Class 11 English — Hornbill
Chapter 1: The Portrait of a Lady
Textbook: Hornbill, Textbook in English for H.S. First Year (Core Course)Author: Khushwant Singh
1. Chapter Summary — Quick Revision Note
“The Portrait of a Lady” is an autobiographical account by Khushwant Singh. The narrator presents a loving and respectful portrait of his grandmother and describes how their relationship changes as the narrator grows older and moves from the village to the city.
In the village, the narrator and his grandmother are extremely close. She wakes him up, gets him ready for school, accompanies him to the temple-school, and helps him with his lessons. She spends her time praying, telling the beads of her rosary, and feeding the village dogs. The narrator describes her as an old, short, fat and slightly bent woman whose face is covered with countless pale wrinkles. Although she appears physically weak, she is spiritually strong and deeply religious.
When the narrator’s parents call him and his grandmother to the city, their routine changes. The grandmother can no longer accompany him to school because he travels by bus and studies in an English school. She is unhappy because the new school teaches English, science and music instead of religious learning. She also disapproves of music because she considers it unsuitable for respectable people. As the narrator becomes older, he attends university and receives a separate room. Their daily contact decreases, although her love remains unchanged.
The grandmother’s only regular activity in the city is feeding the sparrows. Every afternoon she sits in the veranda and breaks bread into small pieces for them. Hundreds of sparrows gather around her, sit on her head and shoulders, and eat from her hands. They symbolize her gentle, compassionate and harmonious relationship with nature.
When the narrator leaves for university and later goes abroad, the grandmother does not show emotional excitement. She silently accepts the separation and continues praying. On the day of his departure, she sings an old song about the departure of bridegrooms, but suddenly stops and does not say goodbye. Five years later, when the narrator returns, she welcomes him by beating a drum and singing with the women of the neighbourhood. The next morning she falls ill. She says that she has wasted her time by not praying the previous evening and spends the whole day praying.
Before her death, the grandmother gathers the sparrows by scattering bread crumbs. She does not feed them, but quietly watches them. After her death, thousands of sparrows sit silently around her body. They do not touch the bread crumbs brought for them and fly away only after her body is carried away. Their silence expresses grief and respect. The story celebrates the grandmother’s dignity, religious faith, selfless love, simplicity and close bond with nature.
Main Themes
The central themes are the love between a grandmother and her grandson, the changing relationship between generations, the conflict between traditional values and modern education, the power of religious faith, loneliness in old age, and compassion for living creatures. The grandmother is not merely a family member; she represents tradition, patience, spirituality and unconditional affection.
Character Sketch of the Grandmother
The grandmother is deeply religious, affectionate, disciplined, selfless and compassionate. She is physically old and bent, but mentally strong. Her prayer, rosary and simple routine give meaning to her life. She accepts every change quietly, without complaint. Her love for the narrator is expressed through service rather than words. Her feeding of the sparrows reveals her tenderness towards nature. Even at the time of death, she remains calm and spiritually absorbed.
Significance of the Title
The title is appropriate because the entire chapter is a verbal portrait of the narrator’s grandmother. Like a painted portrait, it captures her physical appearance, habits, personality and emotional qualities. The title also suggests that the narrator preserves her memory through words after her death.
2. Complete Textbook Solutions
A. 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 first phase was their life in the village, where they were constantly together. The grandmother woke the narrator, prepared him for school, accompanied him to the temple-school and helped him with his lessons. The second phase began in the city, where the narrator attended an English school. Their relationship changed because the grandmother could no longer accompany him and disliked the modern subjects taught there. The third phase came when the narrator went to university and received a separate room. Their physical contact became limited, although the grandmother’s affection remained strong and unchanged.
2. Mention three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.
Answer: First, she could not accompany the narrator to school as she had done in the village. Second, she disliked the teaching of English, science and Western subjects because she considered them unrelated to religious learning. Third, she was unhappy that the school taught music. She believed music was not suitable for respectable families and associated it with people of low social status.
3. Mention three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up.
Answer: She spent much of her time praying and counting the beads of her rosary. She sat quietly at the spinning wheel and performed her simple household routine. In the afternoon, she fed the sparrows with bread crumbs. These activities gave structure and peace to her lonely life.
4. Mention the odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer: Just before her death, the grandmother did not pray in the evening as usual. She felt that she had wasted her time by singing and celebrating the narrator’s return. The next day she refused to speak to anyone and devoted herself entirely to prayer. She said that her end was near and continued praying until she became weak.
5. Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the grandmother died.
