THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY by Khushwant Singh
Q.1: Mention: Three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.
Answer: The first phase of the author’s relationship with his grandmother is the author’s childhood when they lived together in the village. They enjoyed intimate relationship and were good friends. His parents left him with her and they went to live in the city. They were constantly together. She used to wake him up in the morning and get him ready for school. Then she would fetch his wooden slate, a tiny earthen inkpot and a red pen. After a breakfast she accompanied him to the school. She carried several chapattis for the village dogs. She used to stay in the temple that was attached to school. After school hours they would walk back together.
The second phase of their relationship began with their being called to the city. That was a turning point in their friendship. He used to go to English schooling a motor bus. The grandmother did not go to school with him. She remained confined to home. As the years rolled by they saw less of each other. She did not like the English school as there was no teaching about God and scriptures there. She hated western science and music.
The third phase of this relationship started with the author’s going to university. There he was given a room of his own. The common link of their friendship was snapped. His grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation.
Q.2: Mention: Three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.
Answer: The narrator used to go to an English school in city. He used to go in a motor bus. Here the author’s grandmother could not accompany him to the school as she used to do in the village. She remained confined to home. The grandmother felt quite disturbed.
Three most disturbing reasons for her were –
1. Author’s telling her the English words and western