Class 11 English - PUNJAB
The Portrait of a Lady
The Portrait of a Lady by Khushwant Singh is a touching biographical sketch of the author's grandmother. It captures her physical appearance, her daily routine of praying and feeding stray dogs, and her deep spiritual bond with the author. The chapter highlights the changing dynamics of their relationship as they move to the city, go to an English school, and eventually the author goes abroad for higher studies. For PSEB Class 11 board exams, this chapter is crucial as it tests reading comprehension, emotional understanding, and character sketch writing skills, frequently appearing in both short answer and long answer questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Physical Appearance of the Grandmother
She was old, wrinkled, short, slightly bent, and walked with one hand resting on her waist, always dressed in spotless white with silver locks scattered over her pale puckered face.
Village Life vs. City Life
In the village, the grandmother and author shared a close bond where she accompanied him to school and fed village dogs. In the city, their relationship strained as the author studied in an English school and learned science and music, which the grandmother disapproved of.
Turning Point in the Relationship
The shifting of the author to the city and later his admission to a university marked a growing physical and emotional distance, symbolized by the grandmother having her own room and spending her time spinning the wheel and reciting prayers.
The Grandmother's Demise
Before passing away, she refused to talk to anyone, spending her final hours peacefully praying in bed, and her death was symbolically mourned by thousands of sparrows that gathered in the courtyard without making any noise.
Theme of Intergenerational Bond
The chapter beautifully portrays the love, understanding, and emotional bridge between two generations despite differences in modern and traditional outlooks.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Punjab (PSEB) Class 11 English board exams, 'The Portrait of a Lady' typically carries 5 to 8 marks. Questions often include a character sketch of the grandmother, the turning point in the author's relationship with her, comprehension-based extracts, and short-answer questions about the role of sparrows in the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the grandmother unhappy with the author's new English school?
She was unhappy because the school did not teach about God and scriptures, and she was distressed that music lessons, which she considered unrespectable, were being taught.
What was the happiest time of the day for the grandmother?
The happiest time of the day for the grandmother was in the afternoon when she sat in the verandah breaking stale chapatis into bits to feed hundreds of little sparrows.
How did the sparrows mourn the death of the grandmother?
Thousands of sparrows sat silently scattered around her dead body in the courtyard, showing no interest in the bread crumbs offered by the author's mother, and flew away quietly after the body was carried away for cremation.
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