Answer: Thousands of sparrows gathered around the grandmother’s dead body. They sat silently in the veranda and did not make their usual chirping sounds. They did not touch the bread crumbs placed before them. When the body was carried away, they flew off quietly without eating. Their silence and refusal to eat expressed grief and respect.
B. 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 grandmother constantly prayed and counted the beads of her rosary. She visited the temple-school with the narrator and listened to the priest’s lessons. She read scriptures and spent most of her free time in prayer. Even during the narrator’s absence, she continued her religious routine. Before death, she considered singing and celebrating a waste of time because they had prevented her from praying. Thus, her words, habits and actions show that religion was the centre of her life.
2. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?
Answer: In the village, the narrator and his grandmother were inseparable. She looked after him, accompanied him to school and shared all his activities. In the city, their relationship gradually changed because the narrator went to an English school and then to university. She could no longer help him with his studies or share his daily routine. After he received a separate room, they saw less of each other. However, their feelings did not change. The grandmother continued to love him silently, and the narrator retained deep respect and affection for her.
3. Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.
Answer: Yes, the grandmother was strong in character. She accepted major changes in her life without complaint. She did not create conflict when the narrator’s education separated him from her. She remained calm when he left for university and later went abroad. She preserved her dignity and did not display emotional weakness. Her strong religious faith helped her face loneliness, old age and death. Even in her final moments, she remained composed and devoted to prayer.
C. Thinking About Language
1. Which language do you think the author, grandmother and the people in the village spoke to each other?
Answer: They most probably spoke Punjabi or another local language of the region where the narrator lived. The story reflects the social and cultural environment of Punjab, and the grandmother’s songs, religious practices and village life are rooted in that regional culture.
2. Which language do you think the author and his wife spoke to each other?
Answer: The author and his wife most probably spoke English or a common educated Indian language. The answer cannot be established with absolute certainty from the chapter, but English would have been natural for educated urban communication.
3. How did the grandmother speak to the sparrows?
Answer: The grandmother spoke to the sparrows in a soft, loving and affectionate manner. Her voice was gentle, although the text mainly shows her communication through gestures, bread crumbs and quiet companionship. The sparrows understood her kindness and gathered around her without fear.
D. Working with Words
1. Notice the following uses of the word ‘tell’ in the text.
Answer: The word “tell” is used in different contexts. It may mean to narrate or describe something, as when the narrator tells the story of his grandmother. It may also mean to instruct or inform someone. In some contexts, “tell” means to reveal a fact or make something known. Its exact meaning depends on the words used with it.
2. Match the meanings of the word ‘tell’ with the sentences below.
Answer:
| Meaning of “tell” | Appropriate use |
|---|---|
| To narrate or describe | To tell a story or an incident |
| To give information | To tell someone the time or news |
| To instruct or command | To tell someone to do something |
| To reveal or disclose | To tell the truth or a secret |
| To distinguish or recognize | To tell one thing from another |
3. Write sentences using different meanings of the following words: “break”, “tell” and “take”.
Answer:
| Word | Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Break | The child broke the glass. | To damage into pieces |
| Break | Let us take a short break. | A period of rest |
| Break | The news broke my heart. | To cause emotional pain |
| Tell | Please tell me the truth. | To reveal information |
| Tell | She told a beautiful story. | To narrate |
| Tell | I cannot tell the twins apart. | To distinguish |
| Take | Please take this book. | To receive or carry |
| Take | It takes two hours to reach the town. | To require time |
| Take | She took the examination seriously. | To approach or handle |
E. Noticing Form
1. The author uses the third-person narrative in the opening paragraph. Why?
Answer: The third-person style in the opening paragraph creates the impression of an objective visual portrait. It allows the narrator to describe the grandmother’s appearance as if he were observing a painting. This style focuses attention on her physical features before the narrator moves into the first-person account of their relationship.
2. The grandmother’s behaviour changes when the narrator leaves for university. How does the narrative style convey this change?
Answer: The narrative becomes more personal and emotionally restrained. The grandmother is shown spending her time alone, spinning, praying and feeding the sparrows. The limited conversations and the narrator’s quiet observations convey emotional distance without suggesting a loss of love. The simple style reflects her dignity and silence.
F. Things to Do
1. Find a portrait or photograph of an elderly person who is important to you and write a paragraph describing him or her.
Model Answer: My grandmother is a calm and dignified woman with silver hair and a gentle smile. Her face carries the marks of age, but her eyes are bright and affectionate. She follows a disciplined daily routine and spends her mornings praying. She is patient with children and always encourages us to study honestly. Her simple habits and kind words make her the moral centre of our family.
