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The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph — Revision Notes

CBSE · Class 11 · English

The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph revision notes for CBSE Class 11 English: 4 topics in quick points. Part of the CBSE Class 11 English syllabus.

91 questions35 flashcards5 concepts

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Key Topics to Revise

1

The Portrait of a Lady: Main Idea and Structure

  • The story is a short prose narrative by Khushwant Singh.
  • It is about the narrator’s grandmother, his changing relationship with her, and her peaceful death.
  • The grandmother is shown as old, short, fat, slightly bent, and deeply religious.
2

The Portrait of a Lady: Character of the Grandmother

  • The grandmother is introduced as old and wrinkled, but the narrator calls her beautiful.
  • She is physically bent, wears spotless white, and tells beads of her rosary.
  • She wakes the narrator, prepares him for school, and feeds him before school.
3

The Portrait of a Lady: Three Phases of Relationship

  • First phase: village life. The narrator walks to school with the grandmother, the school is attached to a temple, and dogs receive stale chapattis.
  • Second phase: city life. The family moves to the city, the narrator goes by motor bus to an English school, and the grandmother feeds sparrows in the courtyard.
  • Third phase: university life. The narrator gets a room of his own, the close friendship weakens, and the grandmother spends her days spinning and praying.
4

The Portrait of a Lady: Ending and Symbolism

  • The grandmother’s illness is described as a mild fever, but she believes her end is near.
  • She stops praying for one evening after singing and beating an old drum.
  • That evening is the first time the narrator has known her to break her routine of prayer.

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Full Notes

Key Concepts

The grandmother is shown as shortThe relationship begins in village lifeThe grandmother wakes the narratorShe rejects music because she associatesThe sparrows in the city courtyard

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph for CBSE Class 11 English?
Key topics in The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph include The Portrait of a Lady: Main Idea and Structure, The Portrait of a Lady: Character of the Grandmother, The Portrait of a Lady: Three Phases of Relationship, The Portrait of a Lady: Ending and Symbolism. Study these first, then practise questions on each for Class 11 exams.
How should I revise The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph for Class 11 exams?
Learn the core ideas first, then work through the 91 practice questions on The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph. Revise definitions regularly and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

More resources for The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph

All CBSE Class 11 English Revision Notes

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