.

(v) How did the narrator express his anger at the photographer later?

Answer: The narrator expresses his anger at the photographer through a bitter rebuke, sarcastically asking him to “dip it (the
photograph) in sulphide, bromide, oxide, cowhide” and calling it a “worthless bauble” after all the distortions.

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?

Answer: The narrator is clearly disgusted and furious at how his original photograph has been transformed beyond recognition by the
photographer’s techniques.

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

Answer: The narrator mentions three processes used by photographers to alter photographs – sulphide for removing features like ears,
bromide, and oxide. He also derisively adds the nonsensical “cowhide” to his list.

(iii) Does the narrator approve of the techniques of the photographers in bringing about changes in the original photograph?

Answer: No, the narrator does not at all approve of the photographers’ techniques to artificially change or “improve” a person’s original
appearance in the photograph. He calls the final product a “worthless bauble.”

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

Answer: I would support the narrator’s viewpoint because artificially altering someone’s natural looks and features defeats the very
purpose of capturing their original identity and unique appearance through photography. The narrator rightly feels that photographers
should avoid imposing their own standards of “perfection” on subjects.

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

Answer: The narrator calls the heavily altered and distorted photograph a “worthless bauble” because after all the unnecessary
retouching and transformation by the photographer, it has lost all resemblance to the narrator’s real appearance and facial features,
making it a useless and valueless product in his eyes.

Morning Star workbook answers/solutions

Multiple Choice Questions II

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

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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

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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

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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.

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(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

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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 2

“Sit down” said the photographer.

I sat down in a beam of sunlight filtered through a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted skylight. The photographer rolled a

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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.

(i) How does the photographer prepare the studio for the photograph?

Answer: The photographer adjusts the lighting by frantically tearing at the cotton sheet and window panes with a hooked stick, trying to
get the right balance of light and air.

(ii) What does the photographer’s brief look at the narrator suggest?

Answer: The photographer’s quick look suggests that he is uninterested in the narrator’s appearance and more concerned with the
technical aspects of the photograph, rather than truly focusing on the subject.

(iii) What kind of lighting is the narrator sitting in?

Answer: The narrator is sitting in a beam of sunlight that is filtered through a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted skylight,
suggesting a rather improvised and uncomfortable setting.

(iv) Why does the photographer leave the machine immediately after entering it?

Answer: The photographer leaves the machine immediately to frantically adjust the light, indicating his obsession with the technical
conditions rather than the comfort or readiness of the subject.

(v) What does the photographer’s reaction to the light suggest about his personality?

Answer: The photographer’s frantic behavior suggests he is meticulous, perhaps overly concerned with perfection, and somewhat
disorganized in how he handles his environment.

Extract 3

When the photographer came out at last, he looked very grave and shook his head.
“The face is quite wrong,” he said.
“I know,” I answered quietly; “I have always known it.”

(i) Why does the photographer claim the face is ‘quite wrong’?

Answer: The photographer suggests that the narrator’s face does not fit his ideal aesthetic or technical standards, reflecting his
preoccupation with appearance rather than capturing reality.

(ii) How does the narrator respond to the criticism about his face?

Answer: The narrator responds with resignation, admitting that he has always known his face has flaws, accepting the photographer’s
judgment passively.

(iii) What tone does the narrator use in his reply to the photographer?

Answer: The narrator’s tone is quiet and resigned, showing a mix of self-deprecationand understanding of the photographer’s criticism.

(iv) What does the photographer’s serious demeanor suggest about his work?

Answer: The photographer’s grave demeanor suggests that he takes his work very seriously, treating it as a scientific or artistic
endeavor rather than just a commercial service.

(v) What underlying theme is present in this exchange?

Answer: The underlying theme is the contrast between self-perception and the external judgment of appearance, highlighting the
absurdity of perfection in portraiture.

Extract 4

He sighed again.
“I don’t like the head,” he said.

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Then he went back to the machine and took another look.

“Open the mouth a little,” he said.
I started to do so.
“Close it” he added quickly.

(i) What does the photographer’s comment about the head imply?

Answer: The photographer’s dissatisfaction with the narrator’s head implies that he is focused on perfection, critiquing even the
smallest details without regard for the subject’s feelings.

(ii) How does the photographer’s back-and-forth instructions about the mouth contribute to the humor of the story?

Answer: The contradictory instructions to open and then quickly close the mouth create a humorous situation, highlighting the absurdity
and over-control of the photographer’s process.

(iii) What does the photographer’s attention to minor details say about his character?

Answer: The photographer’s obsession with minor details reveals him as a perfectionist who is unable to be satisfied, even with aspects
of the subject’s natural appearance.

(iv) How does the narrator react to the photographer’s conflicting directions?

Answer: The narrator follows the instructions with slight confusion, indicating his increasing frustration with the photographer’s lack of
clarity and decisiveness.

(v) What role does the narrator’s compliance play in the overall tone of the scene?

