Pg 86 87
Below are questions and answers based on the provided sections on **Plot** and
**Characterization** (The Narrator) for *With the Photographer* by Stephen Leacock, formatted
according to the Class 10 ICSE Board examination pattern. The questions focus on the
storyline, the narrator’s experiences, and his characterization, aligning with the details about his
visit to the photo studio, his interaction with the photographer, and his emotional response. The
questions include reference to context, short answer, long answer, and analytical types to
ensure comprehensive coverage for ICSE Class 10 students.
---
### ICSE Class 10 Pattern Questions and Answers for *With the Photographer* (Plot,
Characterization)
#### 1. Reference to Context Questions
**Question 1:**
*“‘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 think that I had done an
unwarrantable thing in breaking in on the privacy of this man’s scientific pursuits with a face like
mine.”*
(a) Who is speaking, and who is being addressed in this passage?
(b) What does the narrator’s description of the magazines and his thoughts about “breaking in”
reveal about his state of mind?
(c) How does this passage contribute to the exposition of the story’s plot?
**Answers:**
(a) The photographer, described as a drooping but intelligent-looking man, is speaking to the
narrator, a forty-year-old man who has come to get his photograph taken.
(b) The narrator’s description of reading outdated magazines (Ladies Companion, Girls
Magazine, Infants Journal) and his thought that he has intruded on the photographer’s “scientific
pursuits” reveal his boredom, growing impatience, and self-consciousness about his
appearance during the long wait, reflecting his initial deference and insecurity.
(c) This passage contributes to the exposition by introducing the setting (the photo studio), the
narrator’s purpose (to get his photograph taken), and the photographer’s unenthusiastic attitude,
setting the stage for the rising tension and conflict over the narrator’s appearance in the
subsequent events.
---
**Question 2:**
*“‘Is it me?’ I asked… ‘I think,’ I said, ‘that that is not me. It’s a worthless bauble.’ I spoke with
emotion and tears came to my eyes as I rose and walked out of the studio.”*
(a) Who is speaking, and what is the context of this passage?
(b) Why does the narrator describe the photograph as a “worthless bauble”?
(c) How does this passage reflect the denouement of the story’s plot?
**Answers:**
(a) The narrator is speaking to the photographer, reacting to the retouched photograph shown to
him when he returns to the studio to collect the proof.
(b) The narrator describes the photograph as a “worthless bauble” because it has been heavily
retouched, altering his facial features (e.g., eyebrows removed, mouth adjusted) to the point that
it no longer resembles him, failing to capture his true identity as he desired.
(c) This passage reflects the denouement by resolving the narrator’s emotional journey, as his
shock and disappointment lead him to reject the photograph and leave the studio in tears,
highlighting his frustration with the photographer’s disregard for his authentic self and
concluding the story’s conflict.
---
#### 2. Short Answer Questions
**Question 3:**
What is the main reason for the narrator’s visit to the photo studio in *With the Photographer*?
**Answer:**
The main reason for the narrator’s visit to the photo studio is to get his photograph taken, which
he hopes will capture his true appearance for his friends to keep and remember him by after his
death.
**Question 4:**
How does the photographer’s initial reaction to the narrator set the tone for their interaction?
**Answer:**
The photographer’s unenthusiastic reaction, looking at the narrator droopingly and asking him to
wait, sets a tone of indifference and criticism, foreshadowing the tension and conflict over the
narrator’s appearance during their interaction.
**Question 5:**
Why does the narrator become angry with the photographer during the photo session?
**Answer:**
The narrator becomes angry because the photographer continuously criticizes his facial
features, such as his head and ears, and demands facial acrobatics, disregarding the narrator’s
dignity and making him feel insulted about his appearance.
---
#### 3. Long Answer Questions
**Question 6:**
Discuss the plot of *With the Photographer*, focusing on how the narrator’s interaction with the
photographer develops the story’s conflict and resolution.
**Answer:**
The plot of *With the Photographer* by Stephen Leacock revolves around the narrator’s visit to
a photo studio to get his photograph taken, which develops into a conflict over his appearance
and identity, culminating in an emotional resolution. The story is structured in a clear narrative
arc: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement, driven by the narrator’s
interaction with the photographer.
In the **exposition**, the narrator, a forty-year-old man, visits the studio and is met with an
unenthusiastic response from the photographer, who asks him to wait. The narrator reads
outdated magazines, feeling like an intruder, setting a tone of discomfort. The **rising action**
begins when the photographer, after an hour, takes the narrator into the studio but criticizes his
face as “quite wrong,” pointing out flaws in his head, ears, and features. Initially, the narrator
feels glad, mistaking the criticism for empathy, but grows angry as the photographer interrupts
him and demands facial acrobatics, such as opening and closing his mouth. This escalates the
conflict, as the narrator defends his face, stating he has lived with it for forty years, highlighting
his desire for an authentic photograph.
