Portrait
of a
lady
-Khushwant Singh
Introduction
• The author introduces his grandmother from
the point of view of a young child.
• He confesses that his grandmother
had always been a beautiful person
Village
In the first part, when he lived with her in the village,
they helped each other..
She also displayed kindness
City
• This close knit bond suffered a
break when they relocated to the
city
• She lost her role the education of
her grandson for she had no
knowledge of the western education
University
• The final blow came to their close association
came at a time when the author was sent to
the university.
• Rather stoically, the grandmother accepted
the change and started devoting more time to
the sparrows
• When the author was leaving for abroad, he
assumed that his grandmother might turn
sentimental but she turned to do otherwise
Reunion
• His arrival triggered a sense of
excitement in his grandmother.
• An indication that all that she had
desired had been attained.
• She was taken ill.
• The birds she had been feeding gave
her company by surrounding and
expressing their grief.
Quiz time!
1. Which of the following was a characteristic
of the bond that the grandmother shared with
khushwant singh during their life in the
village?
A. Grandma could not help him with his
lessons
B. Grandma took to feeding the sparrows
C. Grandma sung morning prayer while she
bathed him
D. Grandma sung about the homecoming of
Quiz time!
1. Which of the following was a characteristic
of the bond that the grandmother shared with
khushwant singh during their life in the
village?
A. Grandma could not help him with his
lessons
B. Grandma took to feeding the sparrows
C. Grandma sung morning prayer while she
bathed him
D. Grandma sung about the homecoming of
Quiz time!
2. What was the “turning point” in the relationship
between the narrator and his grandmother?
A. The fact that the narrator and his grandmother
had to shift to the city
B. The fact that Grandmother could not help him
with the lessons
C. The fact that grandmother could not feed the
dogs of the village anymore
D. The fact that she could not take khushwant to the
school anymore
Quiz time!
2. What was the “turning point” in the
relationship between the narrator and his
grandmother?
A. The fact that the narrator and his grandmother
had to shift to the city
B. The fact that Grandmother could not help him
with the lessons
C. The fact that grandmother could not feed the
dogs of the village anymore
D. The fact that she could not take khushwant to
Quiz time!
3. “She rarely talked to me after that.” After what
incident did the grandmother discontinued
communication with the narrator?
A. When Khushwant was admitted into an English
school
B. When Khushwant started taking Music lessons
C. When Khushwant learned about the western
sciences
Quiz time!
3. “She rarely talked to me after that.” After what
incident did the grandmother discontinued
communication with the narrator?
A. When Khushwant was admitted into an English
school
B. When Khushwant started taking Music lessons
C. When Khushwant learned about the western
sciences
Quiz time!
3. What was Grandma’s reaction while bidding
farewell to Khushwant at the railway station?
A. Emotional, begged Khushwant to stay back
B. Did not care enough to even wish him goodbye
C. Grandma dreaded that Khushwant would miss
the train
D. Not sentimental, whispered her prayers and
kissed him goodbye
Quiz time!
4. What was Grandma’s reaction while bidding
farewell to Khushwant at the railway station?
A. Emotional, begged Khushwant to stay back
B. Did not care enough to even wish him goodbye
C. Grandma dreaded that Khushwant would miss
the train
D. Not sentimental, whispered her prayers and
kissed him goodbye
Quiz time!
4. “In the evening, a change came over her.” What
change is the narrator referring to?
A . She did not feed the sparrows that evening
B. She did not spin the wheel
C. She did not pray
D. She did not sleep
Quiz time!
5. “In the evening, a change came over her.”
What change is the narrator referring to?
A . She did not feed the sparrows that evening
B. She did not spin the wheel
C. She did not pray
D. She did not sleep
6. Which of the following was NOT a part of the
simple routine that the narrator and his
grandmother followed in the village?
A. Grandma woke Khushwant and got him ready
for school
B. Grandma fed the sparrows in the veranda
C. Grandma sat in the temple reading the
scriptures while Khushwant attended school
D. Grandma plastered his wooden slate with
yellow chalk and handed it to him
6. Which of the following was NOT a part of the
simple routine that the narrator and his
grandmother followed in the village?
A. Grandma woke Khushwant and got him ready
for school
B. Grandma fed the sparrows in the veranda
C. Grandma sat in the temple reading the
scriptures while Khushwant attended school
D. Grandma plastered his wooden slate with
yellow chalk and handed it to him
7. How did the sparrows express their sorrow
at the death of grandmother?
A. They didn’t come that day
B. They ate the breadcrumbs given to them
and left
C. They took no notice of the bread and sat
silent
D. They chirruped a lot
7. How did the sparrows express their sorrow
at the death of grandmother?
A. They didn’t come that day
B. They ate the breadcrumbs given to them
and left
C. They took no notice of the bread and sat
silent
D. They chirruped a lot
Short Ques and
Ans
8. “ An Expanse of Pure white Serenity”.
Determine the figure of speech and describe
why this phrase has been used for the
grandmother.
9. Why is grandmother considered to be a
“Lady”?
10. Mention the odd way the author’s
8. “ An Expanse of Pure white Serenity”.
Determine the figure of speech and describe
why this phrase has been used for the
grandmother.
Key points:
1. Figure of speech - Imagery
2. Appearance - She wore spotless white
clothes, had silver hair
3. She was always calm like the mountains in
the snow (since she recited prayers all the
time)
9. Why is grandmother considered to be a
“Lady”?
Key points
1. Any woman need not be educated and
young and pretty to be called a lady. It is the
qualities that she possesses that make her
worthy of being called a lady
2. Qualities Grandma possesses : resilience,
Strong, her limitless devotion to god
10. Mention the odd way the author’s
grandmother behaved evening before she
died.
Key points:
1. She did not pray
2. She gathered women and sang of the
homecoming of warriors while thumping the
drum
3. She fell ill the next day.
4. She had a premonition that she was going
to die and therefore took resort to praying
