THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY by Khushwant Singh

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 an English school in 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.

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 science which she did not
understand nor could she help him in his studies.
2. No teaching about God and scriptures in the school.
3. Music lessons given to the author in the school as she considered music is fit
only for harlots and beggars and not meant for gentle folks.

3. Mention: Three ways in which the author‟s grandmother spent her days after he
grew up.
Answer: The intimacy between the narrator and his grandmother started to fade away
since they came to city where the author joined an English school. When the narrator
grew up, he went up to university and lived in hostel. After that the common link of
friendship between the author and his grandmother was snapped. The grandmother
accepted it as her fate and found out new ways of spending her time:

1. She now spent most of her time at the spinning wheel from morning till
evening. From sunrise to sunset she sat by the spinning wheel and rarely talked
to anyone.
 2. While spinning, she continued reciting prayers and rarely talked to anyone.
3. The third way in which the old lady spent her time was by feeding the
sparrows. She would sit in the verandah. She would break the bread into little
bits and throw them towards hundreds of little birds gathered around her. They
came and perched on her legs and shoulders. Feeding the sparrows used to be
the happiest half hour of the day for her.

4. Mention: The odd ways in which the author‟s grandmother behaved just before she
died.
Answer: Before the grandmother died, a change came over her. Her behaviour became
quite odd. She collected the women of the neighborhood, took a broken drum and
sang of homecoming of warriors the whole day. She did not pray that day which used
to be her daily work. She was very much excited. Other family members had to
persuade her to stop to avoid over straining. That was the first time that she did not
pray.

The next morning she got a mild fever. She herself declared that her end was near and
continued praying without wasting any time by talking to others. She lay peacefully in
bed praying and telling her beads. Her lips stopped moving. The rosary fell from her
lifeless fingers. Her face turned pale. Everyone understood that she was no more.

5. Mention: The ways in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the
author‟s grandmother died.
Answer: Feeding the sparrows was the happiest hour of the day for grandmother. The
sparrows and the old lady developed an intimate relationship in this manner. When the
grandmother died thousands of sparrows expressed their sorrow by sitting scattered in
the verandah in mourning while grandmother‟s dead body lay there. They did not
chirrup. Author‟s mother threw some pieces of bread but they did not eat them. When
they carried grandmother‟s corpse they flew away quietly.

Thus, the sparrows mourned her death and paid their silent tribute to the grand old
lady in a very unique manner.

Talking about the Text

1. 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 highly religious lady. Her one hand was
always busy in telling the beads of her rosary. Her lips constantly moved in an
inaudible prayer. She used to get up early in the morning. She did her morning prayer
in “a monotonous singsong”.

In village, she accompanied the author to the school and in stead of returning home,
she used to sit in a temple reading scriptures which was attached to the school. It was
because of her religious nature that she could not like the new English school in the
city. She was unhappy because there was no teaching about God and scriptures at the
city school.
Being a religious lady and a widow, she could be seen hobbling about the house in a
spotless white dress. When she realized that her end was near, she stopped talking.
She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads till she took her last breathes.

2. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did
their feeling for each other change?
Answer: The changing circumstances did have a bearing on the relationship between
the author and his grandmother. Author and his grandmother lived as intimate friends
in the village. A turning point came in their relationship when they came to the city to
live with author‟s parents. The author joined an English school in the city. She
remained confined to home as here she could not accompany him to the school. In the
new English school she could not help him in studies. She could not like the kind of
education being given to the author at the English school. The grandmother became
disturbed as there was no teaching about God and scriptures in the new school. She
reconciled herself with spinning and taking to feed the sparrows. When the narrator
grew up, he went up to university and then went abroad. The common link of
friendship between the author and his grandmother was snapped. His grandmother
accepted her seclusion with resignation.

No, their feelings for each other did not change though distances grew between them.

3. Would you agree that the author‟s grandmother was a person strong in character?
If yes, give instances that show this.
Answer: Yes, it is a fact that the grandmother was a very strong personality. She was a
highly religious lady. She was a conservative lady who hated modern views and ways.
She had very strong personal likings and dislikes. Being a religious lady and a widow,
she could be seen hobbling about the house in a spotless white dress. She used to get
up early in the morning. She said her prayers in a monotonous singsong.

