Question

Write a character sketch of the grandmother form the story 'the portrait of a lady'.

Answer 1

The grandmother was a great woman. The author has described his grandmother very beautifully. He compared her to the winter landscape in the mountains and expanse of pure white serenity breathing peace and contentment. He used this simile to describe the all whiteness associated with his grandmother. She always wore spotless white dress. Her silver hair quite matched with her white attire. She was very spiritual and religious. As a result she exuded purity and serenity like a winter landscape. There were many appreciable qualities in Khushwant Singh's grandmother. She was quite affectionate. She looked after the narrator at the village so caringly that he did not feel the absence of his parents when they went to the city to settle.  She was a strong woman who could adapt herself to any new challenging situation. May be she derived that strength from her devotion to God. She was so divinely dedicated to praying to God that she never left her rosary. Her feeding the village dogs and then the sparrows show her love for animals. She found company in them. And sparrows reciprocated her love and care. They didn't chirp at all; nor did they eat a single crumb at her death. She was really a saintly woman.

Answer 2

Grandmother was an old and short lady. Her face was covered with wrinkles. She always wears white dress and take beads of rosary in her hands. She was a polite and kind lady. She was a very religious woman. When narrator live with her in village. She always feed dogs with stale chapattis. But after coming in city she was unable to feed dogs with chapattis. Because in city there are no dogs.

Also she cannot help the narrator in her studies because she don't know about science and English. She was sad to hear that there was no teaching about God and scriptures in narrator's school. She also think that music was not meant for gentle folk.

But when narrator went to abroad for his further studies. She felt very sad. Now, she spent most of her time by spinning at the wheel and praying. She feed the sparrows in her spare time. When she feed the sparrows they sat on her head, hand etc. and start chapping like they are talking with her.

When the narrator came from the abroad. She felt happy and collect all the women of her neighborhood and start singing the homecoming of warriors. Due to overwork, she developed fever. She told her family members that her end was near. But the doctor said she would recover soon. She don't spend time with her family members, instead she continued praying; till she breathed her last.