Analysis of The White Tiger

Essay by echinCollege, UndergraduateA, October 2010

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An Analysis of The White Tiger

In the novel, The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, Adiga illustrates the conditions of the working class in India through Balram Halwai, the protagonist. Also he points out the social inequality of the society of India through the rich and poor. Balram is a perfect example of a life story from rags to riches. However his journey to riches was not entirely ethical since he had to kill his master, Ashok. Adiga implies that nobody is motivated to stay ethical in a corrupt society. Being ethical will only cause one to remain poor for a long period of time. Everyone wants to be rich in any way possible. In addition, this story is related to the real life society of many countries today living in poverty.

Balram's story is depicted through seven letters he writes to the head of the Chinese council.

He begins his story from the deepest depths of poverty. He starts off working manual labor in a teashop scrubbing floors and picking up after customers' mess, to becoming a driver for a wealthy family. One day, Balram begins to realize in order to make it in this society you need to start from the bottom. He describes a syndrome called the Rooster Coup Syndrome, in which the poor never attempt to escape and rebel even though being completely aware of all the illegal activities that their masters take part in daily. They are afraid of the possible consequences of rebelling. Adiga is constantly reminding the readers of the corruption in India through the many illegitimate actions that the wealthy participate in.

Adiga seemed to balance everything out when Balram slits Mr. Ashoks' throat and takes off with a lump sum of money. This event was the turning point in...