BEFORE READING THE STORY WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER
With the Photographer — Important Queries and Answers
Query: In
what sense does the narrator say, “Everyone knows what a photographer is like”?
Is this not an unfair and humiliating generalisation about photographers? Wouldn't it have been more appropriate for the narrator to refer specifically to the
photographer in the story rather than to photographers as a whole?
Answer: The narrator makes the statement in a humorous and satirical manner, referring to the photographer’s peculiar behaviour and attitude. However, the expression “Everyone knows what a photographer is like” is undoubtedly a sweeping generalisation. It unfairly suggests that all photographers possess the same undesirable qualities as the photographer portrayed in the story. Photographers across the globe may reasonably object to such a statement because their profession does not necessarily make them insensitive, self-important or intrusive. The humour may soften the criticism, but it does not completely remove the stereotyping. Therefore, it would have been more precise and fairer to say “Everyone knows what this photographer is like” rather than “what a photographer is like.” This would preserve the humour while avoiding an unjustified criticism of an entire profession.
Query. Why does the narrator
call the photographer's work a “scientific pursuit”?
The narrator does not
literally mean that the photographer is a scientist. He humorously compares the
photographer's serious, detached manner to that of a scientist. The phrase “scientific
pursuit” is therefore an ironic exaggeration used to make an
ordinary photographic session appear like a serious scientific investigation.
Query: How could the narrator
think of it as a “scientific pursuit” when the photographer was initially out
of his sight?
This is an important
chronological point. The narrator has not yet seen the photographer
examining his face when he uses the expression “scientific pursuits.”
Earlier, however, the photographer is described as having “the dim eye of a
natural scientist.” He then makes the narrator wait for an hour and
disappears. The narrator humorously imagines that the photographer is engaged
in some mysterious and serious scientific activity. Thus, “scientific
pursuit” is a comic anticipation, not a conclusion based on actual scientific
observation.
Query. Does the narrator have
any objective evidence that the photographer is conducting scientific research?
No. There is no
objective evidence. The expression is the narrator's subjective and
humorous interpretation of the photographer's appearance and behaviour.
Leacock deliberately exaggerates an ordinary professional activity to create
satire and humour.
Query. Why does the narrator
say, “with a face like mine”?
The narrator is making
fun of his own appearance. He jokingly suggests that his face is such a
difficult “problem” that the photographer needs almost scientific investigation
to deal with it. This is self-deprecating humour and contributes to the
satire.
Query. What does “unwarrantable” mean in “I had done an unwarrantable thing”?
Unwarrantable means unjustifiable, improper or not acceptable. The narrator humorously suggests that by entering the studio with his unfortunate-looking face, he has committed an almost serious offence against the photographer's supposed “scientific pursuit.” This exaggeration contributes to the humour.
Query. What is humorous about the expression “privacy of this man's scientific pursuit”?
The photographer is simply taking a photograph, yet the narrator describes his work as a private scientific investigation. The expression absurdly elevates an ordinary occupation into something highly serious and scientific. It is therefore an example of ironic exaggeration/satire.
Query. What is the significance of the narrator's statement “I knew that he was praying and I kept still”?
The photographer is actually behind the black cloth of the old camera, but the narrator humorously interprets his solemn posture as praying. This creates situational irony and humour by turning an ordinary photographic procedure into an almost religious ceremony.
Query. Is 'With the
Photographer' necessarily a true personal experience of Leacock?
The story is written in
the first person, but that does not prove that every event actually
happened to Leacock. It is safest to regard it as a comic literary narrative,
possibly influenced by real-life observation or experience, rather than as a
documented autobiographical incident.
Query. Why does the
photographer draw the black cloth over himself?
The black cloth was part
of the equipment used with older cameras. It helped exclude outside
light while the photographer looked through the camera's viewing system and
composed or focused the image. Leacock turns this ordinary photographic
procedure into humour because the narrator interprets the photographer's solemn
behaviour almost like a religious ritual.
Query. What does “the face
would be better three-quarters full” mean?
It means that the narrator should turn his face partly to one side so that most, but not all, of the face is visible to the camera. It lies between a full-face view and a profile view.
Query. Why does the narrator
become enthusiastic when the photographer says “three-quarters full”?
