The name of the author of this chapter is Khushwant Singh. This noted writer of India was born on 2nd February, 1915 and died on 20 March, 2014. He was at the same time an author, lawyer, journalist and politician. Mr. Singh was a highly educated person who attended even foreign Colleges and universities as a student and obtained variety of degrees. Later on as a professional he worked in Lahore High Court, as officer in Indian foreign Services and also as a journalist in All India Radio. He worked in the Print Media also.
Khushwant Singh was a dynamic person who was, for prolonged services to the national, awarded the Civilian award the Padma Bhushan in 1974. Apart from receiving many other awards, he received the second highest civilian award of India The Padma Vibhushan in 2007.
INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAPTER ' The Portrait of A Lady::
This chapter explains an emotional bonding between the speaker or narrator and his grandmother. The speaker Khushwant Singh explains how his relationship with his old grandmother developed since his childhood. Since his childhood he was looked after by his grandmother until they went to the city where his parents stayed. Later on he pursued school, college and university education. But gradually his relationship with his grandmother became weak and finally when he went abroad for higher studies, he no longer thought that he would meet his grandma after returning at an interval of five years. But when he came back he found his grandmother at the same state. It was strange that after celebrating the author's homecoming, the old lady breathed her last peacefully.
Page No-3
1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
the thought was almost revolting
an expanse of pure white serenity
a turning point
accepted her seclusion with resignation
a veritable bedlam of chirrupings
frivolous rebukes
the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum
Answer: The thought was almost revolting:
this expression implies that the thought that once the author's grandmother was young and pretty once, raises a doubt in the mind of the author. In fact, he could not believe this.
An expanse of pure white serenity:
This means the calm, peaceful and amiable character and conduct of the author's grandmother. The author has compared her to the peaceful winter landscape in the mountains.
A turning point:
This phrase refers to the particular moment since when his relationship with his grandmother changes after they shifted to the city.
Accepted her seclusion with resignation:
This expression implies grandmother's passive as well as submissive nature. This happens just after her relationship with the author took a turn as he joined a city school.
A veritable bedlam of chirrupings:
This expressions means the continuous noise and chaos caused by the chirruping of the sparrows on the floor of the author's home in the city. This happened when grandmother threw foodstuff to the birds everyday. They ate and perched around grandmother.
Frivolous rebukes:
It means grandmother's light hearted rebukes meant for the disturbing sparrows.
The sagging skins of the dilapidated drum:
this expression refers to the deteriorated and shabby condition of the drum that she beat when the author came home back after many years.
Page No-6
Understanding the text:
1. Mention the three phases of the author's relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.
Answer: The three phases of the author's relationship with his grandmother are as follows-
As far as the first phase is concerned, when his parents left him in the village and went to live in the city, he had to stay with his grandmother. His grandmother looked after him throughout the day right from waking him up in the morning. She dressed him up, fed him and even accompanied him to the school. This was the early stage of the author's life
The second phase of their relationship began when both of them went to the city after his parents were settled there. In the city his grandmother could no longer accompany him to the school since the speaker went by school bus. Besides, she could not help him in his studies as she did while staying in the village. In fact, this phase was the turning point of their relationship.
The third phase began when the author joined his university education. He got his own room and the common link of his relationship with his grandma was snapped off. The grandmother also remained busy with her spinning wheel apart from reciting her prayers. She accepted her seclusion with patience.
2.Mention three reasons why the author's grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.
Answer: When the author started going to the city school his grandmother was disturbed for three reasons. They are:
a) She could not help the author in his learning since she did not like the subjects taught in city school.
b) She became upset as she heard that in city school no lesson is taught regarding God and scriptures.
c) Grandmother disliked the idea of imparting music lessons taught in the city school. She thought that music is not a subject matter of the gentle people.
Page No-7
3. Mention the three ways in which the author's grandmother spent her days after he grew up.
Answer: The author tells us the three ways that his grandmother spent her days after he grew up. Basically she spent most of her time sitting by her spinning wheel. She rarely left her wheel to talk to anyone. The second way that she spent her time was reciting prayers from Sunrise to Sunset. The third way that grandmother spent her time was feeding the sparrows with breadcrumbs.
4. Mention the odd way in which the author's grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer: Just before her death the author's grandmother omitted tp pray. She even frankly told that her end was near. At last she peacefully laid on her bed, kept on praying and telling her beads. When the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers a peaceful pallor spread on her face.
5. Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author's grandmother died.
