Paper 13 Themes of White Tiger (Assignment)

 

Namet:t-tSejaltRtparmar
Courset:t-tMA
Semt:t-t4
Batcht:t-t2018t/t2020
Enrollmenttnot:t-t2069108420190033t
Papert:t-t13 The New Literature
Topict:t-tThemes of White Tiger
Submittedttot:t-tsmt.tS.tB.tGarditdepartmenttoftEnglish
Emailtidt:t-tsejalparmar095@gmail.com

Balaram

BalramHalwai,tthetstory'stauthor,tprotagonist,tandtanti-hero,ttellstofthistfalltfromtvillagetpeasantttotsuccessfultentrepreneur.tHethastatsignificanttfaithtinthistexceptionalism,tthinkingtofthimselftastat"WhitetTiger"tnotttiedttotconventionaltmoralitytortsocialtexpectations.tIttwastthroughtthistalternatetsystemtthatthetwastablettotrearrangethistlifetandtAcquaintance.tBalram'stdarkthumor,tcynicism,tandtperceptivenesstformtthetlifebloodtoftThetWhitetTiger.

BalramistborntintthetvillagetoftLaxmangarh,tintotatlifethetconsiderstmiserable.tDespitethistintelligence,thetistforcedttotleavetschooltearlyttotwork.tNevertheless,thetcontinuedteducatingthimselftbyteavesdroppingtonttalks.tAsthetprogressedtthroughtthetechelonstoftthetunderclass,teventuallytbeingthiredtastatdrivertfortMr.tAshoktandtthetStork,thetdevelopedtatseveretresentmenttagainsttthetuppertclasses,twhichteventuallytpromptedthimttotmurdertMr.tAshok.

HistothertaliasestincludetMunna,tthetWhitetTiger,tandtAshoktSharma.

ThetSelftmadetman:-

ThetWhitetTigertwastthetstorytoftBalramHalwai’stlifetastatself-declaredt“self-madetentrepreneur”:tatrickshawtdriver’stsontwhotclimbstIndia’stsocialtladderttothappentatchauffertandtlatertatsuccessfultbusinessman.tBalramtrecountsthistlifetflattintatletterttotvisitingtChinesetofficialtPremiertJiabao,twithtthetgoaltofteducatingtthetpremiertabouttentrepreneurshiptintIndia.tThoughtJiabaotistmainlytinterestedtintlearningtabouttentrepreneurshiptwithintthetcontexttoftbusinesstandtfinance,tBalram’stbroadtunderstandingtoftentrepreneurialtactivityt–andtalsotthetscopetofthiststory—tcomplicatestthisttraditionaltsensetoftthetterm.tHetbelievestthattanytIndiantwhotactsttottaketchargetofthistowntsocialtandteconomictdestinytqualifiestastattruetentrepreneur.

AccordingttotBalram,tonetprimarytcharacteristictoftthetself-madetIndiantmantwasthistabilityttotrepeatedlyttransformthimself—totnottonlytchangethistprofession,tuniformtandtoutwardtpresentation,tbuttalsothistverytidentity.tBalramtbelievestthattatfluidtapproachttotidentitytwastessentialtfortsuccessfultentrepreneurship.tHetadoptstatnewtnameteachttimethetmovestuptwithintIndia’stsocialthierarchy—Munna,tBalram,tAshok,tThetWhitetTiger—andtdescribestwithtadmirationthistchildhoodtherotVijay,tatpigtfarmer’stsontturnedtwealthytpolitician,tforthistversatiletsensetoftself.

Balramtclaimstthattself-
madetentrepreneurstaretnottonlytadaptabletwithtrespectttotidentity,tbuttalsotsubjectttotatmoretfluidtlegaltandtmoraltcode.tThroughouttthetnovelthetarguestthattentrepreneurstintIndiatcantonlytbecometsuccessfultbytbreakingtthetlaw,tandtthattthistfacttjustifiesttheirtcriminaltactivity.tAstatservanttwhotmurdersthistmastertandtrisestintsocietytwithouttsufferingtanytconsequences,tBalramtembodiestthistprinciple.tAttthetsamettime,thisttriumphanttretellingtofthistcrimestandtminimaltexpressiontoftremorsetpaintstatbleaktportraittoftIndiantsociety.tIttwastatworldtintwhichtrisingttotthettoptinvolvestcultivatingtindifferencettothumantsuffering,tparticularlytthetsufferingtoftone’stinferiors.tBalram’stowntexperiencetoftcrueltytattthethandstofthistmoretpowerfultmasterstseemstnotttotcontributettothistsensetoftcompassion,tbuttratherttothistdesirettotbecometatmasterthimself.

SocialtBreakdown,tSelf-Interest,tandtCorruption

Balram’strisetwithintIndiantSocietyttakestplacetintthetaftermathtoftIndia’stliberationtfromtBritishtRulet(whichtlastedtfromt1858ttot1947)tandtthetoverthrowtoftIndia’sttraditionaltcastetsystem.tThoughtthetcastetsystemtunjustlytsegregatedtIndia’stpopulationtandtrestrictedtsocialtmobility,tlockingteachtmembertfirmlytintotatsingletwaytoftlife,tBalramtmaintainstthattitstabolitiontdidtnothingttotimprovetinequality.tInstead,thetdescribesthowtIndiatwenttfromtbeingtantorderlyt“zoo”twhereteachtmembertoftthetthousandtcastestattleastthadthistorthertplace,ttotbeingtatjungletwheretonlytthetlawtoftpredatortortprey,teattortbeteaten,tapplies.tOneteithertfightstruthlesslytfortself-advancementtattthetexpensetoftothers,tortbecomestatslavettotthosetmoretpowerful.