One of her hands was always telling the beads of her rosary. According to the author,
she was a symbol of white serenity. She had peace and contentment. She had certain
rigid ideas about life. She liked the village school because it was attached to the
temple. She sat in the temple reading the scriptures. She hated the English school in
the city for various reasons. She was unhappy that there was no teaching about God
and the scriptures there. She was quite disturbed. They gave music lessons at the
school. She considered it fit only for harlots and beggars and not meant for “gentle
folks”. When the author returned from abroad after five years, he found her in the
same condition. Before she died, she herself declared that her end was near. There
were some unique changes in her behaviour. She lay peacefully in bed praying and
telling her beads. It is quite difficult to show complete agreement with her outdated
views. But she was a strong and determined character. She led her own kind of life
and never compromised with her principals. She loved the narrator deeply but never
tried to be sentimental or emotional. She had a lasting
We Aren‟t Afraid To Die …………….. If We Can All Be Together
1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

Answer
1. honing our seafaring skills: this refers to the efforts made by the author and his
wife, to perfect or sharpen their seafaring skills.

2. ominous silence: the silence here refers to an impending danger.

3. Mayday calls: Mayday calls are radio-telephonic words which signal aircrafts or
ships stuck in a disastrous situation.

4. pinpricks in the vast ocean: this phrase expresses the search for two small islands
in the vast ocean.

5. a tousled head: this refers to hair in disarray or the disarranged hair of the author‟s
son, Jonathan

Understanding the Text

1. List the steps taken by the captain

(i) to protect the ship when rough weather began.
(ii) to check the flooding of the water in the ship.

Answer
(i) In order to protect the ship from rough weather, the Capitan decided to slow it
down. So he dropped the storm jib and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the
stern. Then they doubled fastened everything and went through their life-raft drill.

(ii) To check the flooding of water in the ship, he put waterproof hatch covers across
the gaping holes which diverted the water to the side. When the two hands pump
blocked and electric pump short circuited, he found another electric pump, connected
it to an out pipe and started it.

2. Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.

Answer: On January 4 and 5, the voyagers felt relieved after rigorous practice of
continuous pumping. They had their first meal in almost two days. Their respite was
short-lived. They faced dangerous situation on January 5. Fear of deah loomed large.
They were under great mental stress.
3. Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections of
the text. Give a subtitle to each section.

Answer: The first section: The first section opens on a cheerful note. The narrator
and his family are all set for their ultimate dream- to take up an around-the-world
voyage like Captain James Cook did. They have perfected their seafaring skills. They
begin the voyage and despite of the bad weather, they celebrate Christmas on the
„Wavewalker‟.

The second section: This part of narration covers the hazards faced by the voyagers.
There is a shift in the narration from cheerful to intense. They find themselves in an
extremely fatal and disastrous situation. A huge wave hits their boat and the narrator is
thrown overboard. Despite getting injured, he maintains his composure and applies
every possible way to tackle the critical situation. They manage to pump out
maximum amount of water out of the boat in about 36 hours. But as they continue to
face bad weather conditions the narrator loses hope. The children remain fearless,
courageous and optimistic throughout.

The third section: The children provide moral support to the narrator and he
continues with his efforts. Under the captaincy of the narrator, they manage to reach
Ile Amsterdam. The narrator proves his seamanship and receives the title of “the best
daddy” and “the best captain” from his children.

The above three sections can be subtitled as follows:

a) The first section: Round-the-world voyage begins
b) The second section: The attack of the big wave
c) The third section: Ultimate victory

Talking about the Text

1. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children
when faced with danger?

Answer: There was lot of difference between the way in which the adults and children
reacted when faced danger. The adults lose hope and wait for their end with a heavy
heart. At this point, they are motivated by the children. The children offer moral
support to the adults. They display maturity and tolerance. Jonathan expresses his
fearlessness and courage when he says that they are not afraid of dying if they all can
be together. Sue expresses her love and gratitude for her parents by making a greeting
card. She is strong enough to not let her parents know about her serious injuries. She
did not want to bother her parents in the times of crisis.

2. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?

Answer: Optimism is a determination to overcome difficulties. It raises one‟s spirits

and helps one overcome stress and difficulty with ease. The story displays courage
and optimism throughout. Survival happens only because of the optimistic struggle
that the family carries on with.
The level of perseverance in the author rises when Jonathan says, “we‟re not afraid of
dying if we can all be together. Besides, the caricatures of him and Mary, drawn by
Sue, help his determination and optimism to grow many folds. The positive outlook of
the children infuses positivity in the narrator. He rigorously calculates their position
and finally asks Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. Though he had lost all hope by
then, he did not show it and optimistically told Larry that they would spot the island
by about 5 P.M. fortunately, their struggle and optimism pays off and they manage to
find Ile Amsterdam by evening.

3. What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-
face with death?

Answer: Such experiences teach us the potential that courage, perseverance and
tolerance hold. It explains how one must react in the direst of the situations. It teaches
us that one must never lose hope and try to find reasons to stay positive in the face of
adversity. In such situations one must try his/her best to remain calm and composed
and understand the power of unity and team work. Moreover, the importance of
common sense, putting continuous efforts to overcome the catastrophe and the
significance of being extra cautious and careful are learnt from such hazardous
experiences.

4. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the
risk involved?

Answer: The spirit to experience unique elements of nature, undaunted passion and
willingness to accept challenges drive people to take up adventurous expeditions. The
people who involve themselves in such activities are very well aware of the risk
involved in them. But due to their passion and enthusiasm to do something unique and
great, they willingly accept such challenges. Also, their desire to be in the lap of
nature and experience its beauty pushes them to such expeditions.

SUMMER OF BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE

Reading with Insight
1. You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and
exciting action. Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?

Answer: It is true that though the story "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse"
has neither any breathless adventure nor any exciting action, yet it holds the interest of
the readers. It begins in a mood of nostalgia and takes us back to the memories of our
own childhood when the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence,
and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream.

2. Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because
they were afraid?

Answer: The boys returned the horse because they were conscience-stricken not
because they were afraid. Mourad and Aram belonged to the Garoghlanian family
which was famous for its integrity and honesty. Due to their passion for riding and fun
once, they stole a beautiful white horse.

4. The story revolves around characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and
Aram are members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on
the atlas and prepare a write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about
people, their names, traits, geographical and economic features as suggested in the
story.

Answer: The Garoghlanian family

This entire concept of the existence of this tribe is said to be fictitious. It's said to be
formed by William Saroyan in his book “My name is Aram” (1940). Garoghlanian
tribe were famous for their honesty. They were proud of their family. Honesty came
next and then they believed in right and wrong. None of them would take advantage of
anybody in the world. No member of the Garoghlanian family. Hospitality is also an
important function in the Armenian culture. Social gatherings revolve around large
amounts of food. The religion of most Armenian people is Christianity, which is
structured around forgiveness of sins and focuses on the spirit of Tolerance.

ADDRESS
Reading with Insight

1. 'Have you come back?' said the woman.'I thought that no one had come back.' Does
this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it?

Answer: Yes, these words by Mrs Dorling to the narrator shows that she least
expected such a visit. She had presumed that all of them were dead. This lead to the
conclusion that the story is set against the tragic circumstances of a War in which
families lost their lives and belongings. The statement tells us that the narrator and her
family at one time lived in that area and secondly, the clue that the war has brought
about a lot of destruction and it seems that Mrs. Dorling was not expecting anyone to
return to her house to claim the belongings.