The narrator takes the
photographer's simple technical remark and gives it a much deeper meaning. He
imagines that the photographer has discovered a profound truth about human
faces. This misunderstanding creates irony and humour.
Query. What does the narrator
mean when he says that some faces become “wide, large, almost boundless....” when
seen three-quarters full?
He humorously suggests
that a face may look narrow or unattractive from one angle but much more
expansive and attractive from another. He transforms an ordinary photographic
instruction into a philosophical reflection on human appearance.
Query. Is the narrator's
question about how many faces look different when seen three-quarters full
intended to receive an exact answer?
No. It is a rhetorical
question. The narrator is carried away by his own imagination and treats
the photographer's technical comment as though it contained a profound
philosophical truth.
Query. Where does the satire
lie in the “three-quarters full” passage?
The satire lies in the
contrast between the photographer's actual meaning and the narrator's
interpretation. The photographer is merely discussing the best angle for a
photograph, while the narrator turns the remark into a profound observation
about human nature and appearance.
Query. What is humorous
about “I was glad to find that the man had such a human side”?
The narrator thinks he
has discovered the photographer's humanity, kindness and compassion
merely because the photographer suggests a different angle for his face. This
is an exaggerated and comic interpretation of a purely professional remark.
Query. Does the passage show
that the narrator misunderstands the photographer?
Yes. The narrator
repeatedly misinterprets ordinary professional actions and remarks as
evidence of deeper human qualities or scientific purposes. This
misunderstanding is one of the main sources of humour in the story.
Query. What is the purpose
of the photographer's detailed examination and correction of the narrator's
face?
The photographer treats
the narrator's natural features as though they were defects requiring
correction. He wants to alter the eyes, mouth, ears, hair and other
features rather than simply photograph the person as he naturally appears.
Leacock uses this absurd behaviour to satirize artificial standards of
beauty and professional arrogance.
Query. What is the
significance of “remove the eyes, correct the mouth, adjust the face, restore
the lips…”?
The sequence shows how
absurdly extensive the photographer's “corrections” have become. It contains:
·
Parallelism
— repeated verb + object structures.
·
Enumeration/Listing
— a series of corrections is presented one after another.
·
Hyperbole
— the narrator exaggerates the extent to which the photograph is being altered.
Query. What is the literary
device in “Coat it with an inch of gloss, shade it, emboss it, gild it…”?
The passage contains Parallelism
+ Enumeration/Listing + Hyperbole.
·
Parallelism: shade
it, emboss it, gild it follow the same grammatical pattern.
·
Enumeration/Listing:
several processes are mentioned successively.
·
Hyperbole: “an
inch of gloss” is an obvious exaggeration.
Query. Are Parallelism and
Listing/Enumeration the same?
No.
Parallelism
means using the same or similar grammatical structure repeatedly.
Listing/Enumeration
means presenting a series of items, actions or ideas one after another.
A sentence may contain:
·
Listing without strong parallelism.
·
Parallelism without being mainly a list.
·
Both,
as in “remove the eyes, correct the mouth, adjust the face…”
Query. What is the meaning
of “jargon”? Give an example with reference to the story.
Jargon means
specialised words or expressions used by people belonging to a particular
profession or field, especially when they may be difficult for ordinary people
to understand.
In the story, words such as “superficies,” “brow line,” “retouch,” “three-quarters full” contribute to the photographer's technical-sounding language.
Query. Why is “cowhide”
particularly funny?
The photographer has been
using scientific-sounding chemical terms, and suddenly “cowhide” appears
in the same list. The unexpected change creates a comic anticlimax and
exposes the absurdity of the photographer's supposed “scientific” methods.
Query. What is the
significance of “scientific pursuits” and “natural scientist”?
These expressions
deliberately elevate the photographer from an ordinary portrait photographer to
the status of a scientist. Leacock uses this comparison to mock the
photographer's cold, serious and self-important manner.
Query. What does the
photographer mean by treating the narrator's face as “wrong”?
He behaves as though the
narrator's natural face were an imperfect object that needs correction.
This is an absurd inversion of the normal purpose of photography: instead of
faithfully recording a person's appearance, the photographer attempts to
manufacture a supposedly ideal appearance.