The **climax** occurs when the narrator, in a moment of emotional defiance, begins to rise from
his seat, and the photographer seizes this “moment of animation” to click the photograph
without his knowledge. In the **falling action**, the narrator returns to see the proof and is
shocked to find a heavily retouched image, with altered eyebrows, adjusted mouth, and
removed facial hair, achieved through the “Delphide” process. The photograph no longer
resembles him, intensifying his frustration. The **denouement** sees the narrator rejecting the
photograph as a “worthless bauble,” expressing his desire for a true likeness that his friends
could cherish. He leaves the studio teary-eyed, disappointed by the photographer’s focus on
technical skill over authenticity.
The narrator’s interaction with the photographer develops the conflict between personal identity
and external manipulation, critiquing the superficiality of idealized images. The resolution,
marked by the narrator’s emotional exit, underscores his commitment to authenticity, leaving
readers with a poignant reflection on self-acceptance and the human need for genuine
representation.
**Question 7:**
Analyze the characterization of the narrator in *With the Photographer*, focusing on how his
emotional journey reflects the story’s themes of identity and authenticity.
**Answer:**
The narrator in *With the Photographer*, a forty-year-old man, is characterized as self-aware,
emotionally sensitive, and deeply invested in preserving his authentic identity, and his emotional
journey reflects the story’s themes of identity and authenticity. His experience at the photo
studio, marked by frustration and disappointment, highlights the tension between personal self-
acceptance and external manipulation, critiquing societal pressures to conform to idealized
standards.
Initially, the narrator is depicted as patient and deferential, waiting an hour in the studio and
reading outdated magazines, feeling he has intruded on the photographer’s space with “a face
like mine.” This self-consciousness about his appearance suggests a modest, introspective
nature, setting the stage for his desire for a photograph that captures his true self. As the
photographer criticizes his face as “quite wrong” and points out flaws in his head, ears, and
features, the narrator’s emotions shift. He briefly feels glad, misinterpreting the criticism as
empathy, revealing his hope for understanding. However, his growing anger, as he defends his
face with “emotion and dignity” after forty years of living with it, showcases his assertiveness
and commitment to self-acceptance, emphasizing the theme of identity.
The climax, where the narrator rises in defiance only for the photographer to capture the photo
in a “moment of animation,” underscores his emotional intensity and desire for authenticity,
which is thwarted by the photographer’s actions. His shock upon seeing the retouched
photograph, with altered eyebrows, adjusted mouth, and removed facial hair, reflects his dismay
at the loss of his true likeness. His poignant rejection of the photograph as a “worthless bauble,”
coupled with his tearful exit, reveals a deep emotional wound, as he yearns for a photograph
that his friends would cherish as a true representation of him, highlighting the theme of
authenticity.
Through the narrator’s emotional journey—from patience to anger to sorrow—Bradbury portrays
a man who values his unique identity over artificial perfection. His characterization critiques the
superficiality of technological enhancements, as seen in the photographer’s “Delphide” process,
and reflects the human need for genuine representation, making the narrator a relatable figure
whose struggle resonates with readers seeking authenticity in a world obsessed with idealized
images.
---
#### 4. Analytical Question
**Question 8:**
How does Stephen Leacock use the plot and characterization of the narrator in *With the
Photographer* to critique societal attitudes toward appearance and authenticity, with reference
to the narrator’s interaction with the photographer?
**Answer:**
Stephen Leacock’s *With the Photographer* uses the plot and characterization of the narrator to
critique societal attitudes toward appearance and authenticity, highlighting the tension between
personal identity and external manipulation through the narrator’s interaction with the
photographer. The story, set in a photo studio, explores the dehumanizing effects of prioritizing
idealized images over genuine self-representation, a theme relevant to both the story’s context
and modern image-conscious culture.
The **plot** develops this critique through a structured narrative arc centered on the narrator’s
visit to the studio. In the exposition, the narrator’s purpose—to obtain a photograph that
captures his true self—sets up the conflict with societal expectations. The rising action, where
the photographer criticizes the narrator’s face as “quite wrong” and demands facial acrobatics,
introduces the conflict between the narrator’s self-acceptance and the photographer’s obsession
with perfection. The climax, where the photograph is taken in a moment of emotional defiance,
underscores the narrator’s desire for authenticity, which is undermined in the falling action when
he sees the heavily retouched proof, altered by the “Delphide” process to erase his unique
features. The denouement, with the narrator rejecting the “worthless bauble” and leaving teary-
eyed, resolves the plot by affirming his commitment to his authentic identity, critiquing the
superficial standards that prioritize technical perfection over human truth.
