THE WHITE TIGER Aravind Adiga
→ Balram Halwai (main
character) comes from a poor
family. He was meant to work
in a sweet shop but later
et in contemporary India, however the
S
worked as a chauffeur for a
whole novel is Balram writing letters to
rich family.
the Chinese premiere (Wen Jia Bao). He
is coming to India and Balram believes it
Caste Systems: is important he knows the making of
→ social hierarchy (3000 castes, 25000 sub castes) India.
→ what work you were permitted to do.
→ Balram is from a very low caste in the hierarchy. → W e Follow Balram's life from a
→ Lowest ranking caste was called the "untouchables." lower caste to a higher caste.
→ India as an independent nation
and the effects of colonisation
Themes: (post-colonial novel).
masters and servants: → L ots of elements of satire
→ power, identity, freedom. (humour of serious issues)
→ dehumanisation of servants.
corruption and morality:
→ bribery, financial gain regardless of who you hurt or
Independence and partition:
backstab.
adoption of corruption:
→ India is very unequal in their
→ good characters turning bad.
economy.
→ India was a British colony, Britain
→ makes you question ethical vs unethical.
became very rich From India.
inequality and injustice:
→ world that is economically divided.
→ In 1947, India got independence
→ stark differences between wealthy and the poor
From Britain.
→ Huge violence From the
(little middle ground)
independence resulted in
India and Pakistan dividing.
T he law of castes was abolished in 1948, but the ideology
lives on. Each caste lives in a different area.
→ Due to the split, 15 million
people were displaced and to this
day there is still tension.
→ In 1950, India became a
democratic republic.
Economic liberalisation:
→ In the 1990s India was nearly bankrupt and had to
take out a loan From IMF (international monetary fund).
→ India became an open market economy. (the
government does not intervene in selling of goods)
→ This lead to rapid economic growth, India started to
industrialise very quickly.
→ Rapid industrialisation came at a cost, economic
inequality grew and the lower castes were affected.
→ Balram Halwai (main
character) comes from a poor
family. He was meant to work
in a sweet shop but later
et in contemporary India, however the
S
worked as a chauffeur for a
whole novel is Balram writing letters to
rich family.
the Chinese premiere (Wen Jia Bao). He
is coming to India and Balram believes it
Caste Systems: is important he knows the making of
→ social hierarchy (3000 castes, 25000 sub castes) India.
→ what work you were permitted to do.
→ Balram is from a very low caste in the hierarchy. → W e Follow Balram's life from a
→ Lowest ranking caste was called the "untouchables." lower caste to a higher caste.
→ India as an independent nation
and the effects of colonisation
Themes: (post-colonial novel).
masters and servants: → L ots of elements of satire
→ power, identity, freedom. (humour of serious issues)
→ dehumanisation of servants.
corruption and morality:
→ bribery, financial gain regardless of who you hurt or
Independence and partition:
backstab.
adoption of corruption:
→ India is very unequal in their
→ good characters turning bad.
economy.
→ India was a British colony, Britain
→ makes you question ethical vs unethical.
became very rich From India.
inequality and injustice:
→ world that is economically divided.
→ In 1947, India got independence
→ stark differences between wealthy and the poor
From Britain.
→ Huge violence From the
(little middle ground)
independence resulted in
India and Pakistan dividing.
T he law of castes was abolished in 1948, but the ideology
lives on. Each caste lives in a different area.
→ Due to the split, 15 million
people were displaced and to this
day there is still tension.
→ In 1950, India became a
democratic republic.
Economic liberalisation:
→ In the 1990s India was nearly bankrupt and had to
take out a loan From IMF (international monetary fund).
→ India became an open market economy. (the
government does not intervene in selling of goods)
→ This lead to rapid economic growth, India started to
industrialise very quickly.
→ Rapid industrialisation came at a cost, economic
inequality grew and the lower castes were affected.
