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The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph

CBSE · Class 11 · English

Complete topic list for The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph in CBSE Class 11 English. Key concepts, sub-topics, and what to focus on for board exams.

91 questions35 flashcards5 concepts

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4 Topics · CBSE Class 11 English

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph for CBSE Class 11 English?
The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph covers several key topics that are frequently asked in CBSE Class 11 board exams. Focus on the core concepts listed on this page and practise related questions to build confidence.
How to score full marks in The Portrait of a Lady & A Photograph — CBSE Class 11 English?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 91 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and 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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