The **characterization** of the narrator, a forty-year-old man, deepens this critique. Initially
patient and self-conscious, reading outdated magazines and feeling intrusive, he reveals a
modest, introspective nature, valuing a photograph that his friends could cherish. His emotional
shift to anger, as he defends his face with “emotion and dignity” after the photographer’s
relentless criticism, portrays him as assertive and proud of his identity, despite its perceived
flaws. His shock and sorrow upon seeing the retouched photograph, which no longer resembles
him, highlight his emotional investment in authenticity, as he yearns for a true likeness over an
idealized image. This emotional journey critiques societal attitudes that devalue natural
appearance in favor of artificial perfection, as seen in the photographer’s alterations.
Through the narrator’s interaction with the photographer, Leacock critiques the societal pressure
to conform to idealized standards, as the photographer’s focus on technical skill disregards the
narrator’s humanity. The plot’s progression from hope to disillusionment, coupled with the
narrator’s characterization as a relatable, emotionally sensitive figure, underscores the
importance of authenticity over superficial enhancements, urging readers to value genuine self-
representation in a world obsessed with appearance.
---
These questions and answers are tailored to the ICSE Class 10 examination pattern, covering
the plot and characterization (the narrator) in *With the Photographer*. They include reference
to context, short answers, long answers, and analytical questions, focusing on the narrator’s
emotional journey, his interaction with the photographer, and the story’s critique of societal
attitudes toward appearance and authenticity, ensuring thorough preparation for students.
Pg 88
Below are questions and answers based on the provided sections on **Characterization** (The
Narrator, The Photographer) for *With the Photographer* by Stephen Leacock, formatted
according to the Class 10 ICSE Board examination pattern. The questions focus on the
narrator’s traits, motivations, and emotional responses, as well as the photographer’s role as the
antagonist and his physical description, aligning with the details provided. The questions include
reference to context, short answer, long answer, and analytical types to ensure comprehensive
coverage for ICSE Class 10 students.
---
### ICSE Class 10 Pattern Questions and Answers for *With the Photographer*
(Characterization: The Narrator, The Photographer)
#### 1. Reference to Context Questions
**Question 1:**
*“‘The face is quite wrong,’ he said. ‘I know,’ I answered quietly, ‘I have always known it.’ He
sighed. ‘I think,’ he said, ‘the face would be better three-quarters full.’”*
(a) Who is speaking to whom, and what is the context of this conversation?
(b) What does the narrator’s response reveal about his character?
(c) How does this passage reflect the narrator’s self-awareness and acceptance?
**Answers:**
(a) The photographer is speaking to the narrator in the photo studio, commenting on the
narrator’s facial appearance while preparing to take his photograph. The context is the
photographer’s critical assessment of the narrator’s face, which initiates their tense interaction.
(b) The narrator’s quiet response, “I know, I have always known it,” reveals his self-awareness
and acceptance of his facial shortcomings, showing a calm, composed demeanor and a sense
of dignity despite external criticism.
(c) This passage reflects the narrator’s self-awareness and acceptance by demonstrating his
acknowledgment of his face’s flaws without defensiveness. His quiet confidence underscores
his satisfaction with his natural appearance, aligning with his desire for an authentic photograph,
a key aspect of his character.
---
**Question 2:**
*“‘Is it me?’ I asked in a low voice… ‘I think,’ I said, ‘that this is a worthless bauble.’ I spoke with
emotion, and tears came into my eyes as I rose and walked out of the studio.”*
(a) Who is speaking, and what prompts this reaction?
(b) What does the narrator’s description of the photograph as a “worthless bauble” reveal about
his character?
(c) How does this passage illustrate the narrator’s resoluteness?
**Answers:**
(a) The narrator is speaking to the photographer, reacting to the heavily retouched photograph
shown to him when he returns to collect the proof. The photograph’s altered features, such as
new eyebrows and an adjusted mouth, shock him, prompting this emotional response.
(b) The narrator’s description of the photograph as a “worthless bauble” reveals his commitment
to authenticity and his emotional investment in his true identity. It shows his rejection of
superficial alterations, valuing a genuine likeness over an idealized image.