Query. What is humorous
about “animation”?
The photographer claims
to have captured the narrator in a moment of “animation” when the
narrator is actually experiencing intense frustration and anger. The
photographer interprets the narrator's expression as something desirable and
lively. This creates situational irony.
Query. What is the
significance of “retouched” and “splendidly”?
The photographer uses
professional language such as “retouched” and “splendidly” to
describe alterations that have actually transformed the narrator's face almost
beyond recognition. The contrast between his positive description and the
ridiculous result creates irony and satire.
Query. What is the central
purpose of the story?
Leacock primarily uses
the story to satirize professional arrogance and artificial standards of
beauty. The photographer treats a natural human face as a defective object that
must be scientifically examined and artificially corrected. Through
exaggeration, irony and humour, Leacock contrasts natural individuality with
artificial perfection.
Query. What larger idea does
the story convey?
The story suggests that
excessive attempts to achieve artificial perfection can destroy
individuality and authenticity. The narrator's natural face may be imperfect,
but replacing it with an artificial version makes the photograph meaningless to
him.
Query. What are the major
literary devices used throughout the story?
The most important ones
are:
·
Satire
— criticism of professional arrogance and artificial beauty.
·
Irony
— what the photographer means and what the narrator understands are often
different.
·
Hyperbole
— ordinary photographic procedures are exaggerated into extraordinary
operations.
·
Jargon
— technical-sounding language adds to the photographer's self-importance.
·
Parallelism —
repeated grammatical structures in sequences such as “remove…, correct…,
adjust…, restore…”
·
Enumeration/Listing
— several actions or materials are presented successively.
·
Personification
— e.g. “reanimate the necktie”, giving an inanimate object a human
quality.
·
Anticlimax
— the serious-sounding list of chemicals ends absurdly with “cowhide.”
· Self-deprecating humour — the narrator jokes about his own face and appearance.
Query. Why is “cowhide” especially effective after “sulphide, bromide, oxide”?
The first words sound scientific and chemical, whereas “cowhide” refers to
animal skin/leather. Its sudden appearance breaks the scientific pattern
and produces a comic anticlimax. It helps reveal the absurdity of the
photographer's terminology.
Query. Are all the chemical
terms used by the photographer completely imaginary?
No. This distinction is important. Sulphide, bromide and oxide are genuine
scientific terms, and silver bromide was genuinely important in traditional
photography. What is humorous is the absurd context and exaggerated way
in which such terms are used in the story. Cowhide, however, does not
belong to this scientific/photographic list.
Query. What is “Delphine” in
the story?
“Delphine” is not a recognised photographic chemical or standard
photographic process. In the story, it functions as a fancy-sounding,
pseudo-technical term, adding to the photographer's mysterious and
exaggerated professional language.
*The primary purposes of the story "With
the Photographer"
1. To Satirize Vanity and
Artificial Beauty
The Critique: Leacock mocks the obsession with physical perfection and
artificial beauty.
How it is shown: The photographer treats the narrator's natural features
as defects that must be corrected. He wants to alter the eyes, mouth, hair,
ears and other features until the narrator's real appearance is almost
destroyed. Leacock shows the absurdity of trying to replace natural
individuality with an artificial ideal of beauty.
2. To Mock Professional
Arrogance
The Critique: Leacock satirizes professionals who become so
self-important that they treat their ordinary work as something highly
specialised and superior.
How it is shown: The photographer behaves like a “natural scientist”
rather than an ordinary portrait photographer. He uses technical-sounding
language and gives elaborate instructions while treating the narrator's face as
though it were a defective object requiring expert correction.
3. To Show the Conflict
between Natural Appearance and Artificial Alteration
The Critique: Leacock contrasts a person's natural appearance with the
artificial appearance produced through excessive photographic manipulation.
How it is shown: Instead of simply recording the narrator's face, the
photographer tries to transform it through extensive retouching and alteration.
The final photograph becomes so different from the narrator that it loses the
very identity it was supposed to preserve.
4. To Defend
Individuality and Authenticity
The Critique: The story suggests that natural imperfections are
preferable to artificial perfection that destroys individuality.
