The White Tiger
Encyclopedia
The White Tiger is the debut novel
by Indian author Aravind Adiga
. It was first published in 2008 and won the Man Booker Prize
in the same year. The novel provides a darkly comical view of modern day life in India through the narration of its protagonist Balram Halwai. The main theme of the novel is the contrast between India's rise as a modern global economy and its working class people who live in crushing poverty. Other themes touched on include the corruption endemic to Indian society and politics, familial loyalty versus independence, religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the experience of returning to India after living in America, globalization, and the rivalry between India and China as superpower countries in Asia.
(not the village of Laxmangarh
in Rajasthan
), a community deep in the "Darkness" of rural India. The son of a rickshaw-puller; his family is too poor for him to be able to finish school. Despite being clever and being promised a scholarship, Balram instead is forced to break coals and wipe tables in a Dhanbad
teashop. He originally went by the name “Munna”, as his parents had never named him, but his schoolteacher Mr. Krishna wanted to give him a new name since Munna simply meant “boy” in Hindi. He named him Balram in reference to the brother of the Hindu god Krishna
. His last name, Halwai, is derived from “sweet-maker” in the caste system.
In Dhanbad, he learns to drive after learning about the high salary paid to drivers. After learning how to drive, Balram gets his break when a rich man from his village (known as "The Stork" because of his penchant for taking a cut of the local fishermen's profits) hires him as a chauffeur for his son, Ashok, who lives in the city of New Delhi
. Having recently returned from a stint in America, Ashok is conflicted by the corruption and harshness of life in India, and has to deal with his family’s unhappiness with his foreign marriage to his current wife, a member of a different caste. The city is a revelation for Balram. As he drives his master and his wife to shopping malls and call centers, Balram becomes increasingly aware of immense wealth and opportunity all around him, and the contrast between the master and servant classes. Through these experiences, Balram becomes increasingly worldly and ambitious.
As Balram broods over his situation, he realizes that there is only one thing he can do to become part of this glamorous new India — murder his employer, and escape from servitude. Ashok's increasing involvement in political corruption and divorce from his wife provides Balram with his opportunity. One day as Ashok is carrying seven hundred thousand rupees
in cash as money bribes for politicians in New Delhi, Balram murders him and flees to Bangalore with his nephew Dharam. Balram uses the loot to bribe a police commissioner and create his own taxi company. He changes his name to Ashok Sharma, and becomes a wealthy "entrepreneur" in India's new technological society thus completing his emergence from the Darkness into the Light.
, a rare animal that is said to come only once per generation. Later on when Balram becomes an entrepreneur, he names his taxi company "The White Tiger Drivers".
, IBM
, Dell
, Yahoo!
, and Hewlett-Packard
.
in The White Tiger and it plays a number of roles throughout the story. Balram takes advantage of the limited knowledge of rural beliefs of the upper classes by making up signs of respect for various objects or buildings like a sacred temple, statue, or tree. Balram doesn’t take his religion too seriously and often pokes fun at it, especially at the number of gods Hinduism has, which he quotes as 36,000,000.
Religion plays a major role in an Indian’s life as it symbolizes tradition and honour. This is revealed through the marriage of Ashok and Pinky Madam as Ashok’s father did not approve of their union because she wasn’t from the same religion or caste as him.
There is also some debate on the tensions between Hindus and Muslims. According to what is depicted in The White Tiger, there is not much love for Muslims in India. For instance, Balram is able to get the other driver of Ashok’s family, Ram Persad, fired because Persad is a Muslim in hiding. However, Balram does feel sorry for Persad and feels some remorse for his actions.
Balram himself bears no grudges against Muslims. In fact, he even respects them and says that they are good people. He makes plenty of references to the "four greatest poets who have ever lived" whom he says are all Muslims, and agrees with the meanings he finds in their poetry.
which has led to the creation of many international technology businesses in both countries. Balram believes this prediction to be true, saying, “…[In] twenty years’ time, it will just be us brown and yellow men at the top of the pyramid, and we'll rule the whole world.”
There are also other similarities between China and India that do not lie in the world of business. Both countries have massive economic disparities, in which there are many rich people but also many poor people. As well in both countries, there is also a “Darkness” where many impoverished people struggle to escape into the “Light”, where the wealthy live in the lap of luxury. The poor serve the rich with an honest attitude, while the poor remain poor, their hard work taken for granted. As Balram says, “The trustworthiness of servants is the basis of the entire Indian economy.”
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
by Indian author Aravind Adiga
Aravind Adiga
Aravind Adiga is an Indian writer and journalist. His debut novel, The White Tiger, won the 2008 Man Booker Prize.-Early life and education:...
. It was first published in 2008 and won the Man Booker Prize
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
in the same year. The novel provides a darkly comical view of modern day life in India through the narration of its protagonist Balram Halwai. The main theme of the novel is the contrast between India's rise as a modern global economy and its working class people who live in crushing poverty. Other themes touched on include the corruption endemic to Indian society and politics, familial loyalty versus independence, religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the experience of returning to India after living in America, globalization, and the rivalry between India and China as superpower countries in Asia.
