Character Sketch of Writer (Sudha Murty) and Krishtakka (Grandmother) from class 9 Communicative English Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
Character Sketch of Writer (Sudha Murty)
The writer narrates an incident that happened when she was a twelve-year-old child. She had been residing with her grandparents in a village of north Karnataka. She was one of the best constant companions of the grandmother. Her grandmother was illiterate so, she used to read a novel serial that was regularly published in a weekly magazine to her. Later, when she was asked by her grandmother to teach her the Kannada alphabet, She started teaching her grandmother. A thoughtful child, she also gave her grandmother the gift of the same novel, ‘Kashi Yatre’ as a reward for being successful in learning Kannada alphabet within the time period that she had set for herself.
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Overview – The writer tells us how she taught her grandmother to read. Her grandmother had never gone to school but had nursed a deep desire to study. She made it sure that her own children and grandchildren get good education. Her deep desire to read came alive when her granddaughter went to another village to attend a wedding and she was not able to follow one of the stories that her granddaughter used to read out to her from a weekly magazine. She talked of this desire to her granddaughter. With her granddaughter’s help and through her true hard work and firm determination she learnt to read in a very short time. She touched the feet of her little Guru and also gave her the gift of a frock material.
Related: How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary, Explanation
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Writer
Q1. Describe the role of the author in educating her grandmother.
Q2. After reading the story, what qualities of the writer are highlighted?
Character Sketch of Krishtakka (Grandmother)
The grandmother is the central character, the fulcrum around which the entire lesson revolves. She is sixty-two years old lady. All her life is devoted to the kitchen-chores and well-being of her family. She had some adverse circumstances due to which she could not go to school and remained uneducated. The novel ‘Kashi Yatre’ stirs in her longings for a visit to Kashi which shows that she was quite religious. She is a lady of great commitment, courage and indomitable spirit. At the age of sixty-two when she felt the need of education to read ‘Kashi Yatre’, she decided to learn the alphabet and become self-sufficient. It was her determination, strong will power, hard work and self confidence that helped her to get success in learning to read and write within a short period of time. She touched the feet of her little Guru and also gave her the gift of a frock material.
Some Questions on Character Sketch of Krishtakka
Q1. How did the grandmother actualize her dream of being literate?
Q2. The grandmother decided to educate herself despite her old age. What can be inferred from her character?