How it is shown: The narrator rejects the heavily altered photograph as
a “worthless bauble.” He prefers his real appearance to an artificial
image that no longer resembles him. The ending therefore reinforces the value
of individuality, authenticity and natural appearance.
In one sentence: The main purpose of the story is to use humour, irony and satire to mock professional arrogance and the excessive pursuit of artificial perfection, while defending individuality and authenticity.
*The Humorous and Satirical
Use of Words in the story "With the Photographer"
In Stephen Leacock's
famous short story With the Photographer, many words and expressions
used to describe the photographer and his work are presented in a humorous
and satirical manner. Leacock often gives ordinary photographic activities
an exaggeratedly serious or scientific appearance. Through irony, hyperbole,
jargon and satire, he mocks the photographer's professional arrogance and
his obsession with correcting the narrator's natural appearance.
1. “Scientific pursuits”
and “natural scientist”
Literal meaning:
A natural scientist is a person who scientifically studies the natural
world. A scientific pursuit refers to serious and systematic
investigation.
Humorous use in the
story:
The narrator describes the photographer as a “natural scientist” and
refers to his work as “scientific pursuits.” Taking an ordinary portrait
photograph is humorously elevated to the level of serious scientific research.
This exaggeration mocks the photographer's cold, solemn and self-important
manner.
2. “The face is quite
wrong”
Literal meaning:
“Wrong” normally means incorrect or faulty.
Humorous use in the
story:
The photographer treats the narrator's natural face as though it were a
defective object that needs correction. This is absurd because a person's
natural features cannot objectively be described as “wrong.” Leacock satirizes
the photographer's artificial standards of beauty and his belief that he has
the authority to “correct” a person's appearance.
3. “Animation”
Literal meaning:
Animation means liveliness, energy or vitality.
Humorous use in the
story:
The photographer takes the narrator's photograph when he is extremely
frustrated and angry, yet describes the expression as a moment of “animation.”
The contrast between the narrator's actual emotional state and the
photographer's interpretation creates situational irony and humour.
4. “Retouched” and
“splendidly”
Literal meaning:
Retouched means making minor alterations to a photograph to improve its
appearance. Splendidly means very well or excellently.
Humorous use in the
story:
The photographer uses “retouched” as though the extensive alteration of
the narrator's features were merely an ordinary improvement. He regards the
result as “splendid,” even though the photograph has been altered so
drastically that it no longer represents the narrator faithfully.
Leacock therefore uses irony
and satire to show how the pursuit of artificial perfection can destroy natural
appearance and individuality.
Overall point
Leacock deliberately uses
serious, technical and flattering words in absurd situations. The
contrast between the photographer's professional language and what he actually
does creates much of the story's humour.
In short:
Scientific pursuits → exaggerates ordinary photography into science.
Natural scientist → mocks the photographer's solemn manner.
The face is quite wrong → treats natural features as defects.
Animation → ironically describes the narrator's anger.
Retouched / splendidly → ironically presents drastic alteration as
improvement.
*Technical Terms in With
the Photographer
1. Delphine
Real meaning: “Delphine” is not a recognised chemical or standard
photographic term. It may resemble a proper name or a deliberately invented
technical-sounding word.
Meaning in the story: Leacock uses it as pseudo-scientific jargon
to make the photographer's process sound mysterious and highly technical. Its
absurdity contributes to the humour.
2. Sulphide
Real meaning: A sulphide is a chemical compound containing
sulphur. Sulphur compounds have had uses in photographic processes, including
some forms of photographic toning.
Meaning in the story: The photographer humorously presents it as one of
the mysterious substances involved in altering the narrator's photograph. Its
use adds to the pseudo-scientific atmosphere.
3. Bromide
Real meaning: A bromide is a compound containing bromine. Silver
bromide was an important light-sensitive substance used in traditional
photographic film and photographic paper.
Meaning in the story: The photographer uses the word as part of his
technical-sounding description of the photographic process. Leacock's humour
comes from making genuine scientific terminology sound as though it can perform
absurd alterations to the narrator's appearance.
4. Oxide
Real meaning: An oxide is a compound containing oxygen combined
with another element. “Oxide” by itself is a broad chemical term, not a
specific photographic substance.