2. Write a paragraph describing an elderly person in your neighbourhood.
Model Answer: An elderly man in my neighbourhood spends his mornings walking slowly along the lane and greeting everyone. He is respected for his honesty and helpful nature. He often tells children stories about village life and reminds them to protect trees and animals. Although he lives simply, he is emotionally strong and always ready to help others.
3. Discuss how modern education can create a distance between younger and older generations.
Answer: Modern education introduces new subjects, technology, lifestyles and ideas that may be unfamiliar to older people. Young people may become interested in careers, science, cities and digital communication, while older people may value tradition, religion and close family routines. This difference can reduce daily interaction and create misunderstandings. However, mutual respect, patient communication and willingness to understand one another can prevent such distance from becoming emotional separation.
3. Previous-Year and Board-Oriented Questions with Answers
The following questions represent commonly tested AHSEC/NCERT examination themes and recurring board patterns. They should be checked against the exact question paper issued by the board for a particular year.
Short-Answer Questions
1. Why was the grandmother unhappy with the education given at the city school? [2 marks]
Answer: She disliked the teaching of English and science because it was different from the religious education she valued. She was also disturbed that music was taught, as she considered it unsuitable for respectable people.
2. Why did the grandmother accompany the narrator to the village school? [2 marks]
Answer: She accompanied him because the school was located inside a temple and she could listen to the priest’s lessons. She also helped the narrator with his lessons and supervised him on the way.
3. Why did the grandmother feed the dogs in the village? [2 marks]
Answer: Feeding the dogs was an expression of her compassion and simple routine. She had a kind nature and regularly shared food with animals.
4. What did the grandmother do when the narrator went to university? [2 marks]
Answer: She accepted the change quietly. She spent most of her time praying, spinning and feeding sparrows. She did not complain, although she and the narrator became less closely connected.
5. Why did the grandmother beat the drum when the narrator returned from abroad? [2 marks]
Answer: She was extremely happy to see him after five years. She celebrated his return by beating a drum and singing with the women of the neighbourhood.
Long-Answer Questions
6. Describe the grandmother’s appearance and personality. [4 marks]
Answer: The grandmother was short, fat and slightly bent. Her face was covered with pale wrinkles, and she usually wore spotless white clothes. She constantly murmured prayers and counted the beads of her rosary. Although she looked physically weak, she possessed great inner strength and dignity. She was deeply religious, affectionate, disciplined and compassionate. Her love for her grandson was expressed through practical care rather than emotional speeches. Her kindness was also evident in the way she fed dogs and sparrows. She accepted change and loneliness without complaint and remained calm even at the time of death.
7. Explain the contrast between village life and city life in the story. [4 marks]
Answer: Village life is presented as traditional, intimate and religious. The narrator and his grandmother share a close daily routine, and the school is attached to a temple. The grandmother participates directly in the narrator’s education and care. City life is modern, busy and impersonal. The narrator travels to an English school, studies science and music, and later attends university. His grandmother cannot understand or participate in this new world. The contrast explains why their physical relationship changes, although their emotional bond survives.
8. Explain the role of the sparrows in the story. [4 marks]
Answer: The sparrows symbolize the grandmother’s kindness, loneliness and close relationship with nature. Feeding them becomes her most important activity after the narrator grows up. The sparrows trust her and sit on her head and shoulders, showing their affection. After her death, their silent gathering and refusal to eat express grief. They function almost like mourners at her funeral. Through the sparrows, the story shows that the grandmother’s love extends beyond human beings to all living creatures.
9. How does the story show the conflict between tradition and modernity? [5 marks]
Answer: The grandmother represents tradition through her religious faith, simple lifestyle, village values and belief in scripture. The narrator’s city education represents modernity through English, science, music, university life and foreign travel. The grandmother feels uncomfortable when the narrator’s education moves away from religious learning. She also considers music inappropriate. Modern education gradually changes the narrator’s routine and separates him from her. Nevertheless, the story does not condemn modernity completely. Instead, it shows that progress can create emotional distance if younger people fail to understand the values of older generations. The grandmother’s dignity and love remain meaningful even in a modern world.
10. Discuss the grandmother as a symbol of love, sacrifice and spiritual strength. [5 marks]
Answer: The grandmother’s love is selfless and practical. She wakes the narrator, prepares him for school, accompanies him, helps him study and cares for him throughout childhood. When he grows older, she does not demand attention or complain about his changing life. Her silence is a form of sacrifice. She accepts loneliness and gives up her earlier role in his education without bitterness. Her constant prayers show her spiritual strength. Even when she is close to death, she remains calm and devoted to God. Her life demonstrates that genuine love does not depend on continuous conversation or physical closeness.
