With the Photographer – Contextual Q&A

Question 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.

(i) What does the narrator want and how does the photographer react to his request? [3]
(ii) How is the photographer physically described and what does this description suggest about him? [3]
(iii) What is the significance of the line "Everybody knows what a photographer is like"? [3] 
(iv) What does the narrator's statement reveal about his initial expectations? [3] 
(v) How does the use of contrast function in this passage? [4]

Answers:

(i) The narrator wants to have his photograph taken. The photographer reacts without enthusiasm, suggesting a lack of interest or excitement about the request. This initial reaction sets the tone for their entire interaction, indicating the photographer's indifferent and dismissive attitude from the very beginning.

(ii) The photographer is described as a drooping man in a gray suit with the dim eye of a natural scientist. The description suggests he is someone who is bent, worn down, and observant in a detached manner. The comparison to a natural scientist implies he views people analytically and critically, dissecting their features with clinical interest rather than artistic appreciation or warmth.

(iii) This line suggests that photographers are a type of person with recognizable characteristics. The narrator is making a generalization about photographers as a profession, implying they share common traits of indifference, critical judgment, and obsession with appearances. This prepares readers for the photographer's difficult behavior throughout the story.

(iv) The narrator's straightforward request suggests he has simple, uncomplicated expectations. He comes merely wanting a photograph taken, unaware of the complications that will follow. His calm demeanor suggests he expects a straightforward transaction without understanding the photographer's perfectionism and critical nature.

(v) The contrast between the narrator's simple desire and the photographer's lack of enthusiasm establishes a central conflict. The narrator's genuine purpose clashes with the photographer's indifference, setting up the tension that will drive the narrative. Additionally, the contrast between what "everybody knows" about photographers and the specific individual before the narrator highlights how stereotypes shape our expectations and interactions with professional service providers.

Question 2

"Sit there," he said, "and wait." I sat down in a beam of sunlight filtered through a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted skylight. An hour passed. I read all the magazines in the studio. They were full of photographs of beautiful models.

(i) Why does the narrator wait in the studio and what does he observe there? [3]
(ii) What effect does the act of waiting have on the narrator's mindset? [3]
(iii) How does the waiting period serve as a turning point in the narrative? [3]
(iv) What is the significance of the "beam of sunlight filtered through factory cotton"? [3]
(v) Analyze the purpose and effect of Leacock's description of the magazines and their contents in this section. [4]

Answers:

(i) The narrator waits because the photographer asked him to sit and wait while he attends to other matters. During this wait, the narrator observes magazines filled with photographs of beautiful models, which causes him to feel insecure about his own appearance and become critical of himself.

(ii) The act of waiting, combined with reading magazines of beautiful models, creates a sense of inferiority and perfectionism in the narrator. He begins to doubt his own appearance and questions whether his looks are acceptable. This psychological impact makes him vulnerable to the photographer's later criticisms and suggestions for alterations.

(iii) The waiting period is crucial because it shifts the narrator's mindset from confident acceptance to critical self-doubt. Before reading the magazines, he simply wanted a photograph that looked like him. After seeing the beautiful models, he becomes susceptible to the photographer's perfectionist demands and begins to question whether he should accept alterations to improve his appearance.

(iv) This detail suggests that the lighting in the studio, while appearing natural, is actually filtered and artificial. The factory cotton is a practical material, not an elegant choice, suggesting a compromise between authenticity and convenience. This foreshadows how the photograph itself will be an artificial, filtered version of the narrator rather than a true representation.

(v) The magazines serve multiple purposes: they show how waiting periods are often filled with aspirational content designed to make viewers feel inadequate, they establish that the photography industry is built on creating idealized images, and they demonstrate how external influences can undermine our confidence in our natural appearance. The effect is to make the narrator vulnerable to the photographer's later criticisms and to suggest that the entire industry is complicit in promoting unrealistic beauty standards that ultimately harm people's self-esteem.

Question 3

"Come in," he said severely. I went into the studio. "Sit down," said the photographer. The photographer rolled a machine into the middle of the room and crawled into it from behind. He came out again, looking around in the room, and then suddenly began tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes with a rod, as if to let in more light.

(i) What is the photographer's demeanor when he calls the narrator in, and what does this suggest? [3]
(ii) What does the photographer's frantic behavior with the curtains and window panes reveal about his character? [3]
(iii) What is the significance of the photographer crawling into and out of the machine? [3]
(iv) How does the photographer's treatment of the studio space reflect his attitude toward the narrator? [3]
(v) Analyze the use of physical action and movement in this extract and its impact on the narrative tone. [4]

Answers:

(i) The photographer's severe manner suggests seriousness, severity, and possibly annoyance. This demeanor indicates he approaches photography as a serious professional matter, not a pleasant social interaction. It also suggests he may already be finding fault with the narrator and preparing to criticize his appearance rather than simply capture it as requested.