Meaning in the story: It is included in the photographer's
impressive-sounding list of chemical terms, contributing to the jargon and
comic exaggeration of his supposed photographic expertise.
5. Cowhide
Real meaning: Cowhide is the skin of a cow, commonly processed
into leather. It is not a photographic chemical.
Meaning in the story: Leacock deliberately places “cowhide”
alongside scientific-sounding chemical terms. This unexpected addition creates anticlimax
and absurd humour, exposing the ridiculousness of the photographer's
supposedly scientific methods.
Important point to remember:
The words sulphide, bromide and oxide are genuine scientific terms, but Leacock places them in an absurd fictional context. “Cowhide” is deliberately inserted into the list because it does not belong with the chemical terms. This combination helps Leacock satirise the photographer's technical jargon and exaggerated professional attitude.
Literary Devices in the Passage Part 1
Page 140. “I WANT my photograph
taken”…………….Page 142. I swung myself round on the stool.
1. “He was a drooping man in a gray suit, with the dim eye of a natural
scientist.”
Literary device: Simile — The photographer’s appearance is compared to
that of a natural scientist through the phrase “like a natural
scientist” implied in the description. It humorously presents him as a serious,
dull and scientific person.
2. “Everybody knows what a photographer is like.”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The narrator exaggerates by saying that every
single person knows what photographers are like. He does not literally
mean everybody; the exaggeration humorously strengthens his generalisation
about photographers.
3. “I had done an unwarrantable thing in breaking in on the privacy of
this man’s scientific pursuits with a face like mine.”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The narrator greatly
exaggerates the photographer’s work by calling it “scientific
pursuits” and pretends that showing his face to the photographer is an
“unwarrantable thing” that has disturbed serious scientific
research. This exaggeration creates humour and satirises the photographer’s
exaggerated seriousness.
4. “I sat down in a beam of sunlight filtered through a sheet of factory
cotton hung against a frosted skylight.”
Literary device: Imagery — The description creates a clear visual
picture of the studio and the unusual arrangement of light.
Literary device: Metaphor — “a
beam of sunlight” metaphorically presents the narrow stream of sunlight as
a beam, like a solid or directed object. It creates a clear picture of
the unusual lighting arrangement in the photographer’s studio.
5. “The photographer rolled a machine into the middle of the room and
crawled into it from behind.”
Literary device: Visual Imagery — The word “crawled”
gives us a vivid picture of the photographer bending down and moving into the
camera. It also makes his action look comic and ridiculous.
6. “He was out again, tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes
with a hooked stick, apparently frantic for light and air.”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The photographer’s desperate actions are
exaggerated to make his search for proper lighting appear ridiculous.
7. “This time he was very quiet in there. I knew that he was praying and
I kept still.”
Literary device: Irony — The narrator humorously interprets the
photographer’s serious photographic work as praying. The comparison
makes the photographer appear almost religiously devoted to his profession.
8. “The face is quite wrong.”
Literary device: Irony — Instead of admitting that the photograph or his
technique may be wrong, the photographer blames the narrator’s face. The
photographer's absurd judgement creates humour.
Literary device: Metaphor — “Wrong” is used metaphorically
because the photographer treats the natural face as if it were a faulty drawing
or composition.
9. “I think the face would be better three-quarters full.”
Literary device: Satire — The photographer uses technical
photographic language to treat the narrator's natural face as something that
can be technically corrected. This satirises his exaggerated professional
attitude.
10. “So would yours.”
Literary device: Irony — The narrator cleverly turns the photographer’s
criticism back on him. He suggests that the photographer’s face would also look
better from the same angle.
11. “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…”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The
narrator exaggerates the effect of changing the angle of a face by
saying that a face can become “wide, large, almost boundless.” A human
face obviously cannot become literally “boundless.” This exaggeration creates
humour.
Literary device: Irony — The
narrator pretends to agree seriously with the photographer's idea of
making the face “three-quarters full,” but then humorously extends the
photographer's technical idea into an absurd philosophical observation about
human faces
Literary device: Metaphor — Physical features such as “hard, narrow,
limited” are used metaphorically to suggest a person’s character or
personality. The narrator humorously extends the photographer’s technical
phrase into a philosophical idea.