2. The story is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think
the girl underwent during these times?

Answer: The story, “The Address” is divided into pre-war and post-war times. There
are clear indications of the hardships which the narrator, a young girl, had to undergo
during these times. The girl came from a rich family. The family had a lot of valuable
belongings. Then the war broke out. Mrs. Dorling renewed her contact and started
visiting their house. She took away all their possessions on the ground that she wanted
to save all their nice things in case they had to leave the place. After the war was over;
things became almost normal. Now the girl was living all alone in a rented house. She
wanted to meet Mrs. Dorling and ask for the valuables. When she went to meet Mrs.
Dorling she found that Mrs. Dorling was using her mother's things recklessly.
Suddenly, she lost interest in the things that had belonged to a connection that no
longer existed. She decided to leave it all behind and resolved to move on.

3. Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?

Answer: The narrator was disappointed and disillusioned when she was allowed to
enter Mrs. Dorling‟s house during her second visit. She realised the futility of feeling
attached to her mother‟s belongings that were kept so distastefully. She just left
without taking anything back and felt like forgetting the address because she would
only remember the past.

4. 'The Address' is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment

Answer: The war creates many difficult and traumatic situations for human beings.
Civilian life faces tremendous upheaval due to war. The human predicament that
follows is amply illustrated through the experience of the narrator. The war had
caused many physical difficulties as well as emotional sufferings to her. She had lost
her dear mother. She went to 46, Marconi Street to see her mother‟s valuable
possessions. Mrs. Dorling was a true opportunist who had used the narrator‟s mother‟s
belongings on the pretext of storing them for safekeeping. She refuses to recognize the
narrator and does not even let her in. The narrator gets another chance to visit the
house. The presence of her mother‟s possessions in a strange atmosphere hurt her.
Now these valuables had lost all their importance for her as they had been separated
from her mother. She could get no solace or comfort from them. She resolved to
forget the address. She wanted to leave the memories of her mother and the war
behind. She decided to move on.

RANGA‟S MARRIAGE
Reading with Insight

1. Comment on the influence of English – the language and the way of life – on Indian
life as reflected in the story. What is the narrator's attitude to English?

Answer: The story 'Ranga's Marriage' is set in a village Hosahalli, which was in the
erstwhile Mysore state. In those days, there were very few people in Hosahalli who
knew English. Like today, even during those days, English occupied a very prominent
place in the hearts and the minds of people. The village accountant mustered enough
courage to send his son, Ranga, to Bengaluru for higher studies. When Ranga returned
home, it became almost a festive occasion for the entire village.
People had a lot of respect for Ranga because he knew English, which was a very
precious commodity, but very few people in the village knew English. Even a simple
word in English like 'change' was not heard of. When Rama Rao's son uses this word,
even the narrator could not understand. He had to ask Ranga the meaning of the word.
The author, in his narration, shows that he has a positive attitude towards English, but
he also asserts that learning a foreign‟ language or .knowing it need not affect our
tradition and culture. This is evident by the emphasis on Ranga wearing the sacred
thread and doing 'namaskars' to the elders.

2. Astrologers' perceptions are based more on hearsay and conjecture than what they
learn from the study of the stars. Comment with reference to the story.

Answer: In today's India and India of yesteryears, there is not much of a difference as
far as the belief in astrology is concerned. People believed in astrologers then and
now. What we do not understand is that no one can predict God's design. The
astrologers like Shastri, themselves, do not really know the correct calculations of the
planets, but they pretend to do so. Most of these predictions are based upon the
information supplied earlier by someone. In the story, 'Ranga's Marriage', the Shastri
is very well tutored by the narrator in advance. He tells Ranga exactly the same thing
what the narrator asks him. He pretends to do all the calculations and moves his lips
but these are all pretentions.

3. Indian society has moved a long way from the way the marriage is arranged in the
story. Discuss.

Answer: In the story 'Ranga's Marriage', the entire process of choosing a bride for
Ranga is based upon the system, which was followed long back in our country. Now
the scenario has changed completely. Rarely, marriages happen at a young age. People
have become conscious about the fact that if the marriage has to last, a certain sense of
maturity is required and this maturity can be obtained through education only. When
the boys and the girls decide to get married, they always make a conscious decision.
Now-a-days in India, marriages take place after the girl and boy consent to do so.
Sometimes, the parents and the society do not approve but the Indian law supports this
decision. In the story, 'Ranga's Marriage', the initiative for Ranga and Ratna's wedding
was taken by the narrator. However, these days, we see a lot of changes taking place
as far as the marriage scenario is concerned in India.

