Question

The way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author's grandmother died.

Answer 1

Hint: “The Portrait of a Lady” is based on the author's grandmother's true storey. Kushwant Singh is the author's name. His grandmother was a senior citizen. The author informs us about his youth and his relationship with his grandmother. The synopsis of this poem will give pupils an overview of the writer's relationship with his grandma.

Complete answer:
The grandmother began feeding sparrows in the city, just as she had done in the village with dogs. Hundreds of little birds flocked to her. They perched on her head and legs in a variety of positions. 'The nicest half-hour of the day for her was feeding the sparrows,' she said.The sparrows and the elderly lady developed a close bond. When the grandma died, the sparrows had a unique and poignant way of expressing their grief.

The grandmother was wrapped in a scarlet shroud, dead. Thousands of sparrows were strewn across the ground. There was no chirruping to be heard. They were moved by the birds' plight. The narrator's mother brought them some bread. She shattered the bread into crumbs.Like grandmother, she fed the crumbs to the birds. The bread eluded the sparrows' attention. They flew away softly after carrying the grandmother's body off. The bread crumbs were swept into the dustbin by the sweeper the following morning.

The sparrows silently paid their respects to the grand old lady. They were saddened by her loss. They didn't even eat the bread crumbs that were thrown their way.

Note: “Portrait of a Lady” is a poem about a deteriorating relationship between a man–the narrator–and an older woman from the upper middle class. During these three seasons, the two meet and talk about music, friendship, youth, and regret until the man decides to leave the nation in the final portion.