12. “I thought he meant to kiss me, and I closed my eyes. But I was
wrong.”
Literary device: Comic irony — The narrator misunderstands the
photographer’s action. The unexpected correction produces humour.
13. “The ears are bad,” he said; “droop them a little more.”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The
photographer exaggerates the importance of the narrator’s ears and
absurdly suggests that they can be deliberately made to droop for a better
photograph. The exaggeration makes his professional obsession with physical
appearance ridiculous.
14. “Roll them in under the lids.”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The photographer gives an exaggerated and
almost impossible-sounding instruction about the narrator’s eyes, making his
obsession with photographic perfection ridiculous.
15. “Now just expand the lungs! So! And hump the neck—that’s it—and just
contract the waist—ha!—and twist the hip up towards the elbow—now!”
Literary device: Hyperbole — The photographer gives a ridiculous number
of commands, as though he is reshaping the narrator’s entire body. The
exaggeration satirises photographers who are excessively concerned with
physical appearance.
16. “I still don’t quite like the face, it’s just a trifle too full,
but—”
Literary device: Understatement —Here is a deliberate way of making
something seem less important or less serious than it actually is.
Literary Devices in the Passage Part 2
Page 142. “Stop,” I said with
emotion ……………Page 144. I broke into tears and left.
1. “This face is my face.
It is not yours, it is mine.”
Literary device: Repetition — The words “my face” and “mine”
are repeated to emphasise the narrator’s strong attachment to his natural
appearance and his protest against the photographer’s interference.
2. “I’ve lived with it for forty years and I know its faults.”
Literary device: Personification — The narrator speaks of his face
almost as if it were a companion with whom he has lived for forty years. This
makes his emotional attachment humorous and touching.
3. “I know it’s out of drawing.”
Literary device: Metaphor — The expression “out of drawing” means
that the face is not properly proportioned or well-shaped. A
photographic/artist’s technical expression is humorously applied to the
narrator’s face.
4. “such as it is, I’ve learned to love it.”
Literary device: Irony — The narrator admits that his face has faults
but says that he has learned to love it. The humour lies in his serious
emotional defence of an imperfect face.
5. “Snick! The photographer had pulled a string.”
Literary device: Onomatopoeia — “Snick!” imitates the sharp sound
made when the photographer pulls the string to take the photograph.
6. “I could see the machine still staggering from the shock.”
Literary device: Personification — The camera is described as if it were
a living creature that could “stagger” after receiving a shock. This
exaggeration makes the scene comic.
7. “I think that I caught the features just in a moment of animation.”
Literary device: Irony — The photographer proudly claims that he has
captured the narrator’s features at a moment of “animation”, while the
narrator sarcastically suggests that he can animate his own features. The
professional language becomes a source of humour.
8. “So! … ‘features, eh?’”
Literary device: Sarcasm — The narrator sarcastically repeats the
photographer’s word “features” to mock his technical attitude towards
the narrator’s face.
9. “The eyes … don’t look very much like mine.”
Literary device: Irony — The photograph is supposed to represent the
narrator, yet even his eyes no longer resemble his own. This exposes the
absurdity of the photographer’s “improvements.”
10. “I’ve retouched them. They come out splendidly, don’t they?”
Literary device: Irony — The photographer considers the altered eyes an
improvement, whereas the reader sees that the photograph is becoming less like
the real person. This creates satire.
11. “The eyebrows are removed.”
Literary device: Irony — A photographer is expected to preserve a
person’s appearance, but here he removes important natural features. The
absurdity satirises excessive photographic retouching.
12. “I like to get the hair clear back to the superficies and make out a new
brow line.”
Literary device: Hyperbole: The photographer exaggerates the alteration
of the hair and forehead—“get the hair clear back to the superficies” and “make
out a new brow line”—as though he can almost redesign the person’s face.
Literary device: Jargon [specialised
words or expressions used by people belonging to a particular profession,
subject, or field, which may be difficult for ordinary people to understand.] —
“Superficies” is a technical/formal word meaning surface. The
photographer uses unnecessarily complicated professional language, making his
speech sound pompous and humorous.
13. “Listen! … Listen!”
