Wit (Short Story)

In a nutshell: "With the Photographer" by Stephen Leacock is a humorous (satirical) short story about a man who goes for a simple portrait, only to be tormented by a perfection-obsessed photographer who criticises and rearranges his face, then edits the photo so heavily that it no longer looks like him. The narrator, who only wanted his own face, breaks down and leaves — a gentle satire on the craze for artificial "perfection."

1. About the Author

2. Characters

3. Detailed Summary (so you understand the whole story)

1. The narrator visits a studio for a simple, natural portrait; the photographer is unenthusiastic and the mood is uneasy.
2. He is made to wait a long time (reading old magazines), feeling he is interrupting the photographer's "meticulous, scientific" work — and growing self-conscious.
3. Inside the studio (filtered light, a big camera), the photographer at once finds the narrator's features "quite wrong" and asks him to turn three-quarters.
4. He gives absurd instructions — open and shut the mouth, droop the ears, roll the eyes under the lids, twist the face — treating the face like clay to be sculpted.
5. As the narrator protests that "this is my face," the photographer suddenly pulls the string and snaps the photo mid-outburst, pleased to have caught a "lively" look.
6. Days later the narrator returns for the proof: the photo is heavily retouched — eyes, eyebrows altered, the ears nearly removed — and looks nothing like him.
7. Deeply upset, he accuses the photographer of destroying his real appearance; he had wanted a genuine likeness to share. Overcome, he storms out in tears.

4. Themes

• Satire on the obsession with artificial perfection (and early "photo-editing").
• Loss of individuality / identity — the real self is erased in pursuit of an "ideal."
• Appearance vs reality.
• Humour through exaggeration and the absurd photographer.

5. Tone & Style

• Light, humorous and satirical; first-person; comedy built from exaggeration and the clash between the meek customer and the bossy "expert."

6. Exam Q&A (with crisp answers)

1. Who wrote "With the Photographer"? → Stephen Leacock.
2. Why does the narrator visit the studio? → To get a simple, natural photograph of himself.
3. How does the photographer treat the narrator's face? → As something faulty to be reshaped/"improved."
4. Give two absurd instructions the photographer gives. → To droop his ears and roll his eyes under the lids (also turn three-quarters).
5. When is the photo actually taken? → Suddenly, mid-protest, while the narrator is upset.
6. What is wrong with the final photograph? → It is so heavily retouched that it doesn't resemble the narrator.
7. How does the narrator react at the end? → He is hurt and angry, and leaves in tears.
8. What is the story satirising? → The craze for artificial perfection over natural reality/identity.
9. What is the tone of the story? → Humorous and satirical.
10. What did the narrator really want? → A true likeness of his own natural face.

7. Glossary