1. Various themes in “ The White Tiger” by
Arvind Adiga
Prepared by: Sejal Chauhan
Department of English,
M.K.Bhavnagar University

2.  The opening chapter establishes the theme of identity
 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
 At first he is nameless known simply as Munna
 Later he passively accepts the name Balram
 Inspector dubs him the “White Tiger”
 He accepts this name because it allows him to define himself.

3.  Play a very vital role in Indian Society as well as the novel.
 Dowry
 Save reputation and marriage
 Balram’s cousin’s wedding is not the only marriage that
disrupts Balram’s life.
 Pinky Madam and Mr.Ashok.

4.  In an interview with The Guardian, Adiga emphasizes the
importance of family in Indian Society.
 “ If you’re rude to your mother in India. It’s a crime as bad
as stealing would be here”.
 He explain, for Balram to abandon his family.
 His crime. “ This is a shameful and dislocating thing for an
Indian to do”.
 Adiga remarks his protagonist.

5.  Beginning of the novel
 Balram mention that China is the only nation he admires
besides Afghanistan and Abyssinia.
 Why?
 Because g he read a book called ‘Exciting Tales of the Exotic
East’.
 These are the only three countries never to be ruled by
outsiders.

6.  He dubs China the “ freedom loving nation”.
 A place that has never been subject to a master slave
relationship with the west.
 He observes that China does not have entrepreneurs.
 Hence the premier’s visit to Bangalore.
 China , then becomes a foil to India.
 Which he describe as a nation with “ no drinking water,
electricity sewage, public transportation………….” for chock
full of entrepreneurs.
 For this reason Balram tell the premier his story,

7.  believing that China and India are destined to become the
next great superpowers.
 “ In 20 years time it will just be us brown and yellow men
at the top of the pyramid, and we’ll rule the whole world”.

8.  Duality of light and dark.
 Light then becomes a multifaceted symbol of time, wealth,
location and obligation.
 While Darkness represent the past, poverty, rural India and
most importantly loyality to family and master.

9.  The white Tiger takes place in a time in which increased
technology has led to world globalization and India is no
exception.
 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
 Globalization has assisted in the creation of an American
atmosphere in India

10.  Balram’s taxi service is not an international businesss
 He plans to keep up with the pace of globalization and
changed his trade when need be
 “ I’m always a man who sees tomorrow’ when others see
‘today’ “
 Balram’s recognition of the increasing competition
resulting from globalization contributes to his corruption

11.  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 Cultures, such
as in Vietnam
 It is also a symbol for freedom and individuality

12.  ‘ The white Tiger’ was a book about a man’s quest for
freedom
 Balram protagonist of the novel
 Worked his way out of his low social caste
 In the book, Balram talks about how he was in a rooster
coop and how he broke free from his coop
 His journey to finding his freedom in India’s modern day
capitalist society

13.  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.”
 Finding his freedom

14.  Balram was born to the low caste in India
 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

15.  The White Tiger is the discussion of the India Caste System
 Higher and lower social classes
 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 a
 “……… clean, well kept orderly zoo.”

16.  Balram was born into the Halwai caste meaning “ sweet
maker”
 Adiga brings awareness to the corrupt India caste system
by having Balram work
 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

17.  A struggle between good and evil
 Human beings have this choice
 They can live their life in a good and noble way or in a evil
and ignoble way
 Balram Halwai also hangs between good and evil
 His family overcome by the devil
 Balram Halwai’s “ Macbethian “ ambition to live like a king

18.  Master leads him to be a cold blooded murderer
 His father’s ambition
 These themes battle each other throughout the novel