Question

What can you infer from the message on the back of the photograph? What evidence supports your understanding?

Answer 1

Answer:

We can infer that they had a close and informal message and that they care deeply for Martha, wanting to support her and continue their life together. This is evident from the way the poem on the back of the photo is written (using slang and mentions of love), as well as from the content of the message which mentions love, care, and togetherness. We also know that it is a gift for New Year, as the poem mentions the new 2002. year.

Explanation:

When reading the story Martha, Martha by Zadie Smith, the scene of Martha looking at the photograph and reading the poem on the back is one of the central ones. From this message on the back we can conclude that it is from someone Martha loves very much, and who loves her back. It can likely be her past boyfriend or husband, with their (or only his) son, giving this photo as a gift for New Year. The person is promising to love and care for Martha, to be together with her, and asking her not to give up them as a pair. We can conclude this because they write “I am going to be there for U”, “I love U / And I’m trying 2 tell U true”, “Together we will get so much higher” and “Don’t give up on what we’ve got”.

Just the fact that he has given such a sweet and personal gift of funny photo and poem is evidence of closeness, care, and love for Martha. We can also conclude that they have had an informal relationship from the way the poem was written – using loads of slang and shorter versions of words, such as U and 2.

From Martha’s devastated reaction and tears, we can conclude something did not work out, and that she has left Ben and Jamal or they have left her. Either way, they are not in her life anymore, and she is suffering a lot because of it. She is still bounded by their memory and clinging onto it, which is evident from the way she hides and looks at the photo at the moments of doubt and hardship.