4. What kind of a person do you think the narrator is?

Answer: Shyama, a person who is too attached to his soil and his village, is the
narrator of Ranga's Marriage. According to the story, he is a very simple and kind
hearted person. He seems to have a lot of admiration for his village and knows the
smallest tit-bits about his place.

The narrator seems to have a clever perception and is a good judge of people. He
realizes that Ranga is a good groom for Ratna. He, then wastes no time and does
everything for their marriage to be solemnized. His efforts culminate in a happy
ending, for which he earns a lot of respect. This is evident when Ratna and Ranga
name their son after him.

The Photograph by Shirley Toulson - Question & Answers

1) What does the word „cardboard‟ denote in the poem? Why has this word been
used?
Ans: The cardboard means a very stiff and thick paper; here the cardboard is a part of
the frame that keeps the photograph intact. Its use in poem is ironical. It keeps the
photograph of that 12 year old girl safe who herself was terribly transient The player's
mother had died some years ago.

2) What has the camera captured?

Ans: The camera had captured all the three girls alive in it. It has captured the pretty
face of the poet's mother who as a girl of twelve at that time. It has also captured the
smiling faces of the two girl cousins Betty and Dolly. They are holding the hands of
the poet's mother.

3) What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?
Ans: The Sea has not changed over the years. It rings out the transient nature and its
object. Time spares none. The pretty faces and the feet of the three girls
are terribly transient or moral when compared to the ageless and unchangeable sea.

4) The poet‟s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this laugh indicate?
Ans: The poet's mother laughs at the snapshot which was taken years ago. In the
photograph, she as well as her two little cousins stood at the each. She laughed at the
ay all of them were dressed up for the beach. Perhaps they looked funny. Their
laughter indicated the youthful spirit.

5) What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease or loss”
Ans: Both the mother and the poet suffered a great sense of loss. The mother has lost
her childhood innocence and joyful spirit that the photograph has captured some years
ago. For the poet, the smile of her mother has become thing of the past. She has
silently resigned to her faith. Ironically both labour to bear their loss with ease.

6) What does "this circumstance" refer to?

Ans: The circumstance refers to the death of the poet's mother. The photograph of her
dead mother brings sad nostalgic feelings in the past. But the poet has nothing to say
at all about the circumstance. The silence of the poet makes the silence prevailing
their still deeper.
7) The three stanzas depict three different phases. What are they?
Ans: In the first stanza, the poet's mother is shown as a twelve year old
girl with pretty smiling face. Then she is paddling with her two girl cousins. This face
is before the poet's birth. The second face describes the middle aged mother laughing
at her own snapshot. The third face describes the chilling pale of silence that the death
of her mother has left of the past.

Extra Questions
1) How does the poet contracts the girls terrible transience with the scene?
Ans: All the girls standing at the each have a terribly transient existence. They are
mortal and suffer physical change with the passage of time. THe mother's sweet face
and her smile has already disappeared for the last twenty or thirty years. But the vast
sea remains unchanged or seemed to have less changed in their comparison.

2) "Both thrive with the laboured ease of loss" Describe the ironical situation.
Ans: Both the mother and the daughter suffer a sense of loss. The mother has lost her
care free childhood. She can't have these moments of enjoyment again that she
once experienced at the beach. She can't be a sweet smiling girl of twelve again. This
is considered as the poet's loss too. She can't see the smiling face and experience the
laughter again in life. The irony of the situation is that both of them struggle to ear the
loss with tolerable ease.

3) Explain the line " the sea holiday as a past, mine is her laughter , Time spares
none" .
Ans: Gone are the childhood days of mother and the sea holiday has become her past,
the photograph flashes back to the scene that was captured about 30 years ago. Gone
is a carefree laughter of the mother which was love at one time. But now, the laughter
of her mother has eventually become a thing of past for the poet. She has silently
resigned herself to the fate.