MEMENTOS, 1 POEM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADE 12 “Mementos, 1” is a lyric poem that reflects upon memories of lost youth, love, and disillusionment. The poem opens with the speaker sorting through various mementos he has accumulated over the years, some commonplace and others personal.
Mementos, 1
by Wd Snodgrass
Sorting out letters and piles of my old
Canceled checks, old clippings, and yellow note cards
That meant something once, I happened to find
Your picture. That picture. I stopped there cold,
Like a man raking piles of dead leaves in his yard
Who has turned up a severed hand.
Still, that first second, I was glad: you stand
Just as you stood—shy, delicate, slender,
In that long gown of green lace netting and daisies
That you wore to our first dance. The sight of you stunned
Us all. Well, our needs were different, then,
And our ideals came easy.
Then through the war and those two long years
Overseas, the Japanese dead in their shacks
Among dishes, dolls, and lost shoes; I carried
This glimpse of you, there, to choke down my fear,
Prove it had been, that it might come back.
That was before we got married.
—Before we drained out one another’s force
With lies, self-denial, unspoken regret
And the sick eyes that blame; before the divorce
And the treachery. Say it: before we met. Still,
I put back your picture. Someday, in due course,
I will find that it’s still there.
QUESTIONS
Refer to the poem Mementos, 1 by Wd Snodgrass and answer the questions below.
- Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below.
stunned; mother; shocked; disappointed; ex-wife; glad The speaker is sorting out old papers when he finds a photograph of his (1.1) … Initially, he is (1.2) … but then he is (1.3) … to find it as it brings back old memories. (3)
- Refer to line 4 (“Your That picture. I stopped there cold,”).
Explain why the words “That picture” are written in a different font (letter type).(1) - Refer to lines 4-6 (“I stopped there … a severed ”).
3.1 Identify the figure of speech used here
3.2 Explain why the poet has used this figure of speech (2) - Choose the correct answer to complete the following In line 10, the word “stunned” suggests that the girl was …
- gorgeous.
- scary.
- motionless.
- happy. (1)
- Refer to lines 11-12 (“Well, our needs … ideals came ”).
Using your own words, say what the speaker and his wife’s lives were like when they were young. (1) - Refer to stanza (3)
6.1 Quote THREE separate words to show that not only soldiers were affected by the war.
6.2 Explain what the photograph meant to the speaker during the war (1) - Refer to the last
7.1 Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Give a reason for your answer.
The speaker’s wife was responsible for the breakdown of their marriage. (2)
7.2 What does the speaker’s decision to keep the photograph reveal about him? (1) - In the first stanza, the tone of the speaker is one of shock
What is the tone in the last stanza? (1) - After reading this poem, do you think it is a good idea to use old photographs as a way of remembering the past?
Discuss your view. (2) [18]
Answers
- 1.1 Ex-wife ✓
1.2 Shocked ✓
1.3 Glad ✓ (3) - It emphasises/shows the importance of the photo/It shocks him./It refers to a particular picture of relevance/ significance. ✓ (1)
- 3.1 Simile ✓ (1)
3.2 Finding this photograph is as shocking/unexpected as finding a severed hand in your garden. ✓ (1) - A /gorgeous ✓ (1)
- Simple/carefree/uncomplicated ✓ (1)
- 6.1 “shacks” ✓
“dishes” ✓
“dolls” ✓ (3)
6.2 It helped him cope with his fears/it helped him to choke down his fears. ✓ (1) - 7.1 False.
Both of them were responsible. ✓✓
OR
They drained one another’s force. ✓✓ (2)
7.2 He is not ready to let go./The photograph still has meaning for him./He has not come to terms with the divorce yet./He still has feelings for his ex-wife. ✓ (1) - The tone becomes gentler/accepting/agreeable/forgiving. ✓ (1)
- Yes, people need real objects like photographs to remember the ✓✓
OR
No, memories should not depend on objects such as photographs. ✓✓ (2) [18]