(c) This passage illustrates the narrator’s resoluteness by showcasing his firm conviction that
the photograph should reflect his real self, flaws and all. His emotional rejection of the altered
image and decision to leave the studio demonstrate his unwavering stance on authenticity,
despite his disappointment.
---
#### 2. Short Answer Questions
**Question 3:**
Why does the narrator want an authentic photograph in *With the Photographer*?
**Answer:**
The narrator wants an authentic photograph that depicts his face as it is, without alterations,
because he values his true identity and desires a likeness that his friends would cherish and
remember him by after his death.
**Question 4:**
How does the narrator demonstrate his calm and composed nature in the story?
**Answer:**
The narrator demonstrates his calm and composed nature by patiently waiting an hour without
complaint, feeling he has intruded on the photographer’s space, and initially cooperating with
the photographer’s strange instructions despite criticism of his face, only losing his temper after
prolonged provocation.
**Question 5:**
What is one physical characteristic of the photographer, and how does it contribute to his
portrayal as the antagonist?
**Answer:**
The photographer is described as a “drooping man,” suggesting weariness or lack of vitality.
This contributes to his portrayal as the antagonist by emphasizing his detached, critical
demeanor, which contrasts with the narrator’s emotional investment, highlighting his role in
undermining the narrator’s desire for authenticity.
---
#### 3. Long Answer Questions
**Question 6:**
Discuss the characterization of the narrator in *With the Photographer*, focusing on how his
traits of self-awareness, calmness, and resoluteness shape his response to the photographer’s
actions.
**Answer:**
In *With the Photographer* by Stephen Leacock, the narrator, a forty-year-old man, is
characterized as self-aware, calm, and resolute, and these traits shape his response to the
photographer’s critical and manipulative actions, reflecting the story’s themes of identity and
authenticity. His journey through the photo studio experience reveals a man who values his true
self and stands firm against external pressures to conform to idealized standards.
The narrator’s **self-awareness** is evident from the outset, as he acknowledges his facial
shortcomings when the photographer declares his face “quite wrong,” responding, “I know, I
have always known it.” This quiet acceptance shows his comfort with his appearance, despite
its flaws, and his desire for a photograph that captures his authentic self, as he wants a likeness
his friends would value after his death. His **calm and composed nature** is demonstrated by
his patience during the hour-long wait, reading outdated magazines without complaint, and his
initial cooperation with the photographer’s bizarre instructions, such as opening and closing his
mouth or adjusting his ears. Even when the photographer criticizes his features, he responds
with restraint, humorously suggesting the photographer might be “praying inside the machine,”
showcasing his ability to maintain composure under provocation.
However, the narrator’s **resoluteness** emerges as the photographer’s criticisms escalate,
pushing him to defend his face with “emotion and dignity,” stating he has lived with it for forty
years and learned to love it. This assertiveness peaks when he sees the retouched photograph,
altered with new eyebrows and an adjusted mouth via the “Delphide” process, which shocks
him. His resolute rejection of the photograph as a “worthless bauble” and his tearful exit from
the studio underscore his firm conviction that his true identity should not be compromised.
These traits shape his response to the photographer’s actions, transforming him from a passive,
cooperative client into an assertive defender of his authenticity, critiquing the superficiality of the
photographer’s technical alterations.
Through the narrator’s self-awareness, calmness, and resoluteness, Leacock portrays a
relatable figure who navigates the conflict between personal identity and societal expectations,
emphasizing the importance of valuing one’s true self over artificial perfection, a message that
resonates with readers seeking authenticity in an image-conscious world.
**Question 7:**
Analyze the role of the photographer as the antagonist in *With the Photographer*, focusing on
how his physical appearance and behavior contribute to the story’s conflict and themes.
**Answer:**
In *With the Photographer* by Stephen Leacock, the photographer serves as the antagonist,
whose physical appearance and critical behavior drive the story’s conflict and underscore the
themes of authenticity and societal pressure to conform to idealized standards. His role as an
obstacle to the narrator’s desire for an authentic photograph highlights the dehumanizing effects
of technical perfectionism, creating tension that shapes the narrative.
The photographer’s **physical appearance** is described as that of a “drooping man” in a gray
suit, suggesting weariness, lack of vitality, or diminished strength, possibly due to age. This
drooping demeanor, coupled with his “dim eyes” or weak vision, portrays him as detached and
uninspired, setting a tone of indifference that contrasts with the narrator’s emotional investment
in obtaining a true likeness. The author’s note that “there is no need to describe him any further
because he is like every other photographer” universalizes his character, suggesting he
represents a common societal tendency to prioritize technical skill over human individuality,
enhancing his antagonistic role.
