This page offers A Photograph summary Class 11 pdf in easy language. We have presented short and long summaries from 50 words to 300 words. Go through to get a deep insight of chapter A Photograph from the Book Hornbill.  It is useful for exam points of view and quick learning of the chapter. Downloadable PDF is also available. 

Short Summary of the Poem: A Photograph

The poem is about a picture of the poet’s mother when she was a little girl. In the photo, she is about twelve years old. She is standing at the beach with her two cousins, Betty and Dolly. They are holding her hands. An uncle took their photo while they were paddling in the sea. Their hair was flying in the wind, and all three were smiling.

Many years later, the poet’s mother used to look at that photo and laugh. She would remember that beach day and talk about how they were dressed. But now, the poet’s mother is dead. She died about twelve years ago.

The poet misses her mother. She says that both her mother’s childhood and her own memories are now in the past. She feels a deep silence because her mother is no longer there. The sea in the photo has not changed, but people do. The poem shows how time changes everything and how memories remain after someone is gone.

Also Read:

• A Photograph Class 11 Extra Question Answer in English
• Hard Words : A Photograph
• A Photograph- Important Extra Questions- Very Short Answer Type
• A Photograph Class 11 Extract Questions and Answers

Detailed Summary of the Poem: A Photograph

1. The Old Photograph :The poem starts with the poet looking at an old photo. It is stuck on a cardboard frame. This photo is very special because it shows her mother as a young girl. She was about twelve years old. Her two cousins, Betty and Dolly, are also in the picture. They are holding her mother’s hands on both sides. All three girls are standing at the sea, smiling for the camera. Their uncle took the photo.

The poet notices that the sea waves touched their feet. She calls their feet “transient,” which means changing or short-lived. She says the sea has not changed, but her mother and her cousins have grown up. This shows how nature stays the same, but people change with time.

2. The Mother’s Memory :The poet tells us that many years later, around twenty or thirty years after the photo was taken, her mother used to laugh at the picture. She would look at it and smile, remembering that day at the beach. She would point out Betty and Dolly and talk about their funny beach clothes.

This shows that the picture became her mother’s memory. It reminded her of her childhood. It also tells us that the mother was happy while remembering the past, even though that time was gone.

3. The Poet’s Sadness :Now the poet’s mother is no more. She has been dead for nearly twelve years. That is the same age her mother was in the photo. The poet feels very sad. She says there is nothing left to say. Only silence is there.

This silence shows how much the poet misses her mother. Her laughter is gone. Her voice is gone. The poet cannot express her feelings in words. She feels a deep loss.

4. The Meaning of the Poem :The poem talks about how time passes. People grow up and go away. But memories stay. Photos help us remember the happy times. The poem also tells us that death brings silence, but love and memories remain in our hearts forever.

Pointwise Summary of the Poem: A Photograph

1. The poet sees a photo stuck on cardboard, showing her mother as a young girl.

2. Her mother was about 12 years old in the picture.

3. She is standing with her two cousins, Betty and Dolly, at the beach.

4. An uncle took the photo while they were paddling in the sea.

5. The poet says their feet were “transient,” meaning they would grow and change.

6. The sea in the background has not changed over time.

7. Around 20–30 years later, the poet’s mother would laugh at the photo.

8. She would remember the fun day and talk about how they were dressed.

9. The poet’s mother died 12 years ago, and now the poet feels deep silence.

10. The poem shows how people change and go away, but memories stay with us.