(ii) The photographer's frantic tearing at the cotton and window panes reveals his obsessive-compulsive perfectionism. He is so fixated on achieving perfect lighting that he becomes almost violent in his actions, suggesting he is willing to disrupt the entire studio environment to meet his exacting standards. This behavior shows he is more concerned with his own professional standards than with the comfort or respect of his client.

(iii) The photographer's repeated movement into and out of the machine suggests indecision and dissatisfaction. He is searching for the perfect angle and lighting, but nothing seems to satisfy him. His behavior indicates he has not found a satisfactory way to photograph the narrator, foreshadowing his later excessive alterations to the developed photograph.

(iv) The photographer's aggressive manipulation of the studio environment, tearing at curtains and window panes, mirrors his later rough handling of the narrator's face and features. Both actions reveal a man who disrespects and violates the space and person in front of him, treating them as objects to be manipulated to fit his vision rather than as subjects to be respectfully captured. His behavior establishes him as someone who prioritizes his professional standards over human dignity and respect.

(v) The physical actions of rolling, crawling, tearing, and sudden movements create a frantic, almost comedic tone that masks underlying frustration and aggression. These actions establish the photographer as both ridiculous and threatening, generating both humor and tension. The escalating intensity of his actions foreshadows the escalating demands he will make on the narrator later, building narrative momentum while establishing that this interaction will not be a simple, pleasant transaction. The kinetic energy also contrasts sharply with the narrator's passivity, establishing the power imbalance between them.

Question 4

He came to me and held my face in his hands. I closed my eyes, thinking he was going to kiss me. Instead he twisted my head first to this side and then to that, as if he were examining a piece of cheese at a market. "Open your mouth," he said, "open it wider." And then: "Close your mouth. Close it tighter, tighter! Droop your ears. Expand your lungs."

(i) How does the narrator initially misinterpret the photographer's intention and what does this reveal? [3]
(ii) What is the purpose of comparing the narrator's face to "a piece of cheese at a market"? [3]
(iii) How do the photographer's commands ("Open your mouth," "Close your mouth," "Droop your ears") function in the narrative? [3]
(iv) What does the physical contact and manipulation of the narrator's face suggest about the photographer's respect for boundaries? [3]
(v) Discuss how Leacock uses physical comedy and exaggeration to critique professional attitudes and industry standards in photography. [4]

Answers:

Question 5

"The photograph," I said, breaking the silence angrily, "is a masterpiece of your own work. You should keep it. You should show it to everyone, to your family and to all your friends as a proof of your ability. For me it is a worthless bauble—a mere nothing."

(i) What provokes the narrator's angry outburst, and how does his tone shift in this extract? [3]
(ii) What is the significance of the narrator calling the photograph a "masterpiece of your own work"? [3]
(iii) How does the narrator's comparison between what the photograph means to the photographer versus what it means to him reveal the central conflict? [3]
(iv) What does the term "worthless bauble" suggest about the narrator's attitude toward material and professional values? [3]
(v) How does this extract demonstrate the narrator's character development and what does his final stance represent? [4]

Answers:

(i) The narrator's anger is provoked by the photographer's casual statement that the photograph is indeed him, despite being completely altered and unrecognizable. His tone shifts from silent shock and hurt to sharp, withering sarcasm. He moves from passive acceptance to active assertion, finally standing up for himself and his original intentions after hours of manipulation and criticism.

(ii) By calling it a masterpiece of the photographer's work, the narrator is acknowledging that the photograph reflects the photographer's vision and skill, not the narrator's true appearance. He is emphasizing that the photographer has indeed succeeded in creating something perfect—but something that is entirely the photographer's creation rather than an honest representation of the narrator. The sarcasm reveals the narrator's bitter realization that the photographer prioritizes his own professional ego over the narrator's genuine needs and wishes.

(iii) The comparison reveals that the photographer and narrator have fundamentally different goals. For the photographer, the photograph is a triumph and validation of his professional skills; for the narrator, it is worthless because it fails to fulfill his simple original purpose: to provide his friends with a memory of his true self. This contrast exposes the central conflict between professional vanity and personal authenticity, between the desire to impress and the need for genuine representation.

(iv) The term "worthless bauble" reveals that the narrator values authenticity and genuine representation over professional skill and artistic achievement. A bauble is something decorative but ultimately meaningless, suggesting that all the photographer's technical skill amounts to nothing if it does not serve the narrator's authentic purpose. The narrator is asserting that professional mastery without honesty and authenticity is hollow and valueless, prioritizing truth over technical perfection.

