Working through Class 9 English Notes and Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary in English simplifies the understanding of long chapters.
Summary of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Class 9
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary Class 9
‘How I Taught My Grandmother to Read’ tells the story of a young girl who helps her grandmother learn to read. Krishtakka, a sixty-two-year-old grandmother, feels helpless when she cannot read her favourite serialised novel independently. She decides to learn the Kannada alphabet before the Dassara festival. Her twelve-year-old granddaughter becomes her teacher and helps her learn. With hard work and determination, Krishtakka succeeds – proving that learning has no age limit.
About the Author
Sudha Murty is a famous Indian writer whose works are marked by simplicity, strong values and real-life experiences. Her works highlight values like education, kindness, determination and social awareness. She writes in an easy style that connects deeply with readers.
Main Characters
NARRATOR (SUDHA AS A CHILD)
She is around twelve years old and becomes her grandmother’s teacher. She supports her grandmother’s dream of literacy.
GRANDMOTHER (AVVA)
A 62-year-old woman who never went to school but has great interest in stories. She becomes determined to learn to read and become independent
TRIVENI
A popular Kannada writer whose story Kashi Yatre becomes the reason behind the grandmother’s learning journey.
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary in English
Village Life and Love for Reading
- The narrator recalls her childhood in a village in North Karnataka where transport facilities were poor.
- Newspapers arrived late and the weekly magazine came a day after publication. The family eagerly waited for the bus that brought letters and magazines.
- At that time, Triveni was a very popular Kannada writer known for her simple and touching stories about the psychological struggles of ordinary people.
- One of her novels, Kashi Yatre, was being published as a serial in the weekly magazine Karmaveera.
The Story of Kashi Yatre and Grandmother’s Interest
- Kashi Yatre tells the story of an old lady who wishes to go to Kashi (Varanasi) to worship Lord Vishweshwara.
- However, she gives away her savings to help an orphan girl get married, deciding that the girl’s happiness is more important than her pilgrimage.
- The narrator’s grandmother, Krishtakka, could not read because she never went to school.
- Every Wednesday, the narrator would read the new episode aloud to her.
- The grandmother listened with great interest, memorised the story and later discussed it with her friends in the temple courtyard.
The Wedding Trip and Grandmother’s Tears
- Once, the narrator went to a nearby village for a wedding and stayed there for a week.
- When she returned home, she was shocked to see her grandmother in tears because she had never seen her cry before.
- Later that night, the grandmother shared her life story.
- She explained that she lost her mother at a young age, never received an education, married early and spent her life caring for her family.
- Though she felt happy serving her family, she always regretted not going to school.
Realisation of Illiteracy and Desire to Learn
- The grandmother revealed while the narrator was away, the magazine arrived as usual.
- She saw the picture of the next episode of Kashi Yatre but could not read the story.
- She felt helpless and dependent despite being financially well-off. This incident made her realise the importance of education.
- She decided that she wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet and set a goal to read a novel independently by Saraswati Puja during the Dassara festival.
Granddaughter Becomes the Teacher
- At first, the narrator laughed at her grandmother’s decision because of her age.
- But the grandmother remained determined and said that there is no age limit for learning.
- From the next day, the narrator began teaching her.
- The grandmother proved to be a dedicated student who worked very hard by reading, writing and revising regularly.
- The narrator later realised that this was her first experience as a teacher.
Grandmother Achieves Her Goal
- By the time Dassara arrived, the novel Kashi Yatre had been published as a book. The narrator secretly bought a copy as a gift.
- On Saraswati Puja, the grandmother made the narrator sit in the puja room, gifted her a frock material and touched her feet.
- The grandmother explained that she was touching the feet of her teacher, not her granddaughter, as teachers deserve respect regardless of age.
A Moment of Pride and Independence
- The grandmother then read the title Kashi Yatre by Triveni and the publisher’s name on her own. This proved that she had successfully learnt to read.
- The narrator proudly realisec’ that her first student had passed with flying colours and the grandmother finally achieved
independence through education.
Why the Title is Appropriate
The title is appropriate because the story centres on the narrator teaching her illiterate grandmother to read. It highlights the unusual role reversal of a child becoming a teacher and shows that learning has no age limit. The grandmother’s independence and success make the title meaningful and relevant.
Themes (Main Ideas) of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
Power of Education
Education brings independence, confidence and self-respect, proving that literacy can change a person’s life at any stage.
Value of Independence
The grandmother’s desire to read on her own shows the importance of self-reliance and dignity in life.
Determination and Perseverance
Strong willpower and consistent effort help the grandmother achieve her goal within a short time.
No Age Bar for Learning
The story highlights that learning has no age limit; determination and hard work matter more than age.
Respect for Teachers
The grandmother touching her granddaughter’s feet emphasises that teachers deserve respect regardless of age or relationship.
Empathy and Understanding
The granddaughter learns to understand her grandmother’s feelings and supports her learning journey.
Literary Devices of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
- Irony The grandmother, who was once dependent on her granddaughter for reading, finally becomes independent and even touches her granddaughter’s feet as a teacher. The usual roles of elder and child are reversed.
- Imagery Descriptions like the summer night on the terrace under the full moon and the grandmother rubbing her hands over the magazine pages help readers visualise the scenes clearly.
- Foreshadowing The grandmother’s deep interest in the serial and her regret about not going to school hint early that she will later decide to learn to read.
- Symbolism The book Kashi Yatre symbolises knowledge, independence and the grandmother’s dream of becoming literate.
- Contrast The story contrasts dependence and independence, childhood and old age and ignorance and knowledge to highlight the grandmother’s transformation.
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Class 9 Word Meanings
- Psychological – Related to the human mind and feelings
- Serial – A story published in parts regularly
- Ardent – Having a very strong feeling or desire
- Savouring – Enjoying something slowly and fully
- Protagonist – The main character of a story
- Immensely – Extremely
- Obstacle – A difficulty that blocks progress
- Recite – To repeat something aloud from memory
- Scriptures – Holy religious writings
- Taken aback – Surprised by something unexpected