The Portrait of a Lady by Khushwant Singh

Long Answer Questions

(Prepared by K.T.Prasad, PGT English)

1. Draw a character sketch of Khushwant Singh’s grandmother as portrayed by

him in the lesson ‘The Portrait of a Lady”.
Ans. a true picture of love, affection and care - religious and conservative - not enforcing -
respespected the space of others to express themselves -
A winter landscape in the mountains - a picture of peace and contentment - dressed in
spotless white - not attractive physically but beautiful in character - readied Khushwant for
school - fed the dogs - life in the city - unhappy with school -prejudices about music lessons -
growing distance with the grandson - happy afternoons with sparrows - spinning the
charakha - unsentimental - falling suddenly ill - prediction about her imminent death -
passing away while chanting prayers - a simple adorable soul

2. Describe the narrator’s grandmother as a very religious and kind-hearted woman.

Religious and kind-hearted -moved about the house telling the beads and reciting
prayers read scriptures - tried to teach young Kushwant learn to sing prayers - liked
children getting religious education - concerned about the dogs - fed them with chapatis
- fed the sparrows after moving to the city - enjoyed the company of birds than her
family members - took to spinning the charakha - probably influenced by Gandhi - a
woman of few words - spent the last evening of her life celebrating the return of her
grandson from England - loved by the family members

3. The grandmother herself was not formally educated but was serious about the
author’s education. How does the text support this?

Read scriptures - not had any formal education - not good enough to teach young
Khuswant - joined the boy in a village school - had no problems with the religious
education - change of attitude after moving to the city - not interested with the western
education - hated the idea of children being taught music - education and religion
inseparable in her view - lived a religious life - no objections to Khushwant being sent
abroad - made no show of her dislikes - silent acceptance of changes

4. Gradually the author and the grandmother saw less of each other and their
friendship was broken. Was the distancing in the relationship deliberate or due to the
demand of the situation?
Ans. friendly relation in the village - city life - a common room in the beginning -
growing distance - Khushwant less dependent on the grandmother - grandmother’s
dislike for western education and, later, music - university days - link of friendship
snapped - a room for Khuswant and complete independence - study abroad - physical
distance ever increasing - distance enforced by circumstances - universal - calm
acceptance by all