Plot
Balram lived in the village of Laxmangarh, BiharBihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
(not the village of Laxmangarh
Laxmangarh
Laxmangarh or Lachhmangarh or Lakshmangarh is a town in Sikar District of Rajasthan State in India. It is sub divisional Headquarter of the Laxmangarh sub division in Sikar District. It is also Tehsil Headquarter of the Laxmangarh Tehsil in Sikar District...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
), a community deep in the "Darkness" of rural India. The son of a rickshaw-puller; his family is too poor for him to be able to finish school. Despite being clever and being promised a scholarship, Balram instead is forced to break coals and wipe tables in a Dhanbad
Dhanbad
Dhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
teashop. He originally went by the name “Munna”, as his parents had never named him, but his schoolteacher Mr. Krishna wanted to give him a new name since Munna simply meant “boy” in Hindi. He named him Balram in reference to the brother of the Hindu god Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
. His last name, Halwai, is derived from “sweet-maker” in the caste system.
In Dhanbad, he learns to drive after learning about the high salary paid to drivers. After learning how to drive, Balram gets his break when a rich man from his village (known as "The Stork" because of his penchant for taking a cut of the local fishermen's profits) hires him as a chauffeur for his son, Ashok, who lives in the city of New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. Having recently returned from a stint in America, Ashok is conflicted by the corruption and harshness of life in India, and has to deal with his family’s unhappiness with his foreign marriage to his current wife, a member of a different caste. The city is a revelation for Balram. As he drives his master and his wife to shopping malls and call centers, Balram becomes increasingly aware of immense wealth and opportunity all around him, and the contrast between the master and servant classes. Through these experiences, Balram becomes increasingly worldly and ambitious.
As Balram broods over his situation, he realizes that there is only one thing he can do to become part of this glamorous new India — murder his employer, and escape from servitude. Ashok's increasing involvement in political corruption and divorce from his wife provides Balram with his opportunity. One day as Ashok is carrying seven hundred thousand rupees
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
in cash as money bribes for politicians in New Delhi, Balram murders him and flees to Bangalore with his nephew Dharam. Balram uses the loot to bribe a police commissioner and create his own taxi company. He changes his name to Ashok Sharma, and becomes a wealthy "entrepreneur" in India's new technological society thus completing his emergence from the Darkness into the Light.
Explanation of the novel's title
The book's title, The White Tiger, is the protagonist Balram's nickname, which he earns by being deemed the smartest boy in his village by an education inspector. Balram is told that he is like a white tigerWhite tiger
The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...
, a rare animal that is said to come only once per generation. Later on when Balram becomes an entrepreneur, he names his taxi company "The White Tiger Drivers".
Views on globalization
Globalization in India, according to Balram, is successful due to the fact that international companies outsource their information, media, and products for production in India. Balram claims that outsourcing is the key to future economic success as international businesses profit quite well in India, especially if they’re in the technology field. Some examples of the businesses that Balram mentions are MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
, and Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
.
Religion
There is some discussion of HinduismHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
in The White Tiger and it plays a number of roles throughout the story. Balram takes advantage of the limited knowledge of rural beliefs of the upper classes by making up signs of respect for various objects or buildings like a sacred temple, statue, or tree. Balram doesn’t take his religion too seriously and often pokes fun at it, especially at the number of gods Hinduism has, which he quotes as 36,000,000.
Religion plays a major role in an Indian’s life as it symbolizes tradition and honour. This is revealed through the marriage of Ashok and Pinky Madam as Ashok’s father did not approve of their union because she wasn’t from the same religion or caste as him.
There is also some debate on the tensions between Hindus and Muslims. According to what is depicted in The White Tiger, there is not much love for Muslims in India. For instance, Balram is able to get the other driver of Ashok’s family, Ram Persad, fired because Persad is a Muslim in hiding. However, Balram does feel sorry for Persad and feels some remorse for his actions.
Balram himself bears no grudges against Muslims. In fact, he even respects them and says that they are good people. He makes plenty of references to the "four greatest poets who have ever lived" whom he says are all Muslims, and agrees with the meanings he finds in their poetry.
Competition and similarities between China and India
It has been predicted that because of the massive population that is working for the technology industry, China and India will become the next superpower countries in the world. Both countries have bountiful and strong technology markets and rely on outsourcingOutsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
which has led to the creation of many international technology businesses in both countries. Balram believes this prediction to be true, saying, “…[In] twenty years’ time, it will just be us brown and yellow men at the top of the pyramid, and we'll rule the whole world.”
There are also other similarities between China and India that do not lie in the world of business. Both countries have massive economic disparities, in which there are many rich people but also many poor people. As well in both countries, there is also a “Darkness” where many impoverished people struggle to escape into the “Light”, where the wealthy live in the lap of luxury. The poor serve the rich with an honest attitude, while the poor remain poor, their hard work taken for granted. As Balram says, “The trustworthiness of servants is the basis of the entire Indian economy.”
External links
- Aravind Adiga Official website
- Adam Lively, Review in The Sunday TimesThe Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
- David Mattin, Review in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Review in the London Review of BooksLondon Review of BooksThe London Review of Books is a fortnightly British magazine of literary and intellectual essays.-History:The LRB was founded in 1979, during the year-long lock-out at The Times, by publisher A...
- Interview with Aravind Adiga in Rediff
- Analysis of the novel at Let's talk about Bollywood
- The White Tiger - uRead.com