Answer: The narrator’s compliance adds to the comedic tone of the scene, as he passively follows the increasingly absurd and
contradictory commands of the photographer.

Extract 5

“The ears though,” I said “strike me as a good likeness; they’re just like mine.”
“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) How does the narrator feel about the likeness of his ears in the photograph?

Answer: The narrator is somewhat satisfied with the likeness of his ears, feeling they resemble his actual appearance.

(ii) What does the photographer’s response to the ears suggest about his approach?

Answer: The photographer’s readiness to remove the ears entirely through a process shows his disregard for capturing reality and his
willingness to alter the subject’s appearance to fit arbitrary standards.

(iii) What does the mention of the ‘Sulphide process’ add to the humor of the scene?

Answer: The mention of the ‘Sulphide process’ adds to the absurdity of the situation, as the photographer casually suggests removing a
significant part of the subject’s face without hesitation.

(iv) What does this exchange reveal about the nature of photographic manipulation?

Answer: This exchange highlights the extreme degree of manipulation photographers of the time might engage in, prioritizing artificial
enhancement over true likeness.

(v) How does the narrator’s comment about his ears contrast with the photographer’s approach?

Answer: The narrator’s acceptance of his ears as part of his natural appearance contrasts sharply with the photographer’s impulse to
alter or ‘fix’ them, showing the disconnect between self-acceptance and external perfectionism.

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Extract 6

“I swung myself round on the stool.

‘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. And this is my mouth, not yours. These ears are mine, and if your
machine is too narrow—’ Here I started to rise from the seat.”

(i) What does the narrator mean when he says, ‘This face is my face’?

Answer: The narrator is asserting ownership of his appearance, emphasizing that despite its imperfections, it is uniquely his and he has
come to accept and love it.

(ii) How does the narrator’s tone change in this passage?

Answer: The narrator’s tone shifts from passive compliance to a more emotional and assertive stance as he defends his face and his
right to accept it as it is.

(iii) What does the phrase ‘I know it’s out of drawing’ suggest about the narrator’s feelings toward his appearance?

Answer: The phrase ‘out of drawing’ suggests that the narrator acknowledges his face’s imperfections and its lack of conventional
attractiveness, but he is accepting of these flaws.

(iv) What prompts the narrator to speak with emotion in this scene?

Answer: The photographer’s constant criticism and attempts to alter the narrator’s appearance provoke the narrator to finally defend
himself and express his frustration with being made to feel inadequate.

(v) How does this moment reflect the theme of self-perception versus external judgment?

Answer: This moment highlights the contrast between the narrator’s acceptance of his own flaws and the photographer’s obsession with
altering them to fit arbitrary standards, illustrating the tension between self-perception and societal judgment.

Extract 7

“Snick!
The photographer had pulled a string. The photograph taken. I could see the machine still staggering from the shock.
‘I think,’ said the photographer, pursing his lips in a pleased smile, ‘that I caught the features just in a moment of animation.’
‘So!’ I said bitingly—’features, eh? You didn’t think I could animate them, I suppose? But let me see the picture.’
‘Oh, there’s nothing to see yet,’ he said, ‘I have to develop the negative first. Come back on Saturday and I’ll let you see a proof of it.'”

(i) What is the narrator’s reaction to the photographer’s claim of capturing his ‘features in animation’?

Answer: The narrator reacts with biting sarcasm, implying that the photographer underestimated his ability to show any expression or
‘animation’ in his features.

(ii) What does the photographer mean by saying the machine ‘caught the features in a moment of animation’?

Answer: The photographer is referring to the moment when he captured the photograph, suggesting that he believes he captured the
subject in an expressive or lively pose, though the narrator disagrees.

(iii) Why does the narrator demand to see the picture immediately?

Answer: The narrator is eager to see how the photograph turned out, likely curious (and skeptical) about the photographer’s ability to
capture his likeness accurately, given the preceding awkwardness.

(iv) What is the significance of the word ‘Snick!’ in this context?

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Answer: The sound ‘Snick!’ emphasizes the sudden and mechanical nature of the photo being taken, highlighting the impersonal and
abrupt manner in which the moment is captured.

(v) How does this passage contribute to the comedic tone of the story?

Answer: The contrast between the photographer’s serious attitude toward the photograph and the narrator’s sarcastic response adds to
the humor, as does the exaggerated reaction of the machine ‘staggering’ from taking the picture.

Extract 8

“On Saturday I went back.

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.
‘Yes,’ he said quietly, ‘it is you,’ and we went on looking at it.”

(i) How does the photographer’s demeanor change when the narrator returns?

Answer: The photographer appears quieter, graver, and more prideful, suggesting that he feels satisfied with his work and confident in
the result of the photograph.

(ii) Why do the narrator and the photographer look at the photograph in silence?

Answer: They look at the photograph in silence likely because the image is so altered or unrecognizable that both are unsure how to
react, reflecting the tension between expectation and reality.

(iii) What is the significance of the narrator’s question, ‘Is it me?’