4. Additional Important Questions and Answers
Short Questions — 1–2 Marks
1. What did the grandmother carry while going to school with the narrator?
Answer: She carried a stale chapatti for the village dogs and accompanied the narrator to the temple-school.
2. What did the grandmother think of music?
Answer: She considered music unsuitable for respectable people and associated it with beggars and people of low social status.
3. What did the grandmother do with her rosary?
Answer: She constantly counted the beads of her rosary while silently praying.
4. Why did the grandmother stop singing suddenly on the day of the narrator’s departure?
Answer: She realized that the song expressed the sorrow of separation. She stopped singing because she was deeply emotional but did not want to display her grief openly.
5. What happened to the bread crumbs after the grandmother’s death?
Answer: The sparrows did not touch the bread crumbs. They sat silently around the body and flew away only after the grandmother was carried away.
Long Questions — 3–5 Marks
6. Explain why the grandmother could not accept the narrator’s city education.
Answer: The grandmother’s understanding of education was connected with religion, moral instruction and traditional knowledge. In the village, the narrator studied in a temple where lessons were related to scriptures. In the city, he studied English, science and music. She could not understand the value of these subjects and believed that music was not proper for a respectable person. She also felt helpless because she could no longer accompany him or assist him. Her reaction reflects the difficulty older generations may face when familiar values are replaced by modern systems.
7. Describe the grandmother’s final moments.
Answer: After the narrator’s return, the grandmother became ill the next day. She believed that she had wasted her time by celebrating instead of praying. She refused to speak and spent the entire day praying while counting the beads of her rosary. When the prayer beads fell from her hands, she died. Her final moments were peaceful and consistent with the religious life she had always led.
8. Why can the story be called an autobiographical narrative?
Answer: The story is based on the author’s own childhood memories and personal relationship with his grandmother. The narrator speaks in the first person and describes actual stages of his life: village childhood, city education, university life, departure abroad and return. The emotional details and personal observations give the account the character of an autobiography.
9. How does Khushwant Singh use contrast to make the portrait vivid?
Answer: The author contrasts the grandmother’s old traditional world with the narrator’s modern education. He also contrasts her physical weakness with her inner strength, her silence with the lively celebration of the sparrows, and the noisy village dogs with the silent sparrows at her death. These contrasts make her character more memorable and highlight the emotional changes in the story.
10. What universal message does “The Portrait of a Lady” convey?
Answer: The story conveys that love can remain strong even when people grow apart physically. It also teaches that elderly people deserve respect and emotional understanding. Traditional values may differ from modern ideas, but they often contain wisdom, discipline and compassion. The grandmother’s life shows the value of simplicity, faith, selfless care and harmony with nature.
5. Ten Important MCQs for Examination Preparation
1. Who wrote “The Portrait of a Lady”?
(a) R. K. Narayan
(b) Khushwant Singh
(c) Ruskin Bond
(d) Mulk Raj Anand
Answer: (b) Khushwant Singh
2. Where did the grandmother accompany the narrator for his lessons?
(a) A mosque
(b) A church
(c) A temple
(d) A library
Answer: (c) A temple
3. What did the grandmother constantly count?
(a) Coins
(b) Prayer beads
(c) Grains of rice
(d) Flowers
Answer: (b) Prayer beads
4. Which subject did the grandmother dislike being taught at the city school?
(a) History
(b) Geography
(c) Music
(d) Mathematics
Answer: (c) Music
5. What birds did the grandmother feed in the city?
(a) Crows
(b) Sparrows
(c) Pigeons
(d) Parrots
Answer: (b) Sparrows
6. How did the grandmother celebrate the narrator’s return?
(a) By lighting lamps
(b) By beating a drum and singing
(c) By preparing a feast only
(d) By visiting the temple
Answer: (b) By beating a drum and singing
7. What did the sparrows do after the grandmother’s death?
(a) They ate all the bread crumbs
(b) They flew away immediately
(c) They sat silently around her body
(d) They attacked the narrator
Answer: (c) They sat silently around her body
8. What was the grandmother’s usual dress?
(a) A colourful sari
(b) Spotless white clothes
(c) A school uniform
(d) A black robe
Answer: (b) Spotless white clothes
9. What is the chief literary form of the chapter?
(a) Autobiographical narrative
(b) Historical drama
(c) Travel poem
(d) Detective story
Answer: (a) Autobiographical narrative
10. What do the sparrows chiefly symbolize in the story?
(a) Fear and danger
(b) Wealth and power
(c) The grandmother’s compassion and bond with nature
(d) Modern education
Answer: (c) The grandmother’s compassion and bond with nature