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Revision Notes

With the Photographer

ICSE · Class 10 · English Literature-Treasure Chest ( Poems and Short Stories)

Quick revision notes for With the Photographer — ICSE Class 10 English Literature-Treasure Chest ( Poems and Short Stories). Key concepts, formulas, and definitions for last-minute revision.

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An illustration depicting the narrator sitting uncomfortably in a photographer's studio, with the photographer examining him critically, perhaps with a measuring tape or a magnifying glass. The studio
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Key Topics to Revise

1

About the Author — Stephen Leacock

  • Stephen Leacock (1869–1944) was a Canadian humourist, economist, and writer, born in England.
  • He is widely regarded as one of the greatest English-language humourists of the early 20th century.
  • He was a professor of economics at McGill University, Montreal, but achieved lasting fame through his humorous writings.
2

Setting and Atmosphere

  • The entire story is set in a photographer's studio in the early 20th century.
  • The studio is a formal, professional space — a place where people go to be seen at their best and to have their likeness preserved.
  • This setting is thematically important: it is a space dedicated to image and presentation, making the destruction of the narrator's image all the more ironic and comic.
3

Characters — Detailed Analysis

  • There are two main characters: the unnamed narrator and the photographer.
  • THE NARRATOR: A mild-mannered, self-deprecating everyman who came for a simple portrait. He accepts each criticism with bewilderment rather than anger, which makes him sympathetic and funny. His growi
  • THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Self-important, pompous, and deeply serious about his 'art'. He catalogues the narrator's facial faults with professional authority, then retouches the portrait until it bears no res
4

Plot — Scene by Scene Analysis

  • ARRIVAL: The narrator enters the studio for a straightforward portrait — a simple, everyday task. This establishes normality before the escalation begins.
  • THE CRITIQUE BEGINS: The photographer studies the narrator's face and begins cataloguing its faults. The ears are not level — one is higher than the other. This is the first blow to the narrator's con
  • MORE FAULTS: The photographer continues — the eyes are too far apart; the mouth is too large and crooked. Each new fault is more deflating than the last. The narrator accepts these verdicts with stunn

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Full Notes

Key Concepts

Comic escalation is the central structuralThe photographer is not simplyThe thematic heart of the storyThe narrator's distress is not merelyThe narrator is a classic Leacock

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in With the Photographer for ICSE Class 10 English Literature-Treasure Chest ( Poems and Short Stories)?
Key topics in With the Photographer include With the Photographer — Chapter Overview, Narrative Arc — Comic Escalation in With the Photographer, The Five Stages of the Story — Comic Escalation. These are the concepts ICSE Class 10 examiners draw on most — study them first, then practise related questions.
How to score full marks in With the Photographer — ICSE Class 10 English Literature-Treasure Chest ( Poems and Short Stories)?
Start by understanding all key concepts. Practise previous year questions from this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly. Use flashcards for quick revision before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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