India is a democratic country. After the
independence of India, there are two major classes in the country. One is upper
class and the other is lower class. In the period of both pre independence and
the post independence high class people has more and more advantage than middle
and low class people. Sometimes they are separated by caste and religion also.
Their works depend on their caste. For example in the novel ‘The White Tiger’ Halwai people has the duty to make sweets.
Books are one of the major resources to know about culture, tradition and
customs. It helps to gain the background knowledge. Every story or every person
tied with cultural background. He belongs to particular nationality or any
religion. This paper is going to discuss about the Portrayal of India through
the life of Balram in the Aravind Adiga’s debut novel The White Tiger.
“Your Excellency, India is two countries in one: an India of light and
India of darkness…”
The author presents India
into two: an India of light and an India
of darkness. The duality starts from here. He presents duality through the
two characters Balram, who lead a poor life and suffers a lot by his masters
and Ashok , who is a boss for Balram
lead a rich life. Of course by the reference of Aravind Adiga there are two
India. An India of light denotes the
rich people like the characters Ashok who enjoys luxurious life and full
freedom. His often shops at big malls in Delhi. He bribes politicians many times
for his business purpose. For the half part of novel he enjoys his life. In
another dark side people like Balram suffers for their identity. They are
treated like slaves to their masters. Finally he overcomes his suffer and
settled as owner for many cabs.
“No! Mr.Jibabo, I urge you not to dip in Ganga, unless you want your
mouth full of faeces, straw, soggy parts of human bodies, buffalo carrion, and
seven different kinds of industrial acids”
He begins
his picture from the description of natural
things. He makes a small commentary on how the river Ganga is affected. He
refers it as The Holy River many tourists came there and liked to take
photograph. By the next point he describes how the holy river is polluted
through the religious beliefs.
“All the four animals lived in high-walled mansions just outside
Laxmangarh- the landlords’ quarters”
He gives the comment on
landlord system in India. It is a domination of rich class people among the
poor class society. In the white tiger novel the four lords in Laxmangarh such
as the buffalo, the stork, the wild boar, the raven. He indicates these
characters by the names of animals because of their brutality and cruelty among
poor people.
“There was a clapping from the direction of the portrait of Gandhi -
the old tea shop owner began shouting that all workers had to leave…”
The
portrait of Gandhi is the symbolical representation for corruption and slavery.
Mahatma is the main reason for the independence of India by following Ahimsa.
In front of his portrait the owner treats them as slavery to him. In another
place there is a bribe in front of his portrait also. There is a small
difference between the pre-independence period and the post independence
period. In earlier where the Gandhiji’s portrait or his real appearance there
is is only truth and good things happened. In the latter where is his portrait
there is only fake things are going on educational institutions, police
stations, many government offices, courts and in judgment also. This is one of
the beautiful descriptions in THE WHITE TIGER.
“The day the British left-the cages had been open; and the animals had
attacked and ripped each other apart and jungle law replaced zoo law. Those
that where the most ferocious the hungriest, had eaten everyone else up, and
grow big bellies”
It is the
severe attack on India. Before independence Indian people are worked together
and raised against British slavery. Our national leaders struggled and got
independence by many sacrifices and shed of blood. After the independence
people starts to hunting on each other because of their money mind. Some people
dominate the other and sucks their blood. Simply the author says, “We are
animals live in city”.
The theme of marriage and
love relationship is also discussed in the cultural background of India.
Ashok’s wife Pinky madam loves America. He wants to live in India. There is a
bit of misunderstanding between them and she left from him. He is totally
depressed and became drunkard. His reunion with his former lover Uma is another
controversy. In other side there is a more loss and problem in his business
often bribes politician and loss his maximum money. Faithful Balram starts to
care him like his wife. He supports him. Through their marriage life Adiga
tries to portray that Indian people are influenced by western culture.
“In India there are three types of fever: Dengue, Cholera and the
election fever”
He talks about the
diseases in India. The main disease is the election fever which decides who is
going to rule. In India during the time of election there are posters and
slogans everywhere. Money and alcohol is the main matter during the election
time in India. People are going and coming ask to vote for their emblem. Many
leaders give election speech and starts to hunt their votes. There is only
talking of money. There is more money and less democracy.
He pictures the reality
and the sufferings of low class people who doesn’t has no money. There are many
dualities in the novel. The author vividly portrays the contrast things through
the characters Ashok and Balram. Ashok is a rich man and enjoys luxury life.
Balram is his servant who lives in a very tiny room which shares with
cockroaches. Ashok is attended by foreign prostitute and Balram is attended by
local prostitute indicate everything in India is depends on money only. He often gets insult by Ashok’s family. The
description about the appearance of people also described through the words
like Vertiligo Lips etc. He often
uses the phrase Rooster coop which
symbolizes the way the humans living.
Finally he became murderer
by murdering his boss and steals his money. He gives bribe to police for his
new identity and cab agency and starts to run his life smoothly. He neglects to
believe anybody. Through the character
Balram and Ashok Aravind Adiga clearly explains the background of Dark India
and gives less importance for India as lightness. He explains only in some
places like shopping malls, mobile phones , his cab agency designed with
technology etc. Aravind Adiga’s main motive is to capture the dark india
through the ordinary Rick - Shaw puller’s son
Balram is grand success .
I agree this papaer is incomplete. till more to be discuss
Bibliography:
- www.arvindadiga.com
- The White Tiger – Aravind Adiga Isbn
978-81-7223-847-6
- Wikipedia
Good observation...keep going
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