Class 11 English - RAJASTHAN
The Portrait of a Lady
The Portrait of a Lady by Khushwant Singh is a touching biographical sketch of the author's grandmother. It explores their deep bond, her daily routine, and her spiritual nature during his childhood in the village, contrasted with their growing emotional distance when they moved to the city. The chapter highlights themes of aging, love, the generation gap, and the deep emotional impact of grandparents. For Rajasthan Board (RBSE) Class 11 English exams, this chapter is crucial for testing reading comprehension, character sketching, and understanding the author's emotional journey through specific textual details.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
The Village Days
The period when the author and his grandmother lived together in the village, sharing a close bond where she woke him up, dressed him, and accompanied him to school.
The Turning Point
The shift in their relationship when they moved to the city, where the author went to an English school in a motor bus and the grandmother could no longer help him with his studies.
Spiritual Routine
The grandmother's daily life in the city, which revolved around spinning the prayer wheel, reciting prayers, and feeding sparrows in the courtyard.
The Grandmother's Death
Her peaceful final hours where she refused to talk to anyone, focused entirely on prayer, and passed away quietly, followed by thousands of sparrows mourning her death.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Rajasthan Board (RBSE) Class 11 English exams, this chapter typically carries 4 to 6 marks. Common question types include short answer questions about the grandmother's physical appearance and habits, extract-based questions to test comprehension, and long answer questions focusing on the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother or a character sketch of the grandmother.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the grandmother hate Western education in the city school?
She disliked it because the city school did not teach about God and the scriptures, and she was particularly distressed by the music lessons, which she considered undignified.
What was the happiest moment of the day for the grandmother in the city?
The happiest moment for her was in the afternoon when she fed hundreds of little sparrows with pieces of bread, a ritual she thoroughly enjoyed.
How did the sparrows mourn the death of the grandmother?
Thousands of sparrows sat quietly in the veranda around her dead body without chirping, and when the body was carried away, they flew away silently, refusing to eat the bread crumbs.
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