How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
I imagined myself returning to my village, to my maa and baap and my brothers. I wanted to picture welcoming looks on their faces when they saw me come back to them in my widow's sari. As hard as I tried, I could not put such looks on their faces, nor could I feel their welcoming embraces. (4.37)
Koly honestly doesn't think her family would embrace her with open arms. Her circumstances have changed now, and she's supposed to stay with her husband's family whether she like it or not. Even in her dreams, her family doesn't welcome her the way she wishes they would—so maybe there's some reality mixed into her dreams.
Quote #5
"Think of what her life is like with Hari gone. She has nothing to look forward to. Remember that without her dowry we would never have had the money to go to Varanasi, and her widow's pension these two years has added to Chandra's dowry." (5.17)
Mr. Mehta says this about Koly to try to get his wife to empathize with her, though of course it doesn't work. Still, we get a clear picture of how people in the book view widows as hopeless. Since Koly's life is essentially over now, Mr. Mehta says she has nothing to live for. Ouch.
Quote #6
I hoped that if I worked very hard, and did exactly as I was told, Sass might begin to look kindly upon me. I hoped that someday she might love me as she loved Chandra, or if not so much as that, at least a little. (6.2)
We know no amount of hoping will make this come true. Even though Koly tries to be a good daughter-in-law in the end, Mrs. Mehta just isn't going to come around to her. She just doesn't like Koly—never has, never will. Koly, however, never gives up hope on her sass. She dares to dream things might be better between them someday.