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Kunthi
Arjun is Rukmani’s eldest son. While Nathan hopes his sons will join him on the farm, Arjun and his younger brother Thambi reject the idea of cultivating land they will never own, and find work at the new tannery that is propelling the town towards urbanization. There, they become involved in workers’ strikes and eventually lose their jobs. Arjun’s nascent political consciousness and discontent with the rural poverty into which he is born contrast markedly with his parents’ acceptance of the disasters that befall them. Eventually, Arjun leaves home to work on a tea plantation in Ceylon. His departure marks the beginning of the family’s disintegration.
Arjun Quotes in Nectar in a Sieve
The Nectar in a Sieve quotes below are all either spoken by Arjun or refer to Arjun. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 12
Quotes
I do not know what reply to make—these men are strangers. Nathan says we do not understand, we must not interfere: he takes my hand and draws me away. To his sons he is gentle. Into the calm lake of our lives the first stone has been tossed.
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People will never learn! Kenny had said it, and I had not understood, now here were my own sons saying the same thing, and still I did not understand. What was it we had to learn? To fight against tremendous odds? What was the use? One only lost the little one had.
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Arjun Quotes in Nectar in a Sieve
The Nectar in a Sieve quotes below are all either spoken by Arjun or refer to Arjun. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 12
Quotes
I do not know what reply to make—these men are strangers. Nathan says we do not understand, we must not interfere: he takes my hand and draws me away. To his sons he is gentle. Into the calm lake of our lives the first stone has been tossed.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
People will never learn! Kenny had said it, and I had not understood, now here were my own sons saying the same thing, and still I did not understand. What was it we had to learn? To fight against tremendous odds? What was the use? One only lost the little one had.
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