The White Tiger Themes

The White Tiger Themes

Identity:-

                The opening chapter also establishes the theme of identity. In particular, the novel explores how identity is malleable enough that one can construct one’s own selfhood. Balram prides himself on being a “ self-taught “ entrepreneur, his transformation from a tea shop worker in the Darkness to a successful businessman in the Light is accomplished wholly through his own incentive. He is drawn towards capitalism because it provides this very potential.

                Balram’s determination to take charge of his own identity can be traced through the many names he takes on throughout his life. At first, he is nameless, known simply as “Munna”. Later, he passively accepts the name Balram, which labels him as a “sidekick”, still a subsidiary of another. It is therefore a crucial moment when the inspector dubs him the “White Tiger”, not only because it evoked uniqueness, but also because it distinguished him. He accept this name because it allows him to define hi

mself. As he notes in the chapter, “there will be a forth and fifth name too, but that’s late in the story”. The idea here is that the process of forging his own identity continues over the course of the novel and his life.  

Globalization:-

                          The White Tiger takes place in a time in which increased technology has led to world globalization, and India is no exception. In the past decade, India has had one of the fastest booming economies.

                          Specifically in India has played its role in the plot, since it provides an outlet for Balram to alter his caste. To satisfy Pinky’s want for American culture, Ashok, Pinky, and Balram simply move to Gurgaon instead of back to America. Globalization has assisted in the creation of an American atmosphere in India. Ashok justifies this move by explaining “Today it’s the modernist suburb of Delhi. American Express, Microsoft, all the big American companies have offices there. The main road is full of shopping malls- each mall has a cinema inside! So if Pinky Madam missed America, this was the best place to bring her”.By blackmailing Ram Persad, the other driver, Balram is promoted and drives Ashok and Pinky to their new home.

                       Ashok is even convinced India is surpassing the USA, “ There are so many more things I could do here than in New York now…….. The eay thimgs are changing in India now, this place is going to be like America in ten years”. Balram is noticing the rapid growth as well. From the beginning of his story he knows that in order to rise above his caste he should become an entrepreneur. Although his taxi service is not an international business, Balram plans to keep up with the pace of globalization and change his trade when need be. “ I’m always a man who sees ‘ tomorrow’ when others see ‘today’”. Balram’s recognition of the increasing competiton resulting from globalization contributes to his corruption.

The Cast System:-

                              The White Tiger is the discussion of the India caste system. The caste system in India is a social system that divides the Indian population into higher and lower social classes. Although said to be disappearing in urban India, the caste system still remains in rural India. A person is born into a caste, and the caste one belongs in determines his or her occupation. Balram gives his own breakdown of the caste system in India, describing that it was “……clean, well-kept orderly zoo”. But no longer because that caste system broke down, and powerful with the big bellies took over anything they could and how there are only two castes in India the haves and the have nots. Balram was born into the Halwai caste, meaning “sweet-maker”, and was the son of a rickshaw puller- not a sweet maker, because someone with power stole his destiny of being a sweet-maker from him.

                              Adiga brings awareness to the corrupt India caste system by having Balram work the country’s system to get what he wants and to become an entrepreneur by any means necessary, including murdering his boss. Balram educates the Chinese Premier throughout his letters about the corruption and immoral ways of India’s caste system and its economic gap. Although it may seem that Balram’s position in society will forever remain the same, he manages to go from a sweet shop worker, to a personal driver for a rich man, and finally to an owner of a small business.

Balram’s quest to becoming an entrepreneur shows the oppression of the lower caste system and the superiority of the upper caste. He tells the story of how India still has a caste system and political and economic corruption is still present. Balram shows the country of India in which a person high on the caste system can bribe people such as police officers with money to cover up murders, sabotage political opponents by rigging votes and money, and have privileges such as shopping in a mall specifically for those of high social and economic importance. He also shoes the side of India in which those who are born into  poverty and low castes may forever remain there and so will their children. Balram is a rare exception, as he experiences both sides of the caste system and manages to move up the social ladder.

 Freedom:-

                       Arvind Adiga, he talked about how “The White Tiger” was a book about a man’s quest for freedom. Balram, the protagonist in the novel, worked his way out of his low social caste and overcame the social obstacles that limited his family in the past. Climbing up the social ladder, Balram sheds the weights and limits of his past and overcomes the social obstacles that keep him from living life to the fullest that he can. In the book, Balram talks about how he was in a rooster coop and how he broke free from his coop. The novel is somewhat of a memoir of his journey to finding his freedom in India’s modern day capitalist society. Towards the beginning of the novel, Balram cites a poem from the Muslim poet Iqbal where he talks about slaves and says “They remain slaves because they can’t see what is beautiful in this world.” Balram sees himself embodying the poem and being the one who sees the world and takes it as he rises through the ranks of society, and in doing so finding his freedom.

Individualism:-

                         Throughout the book, there are references to how Balram is very different from those back in his home environment. He is referred to as the “white tiger”. A white tiger symbolizes power in East Asian culture. Such as in Vietnam. It is also a symbol for freedom and individuality. Balram is seen as different from those he grew up with. He is the one who got out of the “Darkness” and found his way into the “Light”.

Immoral Corruption:-

                                   Balram was born to the low caste in India, meaning that he grew up in very poor living condition. As a child, Balram was seen as being smart. However, growing up, he was exposed into a lot of corruption and immoral behavior, for example the shopkeeper selling his employees’ votes to the Great Socialist during election time. His childhood molded the person he was going to become in the future. Balram ends up doing anything to get himself into a higher caste and into the “Light”. Balram becomes very selfish, evident by his many of his actions being equivocal in nature. This can be seen as both an immoral and moral way to improve oneself, especially if the country as a whole cheats, lies, and is full of deceit. His actions might be justified from the standpoint that anything since he was part of the losing crowd he might as well join the crowd that is winning, also known as “if you can’t beat them join them. “ Finding ways to ensure the competition does not succeed, finding ways to get ahead of everyone else, and coming out on top are all a big part of the world and if you are constantly losing then you might as well play dirty to win. It can be seen as being moral because of the competitive nature of our globalized capitalist economic system. Ina capitalist economy, any way one can ahead is fair game. However, if one is looking at this from a non-personal standpoint, the actions Balram does are very immoral. He cheats people to put himself ina position to gain for himself. Balram does everything in his power for personal gain for himself. Balram does everything in his power for personal gain, even killing his boss.

Reference: 
                   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Tiger