Literary device: Repetition — The repetition of “Listen!”
expresses the narrator’s anger and determination to make the photographer
understand his feelings.
14. “a picture — something which (mad though it seems) would have looked
like me.”
Literary device: Irony —The narrator humorously says that the photograph
should have looked like him, implying that the photographer has altered his
appearance so much that it no longer resembles him.
15. “I wanted something
that would depict my face as Heaven gave it to me, humble though the gift may
have been.”
Literary device: Metaphor — The narrator describes his face as a “gift”
from Heaven. His appearance is presented metaphorically as something given
to him at birth.
16. “dip it in sulphide, bromide, oxide, cowhide, — anything you like”
Literary device: Hyperbole: The narrator humorously exaggerates the
photographic chemicals by piling up terms such as “sulphide, bromide, oxide”
and even the absurd “cowhide.”
Literary device: Jargon
— “sulphide, bromide, oxide” are technical/scientific terms associated
with photographic processing. The narrator uses them to imitate the
photographer’s technical language and add to the humour.
Literary device: Satire:
He mocks the photographer’s excessive use of technical-sounding terminology and
complicated photographic processes.
17. “remove the eyes, correct the mouth, adjust the face, restore the lips,
reanimate the necktie and reconstruct the waistcoat.”
Literary device: Hyperbole: The narrator exaggerates the photographer’s
editing process by suggesting that almost every part of the photograph needs to
be changed.
Literary device: Personification: “reanimate the necktie” gives the human
quality of being reanimated/alive
to an inanimate object.
Literary device: Parallelism
/ Listing — A series of similar commands is used one after
another. The long list humorously shows how much the photographer wants to
alter the narrator.
*Parallelism =
using the same grammatical structure repeatedly.
Example: “remove, correct, adjust, restore, reanimate, reconstruct” —
all are verbs in the same form.
*Listing / Enumeration
= presenting a series of items or actions one after another.
Example: “remove the eyes, correct the mouth, adjust the face, restore the
lips…”
Parallelism = same
grammatical pattern
Listing/Enumeration = a series of items or ideas
Here are 3 different
examples:
1. Parallelism, but not
mainly Listing
“She wanted to learn, to
explore, and to create.”
- to learn
- to explore
- to create
All three have the same
grammatical structure (to + verb).
👉 Parallelism
is the main feature.
2. Listing/Enumeration,
but not Parallelism
“The room contained
books, a wooden table, two chairs, an old lamp, and several photographs.”
This is a list of
different things, but they do not follow a deliberately repeated
grammatical pattern.
👉 Listing/Enumeration
is the main feature.
3. Both Parallelism and
Listing
“Remove the eyes, correct
the mouth, adjust the face, restore the lips.”
- Parallelism:
verb + object is repeated.
- Listing:
several actions are presented one after another.
👉 Both devices are present.
Simple rule for students
Ask two questions:
1. Are
several things/actions being mentioned one after another?
→ Listing/Enumeration
2. Do
they follow the same grammatical pattern? → Parallelism
Therefore, a sentence
can have Listing without Parallelism, Parallelism without Listing, or both.
18. “Coat it with an inch of gloss, shade it, emboss it, gild it…”
Literary device: Climax— The photographer’s imagined alterations become
increasingly excessive.
Literary device:
Parallelism: “Coat it with an inch of gloss, shade it, emboss it, gild it”
follow the same grammatical pattern — verb + object (“it”).
Literary device: Listing/Enumeration: Several actions—coat,
shade, emboss, gild—are presented one after another: “shade it, emboss it, gild
it” follow the same grammatical pattern — verb + object (“it”).
19. “Then when you have done all that — keep it for yourself and your
friends.”
Literary device: Sarcasm — The narrator sarcastically tells the
photographer to keep the photograph because it is no longer a representation of
him.
20. “To me it is but a worthless bauble.”
Literary device: Metaphor — The photograph is metaphorically called a “worthless
bauble”, meaning something attractive perhaps, but completely useless or
without value to the narrator.
21. “I broke into tears and left.”
Literary device: Contrast — The passage ends with a sudden change from
anger, sarcasm and humour to genuine sadness. This gives an emotional ending to
the comic episode.
