NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill The Portrait of a Lady

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill The Portrait of a Lady

Class 11 English HornSSbill  Chapter 1 The Portrait of a Lady Questions from NCERT Textbook Solved

THE PORTAIT OF LADY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The Portrait of a Lady Understanding the Text

Q. I The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.

Answer: The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad were –

a. When both of them were in the village. Their bond was inseparable and strong.

b. After coming to the city, they began to spend less time with one another because the author would go to an English school where grandmother couldn’t accompany him.

c. After the author went to college, he was given a separate room. The common thread of friendship was snapped between them. The grandmother accepted her seclusion with silence.

Q. 2 Three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.

Answer: Three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school are:

a. The city school was a modern style school and grandmother couldn’t accompany the author to school.

b. Back from school when the author would talk about western science topics which grandmother was unable to understand.

c. The city school also taught nothing about Gods. This too disturbed her.

Q. 2 Three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up were-

 a. She would spend most of the day spinning.

b. She would recite prayers.

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill The Portrait of a Lady

c. She would take a break from all this a bit in the evening when she would take to feeding the sparrows.

Q. 4 The odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.

Answer: Grandmother had called all the women and sang songs that welcomed the home coming of soldiers the entire day before she fell ill. Just the next day she fell ill. And although the doctor said that it was a mild fever and she would be well soon, grandmother knew that her end was near. So, she took to prayers completely.

Q. 5 The way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author’s grandmother died.

Answer: In the evening when the setting sun had lit grandmother’s room, the sparrows came in. They were all waiting in the verandah but apparently, there wasn’t any chirruping sound. No sparrow made a single sound. The author’s mother then broke pieces of bread and threw at them but they took no notice. This shows that the sparrows were really mourning and were not at all interested in the food.

The Portrait of a Lady  TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Q. I 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 religious person. The different ways in which we come to know this is-

a. She would recite prayers every morning while getting the author ready for school in the village.

b. She would read scriptures at the temple while the author would study

c. She would spend most of her time praying in the city house.

Q. 2 Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?

Answer: When both the author and his grandmother were in the village, they had at very inter-dependent lifestyle. They would do almost everything together. The entire day would be divided into several activities in which they would help each other. But after they shifted to the city, there was a crack in their relationship. This was because Grandmother no longer understood the topics that the author would study in school. The medium too was English which made her completely aloof from the topics that the author was studying. Later during college when their rooms were separated, the last thread of friendship was snapped.

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, the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character. This becomes clear from the facts that she never complains about the fact that the amount of time that author spent with her has reduced after coming to the city. Although she felt lonely, she never expressed it. She rather engaged herself in productive work so as to compensate her emptiness. She would also constantly pray. While the author left the country, she was neither crying nor was she disturbed. She rather kept her calm and prayed for his betterment. All this shows that she is a strong character.

Q. 4 Have you known someone like the author’s grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost?

Answer: I have known my great grandmother. She was exactly of the same traits that the author’s grandmother. She too was a lady of strong character. I lost her about seven years back. But her absence still haunts me. It is still unbelievable that she isn’t among us all. Her liveliness and her charm are still alive in the form of memory.

The Portrait of a Lady  THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

Q. Which language do you think the author and his grandmother used while talking to each other?

Answer: The author and his grandmother must have used their native language while communicating.

Q. Which language do you use to talk to elderly relatives in your family?

Answer: I speak in Hindi/Bengali/Tamil (write your native language) to talk to elderly relatives in our family

Q. 3 How would you say ‘a dilapidated drum’ in your language?

Answer: ‘A dilapidated drum’ means that the drum is not in its best form. It is an old drum and has broken or is malfunctioning.

NOTE- Write this meaning down in your own native language.

Q. 4 Can you think of a song or a poem in your language that talks of homecoming?

Answer: A poem that talks about homecoming is “Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening” by Robert Frost.

NOTE- You may think about any poem or song in your native language and write it.

Character sketch of a grandmother chapter 1 class 11 (thel portait of a lady)

In Khushwant Singh’s short story “The Portrait of a Lady,” the character of the grandmother is portrayed as a traditional, conservative, and somewhat authoritarian figure. Here’s a brief character sketch:

1. Traditional Values: The grandmother in the story is depicted as a woman deeply rooted in traditional values and customs. She represents the older generation’s beliefs and practices.

2. Authoritarian: She is portrayed as an authoritative figure who expects obedience and adherence to her way of life. She is strict and doesn’t tolerate any deviation from the customs she upholds.

3. Stern and Disciplinarian: The grandmother believes in discipline and strictness, and she often scolds her grandchildren for not following her rules and expectations.

4. Protective: Despite her stern demeanor, the grandmother is protective of her family, especially her grandson, who is the narrator of the story. She shows concern for his well-being.

5. Symbol of the Old World: The grandmother serves as a symbol of the older generation and its values, which are in contrast to the more liberal and modern perspectives of her grandson.

6. Static Character: Throughout the story, the grandmother’s character remains relatively unchanged, emphasizing her unyielding adherence to tradition.

Overall, the character of the grandmother in “The Portrait of a Lady” symbolizes the generation gap and cultural differences within the family, creating tension and conflict in the narrative.