The Portrait of a Lady

Mention three phases of the author’s relationship with the grand mother
Answer: The first phase of their relationship was in the village. When there was a close
association. Grandmother prepared him for school and helped him in his lessons. She
accompanied him to school and back home. In the second phase they shifted to city and the
started going to city school. The grandmother could not accompany the author to school as he
started going in the bus. She was unable to help him in learning his lessons because he
started learning things of western science. The third phase started when the author shifted to
university hostel. The common link of friendship was snapped. The grandmother now
confined herself to spinning wheel and in the evening fed sparrows.
Mention the three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he
started going to the city school.
She could not accompany him to school. She was unable to help him in his lessons. She did
not like that he was being given music lesson.
Mention three ways how author’s grandmother spent her time when he went to
university.
She spent her time spinning the wheel, reciting prayers and feeding the sparrows during the
evening.
Mention the odd way in which grandmother behaved before she died.
All the time during the chapter the grandmother is depicted reciting her prayers—both in the
saddest and the happiest moments. But when the author comes back from abroad she stops
praying and starts singing songs of the homecoming of warriors. This is the odd way she
behaved in before she died.
Mention the ways in which sparrows expressed their sorrow.
The sparrows sat over the veranda. None of them chirped. The mother of the author threw
bread crumbs to them like his grandmother but sparrows took no notice of them. When the
corpse of grandmother was lifted all of them flew of silently.
Long Answer Type Questions
The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which
we come to know this?
She was religious to the core. There are many instances which show this. When they lived in
the village she would start author’s mornings with the prayer. She would accompany the
author to school only because it was attached to the temple and all the time the author spent
in school, she would spend sitting in the temple reading scripture. In the city she would spend
all her time spinning the wheel and reciting prayer. When author went aborad she was
praying when he comes back she was praying and she did not omit praying while she was on
her death bed. All these instances show that she was truly religious in character. That’s why
the author depicts her as winter landscape covered with snow breathing peace and
contentment.
Describe the changing relationship of author and his grandmother.
The sub theme of the chapter is the bond of the author and his grandmother. In the village
they were living close to each other like the grandmother will prepare the author for the
school. She would accompany him to school and back home but in the city there was a
turning point in their relationship and many changes followed: the author started going tin the
motor but the grandmother could not accompany him to school nor could help him in his
lessons. She was annoyed with the author as he was given music lessons. He rarely talked to
him after that. The common link of friendship was snapped when the author shifted to
university hostel. The grandmother confined herself to spinning wheel. When the author went
abroad for five years. He was apprehensive about the grandmother but she was not even
sentimental. At his return grandmother was more than happy and sang songs of homecoming
of warriors. This shows that her feelings towards the author did not change.
Would you agree that grandmother was a woman strong in character? If yes, give
instances in support of your answer?
Yes, she is really strong in character. At no time there is any reflection of weakness. In the
village she was all consistent in reciting prayer and when changes occur on after another in
city like author learning English, science and music. She keeps quiet and shows her
disapproval through silence. When the author shifts to university hostel and common link of
friendship is snapped she resigns to her confined existence silently. His going abroad does
not make her even sentimental. When she was on her death bed she was praying. This shows
her determination to pray in the tough circumstances remains same and proves that she was a
woman strong in character.