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Sharma
Gupta is a clerk in the accounts department and one of Sharma’s few friends in the office. Gupta is also a shirker, frequently leaving his desk to drink tea or smoke cigarettes with Sharma, but he is much less willing to challenge the authorities, returning to work when fear compels him. Gupta is searching for a wife, but his family’s difficult financial situation limits his options. Despite being younger than Sharma, Gupta displays a more traditional social outlook on certain issues, particularly that of gender, as is revealed by his conversation with Sharma about dowries and by the shock Gupta expresses at the rumors that Miss Das smokes.
Gupta Quotes in Sharmaji
The Sharmaji quotes below are all either spoken by Gupta or refer to Gupta. 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:
).
Sharmaji
Quotes
In the corridor he bumped into Gupta smoking a cigarette. ‘What Gupta,’ he said, ‘you left me alone to face her.’
‘What to do?’ said Gupta. ‘She has already told me off twice. She thinks it is still Indiraji’s raj. Cigarette?’
‘Might as well,’ said Sharma, and took one. ‘So, how are things with you?’
Gupta lit his cigarette. ‘All right, so so.’ He gave a bashful smile. ‘My parents are searching for a girl for me. I have to get married before December. The astrologer has said that the two years after December will be very inauspicious for marriage.’
‘Are you looking for a working girl, or what?’
‘Yes. We think that might be preferable. How can we manage on my salary? But they bring less dowry. And my sister has to be married off next month. It is very difficult.’
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‘Oh, sit down,’ said Sharma. ‘Even my boss is after my life. They are all like that, these managers. They think that only they work. Just because they stay here after office hours they expect people to believe that they work. Ha! All that is to impress the general manager. How else can they get their promotions? All maska.’
Gupta sat down.
‘Jagdish,’ called Sharma. ‘More chai.’
The third round of tea arrived.
The electricity went off.
‘Bas,’ said Sharma. ‘Now who can work? These power cuts will kill us all.’ He sat back in his chair.
‘My boss says that it is no excuse,’ said Gupta gloomily. ‘He says that if a power cut lasts three hours it doesn’t mean that we don’t work for three hours. He says that we are here to work.’
‘He can keep saying that,’ said Sharma contemptuously. ‘Does he think we’re animals? They all think that we have no feelings. Work all day, work when the electricity goes off, work without increments, work without promotions, work, work, work. That is all they care about. No concern for us as human beings.’
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Gupta Quotes in Sharmaji
The Sharmaji quotes below are all either spoken by Gupta or refer to Gupta. 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:
).
Sharmaji
Quotes
In the corridor he bumped into Gupta smoking a cigarette. ‘What Gupta,’ he said, ‘you left me alone to face her.’
‘What to do?’ said Gupta. ‘She has already told me off twice. She thinks it is still Indiraji’s raj. Cigarette?’
‘Might as well,’ said Sharma, and took one. ‘So, how are things with you?’
Gupta lit his cigarette. ‘All right, so so.’ He gave a bashful smile. ‘My parents are searching for a girl for me. I have to get married before December. The astrologer has said that the two years after December will be very inauspicious for marriage.’
‘Are you looking for a working girl, or what?’
‘Yes. We think that might be preferable. How can we manage on my salary? But they bring less dowry. And my sister has to be married off next month. It is very difficult.’
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
‘Oh, sit down,’ said Sharma. ‘Even my boss is after my life. They are all like that, these managers. They think that only they work. Just because they stay here after office hours they expect people to believe that they work. Ha! All that is to impress the general manager. How else can they get their promotions? All maska.’
Gupta sat down.
‘Jagdish,’ called Sharma. ‘More chai.’
The third round of tea arrived.
The electricity went off.
‘Bas,’ said Sharma. ‘Now who can work? These power cuts will kill us all.’ He sat back in his chair.
‘My boss says that it is no excuse,’ said Gupta gloomily. ‘He says that if a power cut lasts three hours it doesn’t mean that we don’t work for three hours. He says that we are here to work.’
‘He can keep saying that,’ said Sharma contemptuously. ‘Does he think we’re animals? They all think that we have no feelings. Work all day, work when the electricity goes off, work without increments, work without promotions, work, work, work. That is all they care about. No concern for us as human beings.’
