THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY
Mention three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her
days after he grew up.
a). She spent most of her time at the spinning-wheel from
morning till evening. From sunrise to sunset she sat by the
spinning-wheel and rarely talked to anyone.
b) While spinning, she continued reciting prayers and rarely talked
to anyone.
c) The third way in which the old lady spent her time was by
feeding the sparrows. She would sit in the verandah. She would
break the bread into little bits and throw them towards hundreds
of little birds gathered around her. They came and perched on her
legs and shoulders. Feeding the sparrows used to be the happiest
half-hour of the day for her.
Q.4: Mention: The odd ways in which the author’s
grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer: Before the grandmother died, a change came over her.
Her behaviour became quite odd. She collected the women of the
neighborhood, took a broken drum and sang of home-coming of
warriors the whole day. She did not pray that day which used to
be her daily work. She was very much excited. Other family
members had to persuade her to stop to avoid over straining.
That was the first time that she did not pray.
The next morning she got a mild fever. She herself declared that
her end was near and continued praying without wasting any time
by talking to others. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling
her beads. Her lips stopped moving. The rosary fell from her
lifeless fingers. Her face turned pale. Everyone understood that
she was no more.
Q.5: Mention: The ways in which the sparrows expressed
their sorrow when the author’s grandmother died.
Answer: Feeding the sparrows was the happiest hour of the day
for grandmother. The sparrows and the old lady developed an
intimate relationship in this manner. When the grandmother died
thousands of sparrows expressed their sorrow by sitting scattered
in the verandah in mourning while grandmother’s dead-body lay
there. They did not chirrup. Author’s mother threw some pieces of
bread but they did not eat them. When they carried grandmother’s
corpse they flew away quietly.
Thus, the sparrows mourned her death and paid their silent tribute
to the grand old lady in a very unique manner.
Talking about the Text
Q.1: The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What
are the different ways in which we come to know this?
Answer: The author’s grandmother was a highly religious lady.
Her one hand was always busy in telling the beads of her rosary.
Her lips constantly moved in an inaudible prayer. She used to get
up early in the morning. She did her morning prayer in “a
monotonous sing-song”. In village, she accompanied the author to
the school and instead of returning home, she used to sit in a
temple reading scriptures which was attached to the school.
It was because of her religious nature that she could not like the
new English school in the city. She was unhappy because there
was no teaching about God and scriptures at the city-school.
Being a religious lady and a widow, she could be seen hobbling
about the house in a spotless white dress.
When she realized that her end was near, she stopped talking.
She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads till she
took her last breathes.
Q.2: Describe the changing relationship between the author
and his grandmother. Did their feeling for each other
change?
Answer: The changing circumstances did have a bearing on the
relationship between the author and his grandmother. Author and
his grandmother lived as intimate friends in the village. A turning
point came in their relationship when they came to the city to live
with author’s parents. The author joined an English school in the
city. She remained confined to home as here she could not
accompany him to the school. In the new English school she
could not help him in studies. She could not like the kind of
education being given to the author at the English school. The
grandmother became disturbed as there was no teaching about
God and scriptures in the new school. She reconciled herself with
spinning and taking to feed the sparrows. When the narrator grew
up, he went up to university and then went abroad. The common
link of friendship between the author and his grandmother was
snapped. His grandmother accepted her seclusion with
resignation.
No, their feelings for each other did not change though distances
grew between them.
Q.3: Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a
person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show
this.
Answer: Yes, it is a fact that the grandmother was a very strong
personality.
She was a highly religious lady. She was a conservative lady who
hated modern views and ways. She had very strong personal
likings and dislikes. Being a religious lady and a widow, she could
be seen hobbling about the house in a spotless white dress. She
used to get up early in the morning. She said her prayers in a
monotonous sing-song. One of her hands was always telling the
beads of her rosary. According to the author, she was a symbol of
white serenity. She had peace and contentment.
She had certain rigid ideas about life. She liked the village school
because it was attached to the temple. She sat in the temple
reading the scriptures. She hated the English school in the city for
various reasons. She was unhappy that there was no teaching
about God and the scriptures there. She was quite disturbed.
They gave music lessons at the school. She considered it fit only
for harlots and beggars and not meant for “gentle folks”. When the
author returned from abroad after five years, he found her in the
same condition.
Before she died, she herself declared that her end was near.
There were some unique changes in her behaviour. She lay
peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads.
It is quite difficult to show complete agreement with her outdated
views. But she was a strong and determined character. She led
her own kind of life and never compromised with her principals.
She loved the narrator deeply but never tried to be sentimental or
emotional. She had a lasting relationship with her grandson.