Answer: The question reflects the narrator’s doubt about whether the heavily retouched photograph still resembles his true self,
highlighting the theme of distorted identity in portraiture.

(iv) How does the photographer’s quiet response contrast with the narrator’s expectations?

Answer: The photographer’s calm response contrasts with the narrator’s probable hope for a more enthusiastic or honest reaction, as the
photograph likely deviates from the narrator’s true likeness.

(v) What does this exchange suggest about the photographer’s satisfaction with his work?

Answer: The photographer’s quiet pride suggests that he is more concerned with technical achievement and artistic manipulation than
with accurately representing the narrator’s true appearance.

Extract 9

“‘The eyes,’ I said hesitatingly, ‘don’t look very much like mine.’
‘Oh no,’ he answered, ‘I’ve retouched them. They come out splendidly, don’t they?’
‘Fine,’ I said, ‘but surely my eyebrows are not like that?’
‘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.'”

(i) What does the narrator notice about the eyes in the photograph?

Answer: The narrator hesitates and points out that the eyes in the photograph do not resemble his real ones, suggesting his discomfort
with the alterations.

(ii) How does the photographer defend the changes made to the narrator’s eyes?

Answer: The photographer defends the changes by stating that he ‘retouched’ the eyes, implying that they were improved through
editing, and he seems proud of the result.

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(iii) What process does the photographer mention for altering the eyebrows?

Answer: The photographer mentions the ‘Delphide’ process, which is used to remove the original eyebrows and replace them with new,
retouched ones.

(iv) How does the narrator react to the changes in his photograph?

Answer: The narrator reacts with a mix of polite sarcasm and increasing frustration, as he finds the alterations excessive and
unrepresentative of his true appearance.

(v) What does this exchange reveal about the photographer’s approach to portraiture?

Answer: This exchange reveals the photographer’s obsession with manipulating and perfecting the image to fit an idealized version of
beauty, disregarding the subject’s natural features.

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

2. The author has to wait for ____ to have his photo taken.

A. two hours B. 15 minutes C. 45 minutes D. an hour

Answer: A. two hours

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3. The author visited a ____ to have his photo taken.

A. Jeweller’s B. dentist C. X-ray centre D. Studio

Answer: D. Studio

4. Stephen Leacock wanted a ____ taken to leave behind with his friends and relatives.

A. portrait B. photo C. will D. video

Answer: B. photo

5. The photographer rolled a machine into the centre of the room. The machine was an old ____

A. megaphone B. Radio C. TV D. camera

Answer: D. camera

6. The photographer said, “The face is quite ____”.

A. right B. impressive C. wrong D. handsome

Answer: C. wrong

7. The photographer commented, “The face would be better ____ full”.

A. one quarter B. three-quarter C. two quarter D. four quarter

Answer: B. three-quarter

8. The author closed his eyes when the photographer held his head in his hands. He thought the photographer was going to ____
him.

A. touch B. kiss C. kick D. hug

Answer: B. kiss

9. The photographer twisted the author’s ____ as far as it would go.

A. hand B. face C. leg D. ear

Answer: B. face

10. The photographer asked the author to drop his ____ a little.

A. shoulders B. hands C. ears D. eyes

Answer: C. ears

11. The photographer instructed the author to expand his ____

A. eyes B. ears C. hands D. lungs

Answer: D. lungs

12. In spite of making many corrections in the position, the photographer found author’s face just a ____ too full.

A. little B. lot C. a trifle D. a lot

Answer: C. a trifle

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13. What did the photographer initially say about the author’s face?

A. It was quite impressive B. It was very handsome C. It was completely wrong D. It was perfectly alright

Answer: C. It was completely wrong

14. What magazine did the author read while waiting at the studio?

A. Scientific American B. National Geographic C. Ladies’ Companion D. Time Magazine

Answer: C. Ladies’ Companion

15. Why was the author asked to expand his lungs by the photographer?

A. For better posture B. To relax him C. For a fuller face D. For good health

Answer: C. For a fuller face

16. How did the photographer light up his studio?

A. Tube lights B. Sunlight C. Flood lights D. Candles

Answer: B. Sunlight

17. What annoyed the author during the photo shoot?

A. Long wait B. Unpleasant comments C. Bright lights D. Uncomfortable seating

Answer: B. Unpleasant comments

18. What did the author think when the photographer held his face?

A. He was going to slap him B. He was going to kiss him C. He was going to punch him D. He was going to hug him

Answer: B. He was going to kiss him

19. What was the photographer’s reaction on seeing the author’s animated face?

A. He looked scared B. He appeared shocked C. He seemed pleased D. He was disappointed

Answer: C. He seemed pleased

20. Why did the author reject the final photograph?

A. He looked ugly in it B. It was very blurry C. It did not resemble him D. His ears looked big

Answer: C. It did not resemble him

21. What was the author’s intention behind getting photographed?

A. To give it to his girlfriend B. To submit for a passport C. To give his friends after his death D. To send it to a magazine

Answer: C. To give his friends after his death

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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