Answer: As soon as the author and his grandmother shifted to city, their daily routine was changed. Grandmother could not go to school. She, rather developed an intimate relationship with sparrows by feeding them with breadcrumbs. They were so close to her that the birds sat on her shoulder also.
However, the day when she died, thousands of sparrows arrived and sat scattered on the floor and veranda. But there was no chirruping at all. The author's mother threw breadcrumbs at them but they did not take notice of them, as if they also mourned at grandmother's death. Then after the dead body was taken away for cremation, the sparrows fly away quietly.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
1 The author's grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this ?
Answer:
The author's grandmother was a religious person which we come to know from the text. She was devoted to religion. While she lived in village with the author, she used to recite her beads of rosary continuously day and night. She did this since morning while she bathed the author and dressed him. She said her morning prayer in a monotonous sing song manner. She wanted that the author would listen to her and by heart the prayer as well.
Apart from this she accompanied the author to his school. There she sat in the temple and read the scriptures. Besides this, she used to sit by her spinning wheel and recite her prayers continuously. The day when the author went abroad for higher studies, she came to the railway station and there also she recited her prayers. Her lips moved in prayers and her mind was lost in devotion. Even after the author came back after five years, she omitted to pray for a while. Later on while lying on her death bed she was telling her beads.
Thus we can assert that the author's grandmother was a religious person throughout her life.
2. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change ?
Answer:
While the author lived in the village with her grandmother, their relationship was very close. But as soon as they came to town after their parents were properly settled, there remains a gap between their relationship. In fact, it gradually changed. They saw each other less, since the author went to school alone in the school bus. Her grandmother could not accompany him to the school. Then grandmother was much disturbed when she came to know that the author was not taught scriptures in his new school. Again, she became upset as she heard that the author was taught music lesson, which she did not consider to be a task of the gentle people.
Later on, when the author went for university education, he was given a separate room. The result was that the common link of friendship between him and his grandmother was broken. When the author went for studies abroad, he thought that his grandmother would be emotional, but she did show no such sign. She was rather busy in reciting prayer.
Thus, we find none of their feelings for each other changed, but with the changes of time they had to live apart. Both loved each other as same as before.
3. Would you agree that the author's grandmother was a person strong in character ?If yes, give instance that show this.
Answer:
The author's grandmother was a woman of strong character who never showed any sign of weakness in life. She lived confidently throughout her life. She was religious so she looked confident all the times. She spent her time concentrating on prayers and telling her beads. Whether in village or in town she lived her life perfectly. She loved dogs, sparrows and all who knew her. She was very strong in the sense that she did not express her emotions anywhere.
Her strength and confidence is apparent, when we find her bidding farewell to the author in the station, she showed no sign of weakness. She did not show any sign that the author would come back after five years. She was not sentimental. She just kept on praying her beads. Thus we can say that she was a woman of strong personality.
4. Have you known someone like the author's grandmother ?
Answer:
Of course, I know such a person who is like the author's grandmother. My father is like the grandmother of the author. He is strong in personality and character. Whatever be the situation, he is always confident and bold enough in taking decision. He works as a big Bunyan tree for all his children ever.
THINKING ABOUT THE LANGUAGE::
1. Which language do you think the author and his grandmother used while talking to each other ?
Answer:
Khushwant Singh was a Punjabi author. Though he studied in English language, his mother tongue must be Punjabi and hence, he talked to his grandmother in Punjabi.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS::
1. Where was grandfather's photo hung ?
Answer:
Grandfather's photo was hung in the wall of the drawing room.
2.When did grandmother kiss the author ?
Answer:
Grandmother kissed on the author's forehead when he was going abroad for higher studies.
3. What did grandmother do while going to village school with the author ?
Answer:
She used to throw breadcrumbs to the hungry street dogs.
4. What was taught to the children in the village school ?
Answer:
IN the village school the priest taught alphabets and morning prayers.
5. What did grandmother not like about city school?
Answer:
In city school the author was taught music, which Grandmother did not like.
6. Where did grandmother feed the sparrow ?
Answer:
While living in the city grandmother used to feed the sparrows.
7. What did grandmother often tell the children?
Answer:
Grandmother often told the children about the games she used to play as a child.
8. Why did grandmother looked unhappy while the author told her about his city school?
Answer:
Grandmother was unhappy because there was no teaching about God and holy books.
9. When did grandmother turn her mind to the spinning wheel ?
Answer:
When the author went up to University for higher studies, the common link of their friendship breached. Then she turned her mind to the spinning wheel and recitation of prayers.
10. How did the family members know that grandmother died ?
Answer:
When the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers, they understood that grandmother died.