(v) This extract shows the narrator's transformation from a timid, insecure man who allowed himself to be pushed around by the photographer into someone who asserts his values and boundaries. His anger and sarcasm represent a reclaiming of his dignity and his original purpose. His final stance—that he wanted a simple, honest photograph for his friends to remember him by—represents a rejection of societal pressures toward perfection and artificial enhancement, and a reaffirmation of the value of authenticity and self-acceptance. The narrator ultimately asserts that being true to oneself, even with all one's flaws, is more important than achieving professional perfection or meeting unrealistic beauty standards.

Question 6

"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 photograph—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) What emotional state does the narrator convey through his physical actions and speech in this extract? [3]
(ii) Why does the narrator describe his wish as "mad though it seems," and what does this phrase suggest? [3]
(iii) What is the significance of the phrase "humble though the gift may have been"? [3]
(iv) How does the narrator's explanation of his purpose reveal his fundamental values and priorities? [3]
(v) Analyze how this passage encapsulates the central themes of the story and represents the narrator's moral vision. [3]

Answers:

Question 7

"But you could improve it," said the photographer, in a casual tone. "I could take off your ears entirely." At that I broke into tears and left.

(i) What does the photographer's suggestion to remove the narrator's ears reveal about his understanding of the narrator's wishes? [3]
(ii) Why does the narrator "break into tears" at this final suggestion, and what emotion does this action represent? [3]
(iii) How does the photographer's casual tone intensify the offense of his suggestion? [3]
(iv) What is the symbolic significance of the ears in this context, and what do they represent about identity and self? [3]
(v) How does this brief final exchange serve as the culminating moment of the story and reflect Leacock's critique of modern photography and consumer culture? [4]

Answers:

(i) The suggestion reveals that the photographer has completely failed to understand or care about the narrator's wishes. The narrator has explicitly stated he wants a photograph that looks like him, yet the photographer continues to suggest alterations, demonstrating his fundamental indifference to the narrator's actual desires. The casual tone makes the suggestion even more offensive, showing the photographer's complete lack of empathy and awareness of how unreasonable and insulting his proposal is.

(ii) The tears represent the narrator's complete emotional breakdown after prolonged disrespect, dismissal, and continued demands for alteration. They signify his grief, frustration, defeat, and despair. The suggestion to remove his ears represents the final straw—a proposal so absurd and insulting that it breaks through the narrator's attempts at dignified assertion. The tears also represent his sadness that his simple, human desire for authentic representation has been so thoroughly disrespected and dismissed.

(iii) The casual tone reveals that the photographer is completely oblivious to the offense he is causing. He makes an outrageous suggestion—removing a body part—as casually as one might suggest a minor adjustment, demonstrating his profound disconnection from normal human understanding and empathy. The casualness emphasizes his indifference to the narrator's feelings and wishes, making his behavior even more insulting because it shows complete disregard rather than thoughtful disagreement.

(iv) The ears are part of the narrator's fundamental physical identity—something he was born with and has lived with for forty years. To suggest removing them symbolizes the photographer's desire to completely erase the narrator's authentic self and replace it with the photographer's idealized vision. Ears also literally "hear," and the irony is that the photographer cannot "hear" what the narrator is saying about his own wishes. The suggestion to remove them represents the ultimate violation of the narrator's autonomy and authentic identity.

(v) This exchange is the climactic moment where the photographer's obsession with artificial perfection reaches an absurd extreme—literally suggesting removal of body parts to achieve an "improved" version. The narrator's emotional breakdown represents the human cost of living in a culture that constantly demands self-alteration and improvement. Leacock's critique reaches its peak here: the photographer, and by extension the entire photography industry and consumer culture, has become so obsessed with creating idealized versions of people that it has lost touch with basic human dignity and respect. The suggestion to remove ears is so ridiculous that it exposes the fundamental absurdity of the entire enterprise of trying to "improve" natural human appearance. The narrator's tears represent the tragedy of a society that makes people feel inadequate about their natural selves and commodifies human appearance as something to be constantly altered and perfected. Leacock uses this absurdity to critique a culture that measures human worth by unrealistic beauty standards rather than by authentic human qualities.

Question 8

"I want my photograph taken," I said. The photographer looked at me without enthusiasm... "Is it me?" I asked. "Yes," he said quietly, "it is you," and we went on looking at it... Listen! I came here for a photograph—a picture—something which would have looked like me, humble though the gift may have been.

(i) What does the contrast between the narrator's opening request and his final realization reveal about his journey through the story? [3]
(ii) How does the photographer's affirmation "Yes, it is you" function as dramatic irony in the story? [3]
(iii) What does the narrator's emphasis on his photograph looking "like me" and being given to his friends suggest about his concept of authentic representation? [3]
(iv) How does the repeated phrase "humble though" function as a key to understanding the narrator's philosophy? [3]
(v) Synthesize the entire story through this passage: how do the narrator's opening desire, his final realization, and the photographer's responses represent a complete critique of modern society, consumer culture, and standards of beauty? [4]

Answers: