Dear Readers, I recently had the pleasure of reading "The White Tiger," a novel written by the Indian author Aravind Adiga. I found myself captivated by Adiga's exceptional narrative style, his masterful characterization, and his vivid depictions of Indian cultural norms. Without a doubt, this book is one of the finest works for cultural studies that I have come across.
"The White Tiger" was published in 2008 and won the 40th Booker Prize that same year. Through a retrospective narration from Balram Halwai, a village boy, the novel provides a darkly humorous perspective on India's class struggle in a globalized world. Adiga examines issues such as the Hindu religion, caste, loyalty, corruption, and poverty in India.
The novel has been widely praised, earning a spot on the New York Times bestseller list and winning the prestigious Booker Prize. Adiga, who was only 33 years old at the time, became the second youngest writer to win the prize and the fourth debut writer to do so. In his own words, Adiga's aim was "to catch the voice of the men you meet as you travel through India—the voice of the colossal underclass." He sought to capture the unspoken voice of people from "the Darkness"—the impoverished areas of rural India—without sentimentality or portraying them as mirthless, humorless, or weak.
Balram himself declares his story as “The Autobiography of a Half-baked Indian”
Major Characters:
Balram Halwai(Munna)- a Driver and an entrepreneur
Vikram Halwai- Father of Balram
Wen Jiabao
Kusum- Granny of Balram
Kishan- Cousin of Balram
Stork- Landowner-
Mr. Ashok- Master of Balram and the Son of Stork
Pinky Madam- Wife of Mr. Ashok
Mukesh- Brother of Mr. Ashok
Dharam- Balram’s young cousin
Ram Persad- Number 1 Servant of Stork’s family
Vitiligo-Lips: Driver of other businessman
Vijay- Balram’s personal hero Great Socialist
Bahadur- Another FAmily Servant of Stork’s Family, A kind of cruel man "The White Tiger" is a remarkable work that offers an insightful and thought-provoking commentary on India's social and economic issues. Adiga's writing style and his ability to bring his characters to life make this novel a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of Indian culture and society.
Arvind Adiga's novel, "The White Tiger," portrays the Indian class struggle and cultural norms in a darkly humorous manner. The protagonist, Balram Halvai, recounts his journey from being a village boy to an entrepreneur who kills his master and flees with his money. He even assumes his master's name, Mr. Ashok, and shares his success story with Mr. Wen Jiabao, the former premier of China, who is visiting India to learn about successful Indian entrepreneurs.
“Mr. Jiabao is on a mission: he wants to know the truth about Bangalore”.
Balram's letters to Mr. Jiabao drive the novel's narrative, making it an exemplary epistolary novel in the Indian tradition. The storytelling is non-linear, moving back and forth between past and present. Balram provides hints about the future, keeping readers engaged and curious. For instance, his mention of a poster he found in a train station in Hyderabad when he was travelling with only one red bag leaves readers wondering about the bag's contents and his reason for being in Bangalore.
“I found it in a train station in Hyderabad, in the period when I was travelling with no luggage - except for one very heavy red bag- and coming down from Delhi to Bangalore.”
The poster's significance is revealed towards the end of the novel when Balram becomes a wanted man for a crime he committed. As it described in the poster,
“ASSISTANT SOUGHT IN SEARCH FOR MISSING MAN
General Public is hereby informed that the man in the picture namely Balram Halwai alias MUNNA son of Vikram Halwai rickshaw-puller is wanted for questioning. Age: Between 25 and 35. Complexion: Backish. Face: Oval. Height: Five feet four inches estimated. Build: Thin, small."
The novel's two perspectives, flashback and present, reveal Balram's childhood, his early days, and his transformation into an entrepreneur. The fillers and details that Adiga provides are crucial for linking the story with India's cultural nuances. Throughout the novel, Balram is referred to as the "White Tiger," a nickname given to him by one of his teachers, due to his unique personality and his ability to stand out from others, despite having a servant mentality.
Adiga's "The White Tiger" is a thought-provoking novel that delves into complex issues such as religion, caste, corruption, and poverty in India, making it a masterpiece of modern Indian literature.
In the novel, "The White Tiger," one of the drivers, known as Vitiligo-Lips, suggests ways for drivers to earn some extra money. This type of behavior is still observed today, as demonstrated by a recent incident I experienced. Just two days ago, I traveled to Una via a luxury bus that operates from Surat to Una and passes through my village. The bus company's employees, such as the driver and others, are expected to issue tickets only to those who have made prior bookings and to those who board the bus from Surat. However, during the journey, the employees, including the driver, took on additional passengers from my village and others, who paid for their tickets directly to the employees.
The novel "The White Tiger" by Arvind Adiga is an excellent portrayal of characters in an Indian context. Adiga uses metaphorical names of animals for his characters, which play a pivotal role in understanding their importance.
The novel raises several issues such as poverty, corruption, bribery, and the dominating nature of the upper class people. Balram raises questions about the poor's exclusion from malls in New India and whether they are not human beings too.
“Is There No Space for the Poor in the Malls of New India?
Am I not a human being too?”
In Balram's recollection of the master-slave relationship, he invokes Hanuman as the epitome of this dynamic. This observation highlights the potential for individuals to be influenced and controlled by others through the use of such examples.
“...an image of a saffron-coloured crea- ture, half man half monkey: this is Hanuman, everyone's favourite god in the Darkness. Do you know about Hanuman, sir? He was the faithful servant of the god Rama, and we worship him in our temples because he is a shining example of how to serve your masters with absolute fidelity, love, and devotion.
These are the kinds of gods they have foisted on us, Mr Jiabao. Understand, now, how hard it is for a man to win his freedom in India.”
Throughout the novel, the narrator frequently references the dichotomy of Light and Dark in India. This recurring theme serves to illustrate the stark contrast between the privileged and affluent sections of society versus the impoverished and marginalized ones.
Mr. Ashoke is a good man who respects his servants, but his constant lying to his wife Pinky about their move to New York causes him great pain as Pinky leaves him. After Balram kills Mr. Ashoke, he acknowledges that he did not deserve such a fate and that it should have been Stork or Mongoose instead. Pinky, like Ashoke, is against Stork and Mongoose's behavior towards their servants, and she is a liberal woman who eventually leaves her husband.
Stork and Mongoose are similar in their treatment of their servants, and the caste and religious issues are also highlighted. When appointing Balram as a driver, Stork and Mongoose ask him about his caste and class, showing how deeply rooted the caste system is in society. Ram Persad suffers from religious identity issues and becomes Hindu to get a job as a driver. When Balram discovers this, he blackmails him.
The novel also humorously questions beliefs regarding God, with Balram stating that he too should start by "kissing some god’s arse." Adiga also highlights Muslim poets' talent, as many great poets are Muslim, yet it is commonly believed that Muslims are not well educated.
While reading the novel, the reader experiences a mix of amusement and despair. The narration binds the reader to keep reading as they laugh at certain parts but also feel deep frustration and hopelessness about society's issues. Balram introduces his village, Laxamgarth, and wonders if Buddha ever walked through it, but his observation of his village people leads him to believe that Buddha probably ran through it and never looked back.
“I wonder if the Buddha walked through Laxamangarth- some people say he did. My own feeling is that he ran through it- as fast as could- and got to the other side and never looked back”.
The novel captures the use of abusive language among drivers and masters, which is applicable to all working-class individuals. The narrator, Balram, is reliable as an Indian, and his acceptance of his actions makes him a trustworthy character.
Overall, "The White Tiger" captures the nuances of Indian social issues and beliefs, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read.
The novel, which features the Light and Dark dichotomy in India, was adapted into a film of the same name in 2021. This is an Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film was written and directed by Ramin Bahrani.
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Work Cited
Adiga, Aravind. The White Tiger: Booker Prize Winner 2008. HarperCollins Publishers India, 2010.
