“Conquer taste and you will have conquered the self.”
This early quote from Jagan is indicative of his view of the world. He is a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and often likes to repeat proverbs like this. In this specific example, he is describing the way in which overcoming "taste," or desire, is a means of developing better self control. While this quote is a fairly typical proverb, it characterizes Jagan's valuing of restraint and balance.
"The surroundings were hushed when the master counted his earnings for the day."
In this scene, Jagan counts his money after a day of work. This relatively straightforward sentence is indicative of how focused Jagan is on money, despite his professed devotion to Gandhi. The description of the "hushed" atmosphere around him as he counts his profit shows the happiness he derives from making a good living from his business. It also highlights the importance of money in the novel, as it becomes increasingly apparent as the story progresses.
"Peace reigned at home, with speech between father and son reduced to a minimum."
This moment describes the silent relationship between Jagan and Mali following Mali's renunciation of his school work and newfound devotion to writing. The use of the word "peace" takes on a kind of comical connotation as the two basically stop talking to each other. This remark suggests that this impression of domestic harmony is a false one, as it is not based on truly happy relations, but rather a strange silence. This takes on more significance a bit later when Jagan never sees any writing in Mali and begins to wonder what he is actually working on. In this regard, the silence between is ultimately indicative of Mali's pointed secretiveness, as he never actually wants to be held accountable for working on anything.
"What a lot of time is wasted here! I have never seen a more wasteful country than ours."
This quote from Mali comes when he returns to India after his time in America. It is indicative of his intense and general dislike of India, as well as his obsession with speed and progress. When he remarks that so much "time is wasted," he is referring to the inefficiencies that he perceives in Indian society, in contrast to the rapid pace of life in America. However, his perception of this appears to be significantly skewed, as he never actually had to do material labor in either country, meaning his view of their respective approaches to time is primarily based on impression and not hard evidence.
“How could Mali perpetrate such a deed? Take so much for granted?”
This moment comes towards the middle of the book, following Mali's request for a massive investment, from Jagan, in his story machine idea. It marks a turning point in their relationship. Up until this point, Jagan has mostly been happy to support Mali in his endeavors. However, now, he realizes that his unwavering support has caused Mali to take money "for granted" and assume that Jagan's money belongs to him. These rhetorical questions are reflective of Jagan's troubled state of mind, as he thinks about Mali's selfish request.
“Money is an evil."
This quote from Mali is similar to his opening quote. He stated simply how money is the root of so much harm, calling "an evil" to emphasize the point. He is showing his faith in the idea that material wealth eventually leads to disharmony. That said, it is contradicted by the earlier scene of him carefully counting his money. On the one hand, he believes money seeds conflict, but he cannot stop himself from appreciating and desiring it. This quote prefigures how Jagan will eventually come to feel as the novel continues.
“He felt shy and reserved about talking of his son –– Like one not wishing to exhibit his sores.”
This passage occurs after Jagan talks to the artist. It describes his reticence regarding his strained relationship with his son. The comparison between his strained bond and actual "sores," suggests the shame he feels about the subject while also showing the pain that it has caused him. Like physical sores, Jagan seems to view their damaged relationship as a source of suffering and shame, one that he would like to avoid discussing with others.
“Jagan slightly stiffened but said nothing. The sinking in the pit of his stomach gradually left him that one ought not to resist when circumstances pushed one across the threshold of a new personality.”
This moment comes during Jagan's uncomfortable exchange with Mali. Following his spiritual awakening in the forest, Jagan decides to reject Mali's request for money and instead ask him to take over the sweetmeats business. Mali, of course, is angered by this, but Jagan remains undeterred. Jagan's resolve in this matter is reflected in this quote, as he feels uncomfortable initially but quickly realizes that this is a pivotal moment in his life, one in which he is about to cross "the threshold of a new personality." In this brief instant, he seems to acknowledge that this transformation will ultimately be for the best and tries to hold fast to his new outlook.
“Sometimes she spends time with the girls in that house, while Mali goes out with his friends."
This remark from Jagan's "cousin" is an important reveal in the novel, as it indicates how Mali neglects Grace in their relationship. Instead of being with her in their home, he is often out with friends. This is in contrast to Jagan who, it is shown in a flashback, was always with his wife while she was alive, particularly in the early days of his marriage. It also shows that Grace and Mali don't spend much time together, which becomes important later as Jagan learns that they aren't actually married. All of these implications trouble Jagan, as they point to the fact that Mali is as cruel to Grace as he is to Jagan.
“If you meet her, tell her that if she ever wants to go back to her country, I will buy her a ticket. It’s a duty we owe her. She was a good girl.”
This is the final line of the novel. It comes after Jagan learns that Mali has been arrested for public drunkenness. With peaceful resignation, he tells his cousin he will not bail him out, as jail time might be beneficial to Mali's character. He leaves his sweetmeats business to his cousin and then adds that he will happily pay for Grace's ticket home, as she has been nothing but courteous and kind. This is a pivotal moment in the book as it shows Jagan's enduring love for Grace, as well as his recognition that this kind of financial generosity should be given to those who truly deserve it.