The photographer’s **behavior** further escalates the conflict. His initial unenthusiastic
response, asking the narrator to wait an hour, establishes his lack of empathy, making the
narrator feel like an intruder. In the studio, his relentless criticism of the narrator’s face as “quite
wrong,” focusing on flaws in his head, ears, and features, and his demands for facial acrobatics
(e.g., opening and closing the mouth, adjusting ears) show a disregard for the narrator’s dignity.
This critical attitude provokes the narrator’s anger, as he defends his face after forty years of
living with it. The photographer’s ultimate act of antagonism is revealed when he presents the
retouched photograph, altered with the “Delphide” process to remove eyebrows, adjust the
mouth, and erase facial hair, completely disregarding the narrator’s desire for authenticity. His
focus on showcasing professional skills over capturing the narrator’s true self fuels the conflict,
leading to the narrator’s emotional rejection of the “worthless bauble.”
As the antagonist, the photographer embodies societal pressures to conform to idealized
images, critiquing the superficiality of prioritizing technical perfection over human authenticity.
His drooping appearance and critical behavior contrast with the narrator’s self-awareness and
resoluteness, highlighting the theme of identity versus manipulation. Through the
photographer’s role, Leacock critiques a culture that devalues natural appearance, urging
readers to value genuine self-representation, a message relevant to the story’s context and
modern image-conscious society.
---
#### 4. Analytical Question
**Question 8:**
How does Stephen Leacock use the characterization of the narrator and the photographer in
*With the Photographer* to critique societal attitudes toward authenticity and idealized
appearances, with reference to their interactions and the story’s themes?
**Answer:**
Stephen Leacock’s *With the Photographer* uses the characterization of the narrator and the
photographer to critique societal attitudes toward authenticity and idealized appearances,
highlighting the tension between personal identity and external manipulation through their
interactions. The story explores the dehumanizing effects of prioritizing technical perfection over
genuine self-representation, a theme relevant to both its historical context and modern image-
conscious culture.
The **narrator**, a forty-year-old man, is characterized as self-aware, calm, and resolute,
embodying the value of authenticity. His self-awareness is evident when he acknowledges his
facial shortcomings, responding to the photographer’s criticism that his face is “quite wrong”
with, “I know, I have always known it,” showing his acceptance of his natural appearance. His
calm, composed nature is seen in his patience during the hour-long wait and his initial
cooperation with the photographer’s strange instructions, despite feeling like an intruder.
However, his resoluteness emerges as he defends his face with “emotion and dignity” after
prolonged criticism, asserting he has lived with it for forty years and learned to love it. His shock
and emotional rejection of the retouched photograph as a “worthless bauble,” followed by his
tearful exit, underscore his firm commitment to a photograph that reflects his true self, which his
friends could cherish. This characterization portrays the narrator as a relatable figure who
resists societal pressures to conform to idealized images, emphasizing the theme of
authenticity.
The **photographer**, as the antagonist, is characterized as a “drooping man” with dim eyes,
suggesting weariness and detachment, which contrasts with the narrator’s emotional
investment. His unenthusiastic, critical behavior—dismissing the narrator’s face, demanding
facial acrobatics, and retouching the photograph with the “Delphide” process to alter eyebrows
and mouth—represents societal tendencies to prioritize technical perfection over individuality.
His actions, which disregard the narrator’s desire for a true likeness, drive the conflict, as the
narrator’s frustration culminates in rejecting the altered image. The photographer’s universal
description as “like every other photographer” critiques a broader cultural obsession with
idealized appearances, embodied in his professional focus on superficial enhancements.
Their **interactions** highlight the clash between authenticity and idealized standards. The
photographer’s relentless criticism and manipulative retouching provoke the narrator’s defense
of his identity, culminating in his emotional exit, which critiques the dehumanizing impact of
altering one’s natural appearance. Through the narrator’s self-awareness and resoluteness and
the photographer’s detached perfectionism, Leacock critiques societal attitudes that devalue
authenticity, urging readers to embrace genuine self-representation over artificial ideals, a
message that resonates in today’s image-driven world.
---
These questions and answers are tailored to the ICSE Class 10 examination pattern, covering
the characterization of the narrator and the photographer in *With the Photographer*. They
include reference to context, short answers, long answers, and analytical questions, focusing on
the narrator’s traits, the photographer’s antagonistic role, their interactions, and the story’s
critique of societal attitudes toward authenticity and appearance, ensuring thorough preparation
for students.
