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Syllabus

The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph — Syllabus

CBSE · Class 11 · English

What The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph covers in CBSE Class 11 English: 4 topics, for the 2026-27 session. Part of the CBSE Class 11 English syllabus.

91 questions35 flashcards5 concepts

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4 Topics · CBSE Class 11 English · 2026-27

Topics in The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph

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.

Key Concepts

Central concept: Memory, loss, and changing relationships in two literary works

The Portrait of a LadyA PhotographGrandmotherSpeaker and narratorNature and settingTime and changeReligious faith and ritualLoss and silence

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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.

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