ThistchaotictstruggletfortpowertandtsurvivaltresultstinttwotparalleltIndias:tthetDarknesst(poor,truraltIndia)tandtthetLightt(urban,twealthy,tsophisticatedtIndia).tThetextremelytwealthytpeopletoftLighttIndiatoppresstthetextremelytpoortpeopletoftDarktIndiattotsuchtatdegreetthattthosetintthetDarknesstaretnotteventconscioustofttheirtowntoppression.tOvertthetcoursetoftthetnovel,tastBalramtbecomestincreasinglytawaretoftthetcorrupttforcestthattmaintaintthiststarktinequality,thetdevelopstthetmetaphortoftthetRoostertCoop:tatsystemtintwhichtoppressiontoftthetpoortistsotcompletetthattthetoppressedtinternalizetandtperpetuatettheirtowntsubjugation.

Intatcountrytwheretthetrulestaretstackedtsotoverwhelminglytagainsttthetpoor,tBalramtcomesttotbelievetthatttotcreatetatbettertlifetandt“breaktouttoftthetRoostertCoop,”tonetmusttbetwillingttotsacrificeteverything,tincludingtattachmentttottraditionaltideastoftgoodtversustbadtandteventone’stfamily.tIntshort,tindividualstmusttwillfullytbecometradicallytindependenttandtprioritizetwealthtandtpowertovertmoralsttotescapetthetoppressiontoftatcorrupttsociety.tBalram’stescapetfromtpovertytandtlacktoftconsequencestforthistcrimestresulttintatbelieftthattthetendtjustifiestthetmeans,tandtfreesthimtfromthavingttotexaminethimselft(orthistworld)tmoretcritically.

Educationt

ThetWhitetTigertwastatstorytaboutthowteducation,tformaltandtotherwise,tshapestindividuals.tBalramtfirsttreceivesthistnicknamet–ThetWhitetTiger—intatclassroomtsetting.tThoughtovertthetcoursetoftthetnovelthetattemptsttotembodythistnametbytcultivatingtatruthless,tcunningtstreaktandtcompetingtintIndiantsociety,thetoriginallytearnedtthetdescriptiontfortacademictpromisetandtintegrity.

Aftertbeingtpulledtouttoftschooltattantearlytage,tBalramtistlefttwithtonlytbitstandtpiecestoftatformalteducation.tThistleadsthimttotreferttothimselftastat“half-baked”tort“half-cooked”tIndian.tHetseesthist“half-cooked”teducationtnottastatweakness,tbuttrathertastonetoftthetpreconditionstfortantentrepreneurialtspirit.tHetbelievestthatthavingttottaketresponsibilitytfortone’stownteducationtrequirestandtbuildstantinventive,tresourcefultmind,tandtrespondsttotthetabrupttendtofthistschoolingtbytlearningtwhatthetcantontthetjob.tHetclaimsthetwastnottantoriginaltthinker,tbuttrathertantoriginaltlistener,tandtpiecesttogethertantunderstandingtoftIndiatbyteavesdroppingtattwork,ttransformingtdead-end,tmenialtjobstintotlearningtopportunities.

Astantadult,tBalramtrespectsttraditionaltlearningttotatdegree.tHetenjoystthetproximitytandtphysicaltpresencetoftbooks,tbuttalsotsneerstattthetmusty,t“foulttaste”ttheytleavetinthistmouth.tBalramtclaimsttotlearntmoretfromt“thetroadtandtthetpavement”—fromtstudyingtthetconstanttchangestoftIndiantsocietyttotcultivatetthetflexibilitytandtadaptabilitythetbelievestatself-madetmantshouldtpossess.tIntgeneral,tBalramtemphasizestthetimportancetoftbeingtattunedttotone’stsurroundings.tAstatchild,thetalonetouttoftalltthetvillagerstbecomestfascinatedtwithtthetBlacktFort:tatbeautifultoldtbuildingtinthisttowntconstructedtbytatforeigntpowertyearstago.tHetclaimstthattthetothertvillagerst“remaintslavestbecausettheytcan’ttseetwhattwastbeautifultintthistworld,”tandtthattbytcontrast,thistinnatetabilityttotfindtinteresttandtbeautytinthistenvironmenttmarkedthimtearlytontastdeservingtoftatbettertlife.

Familyt

Throughouttthetnovel,tBalramtdescribestfamilytastatdestructivetandtburdensometparttoftIndiantlife,tonetthattpreventstitstmemberstfromtpursuingtindividualtadvancementtandtliberty.tBalram’stgrandmothertKusumtembodiestthistnegativetimagetoftfamilytintthetstory.tShetshortsightedlytpullstbothtBalramtandthistbrothertKishantouttoftschooltattatyoungtage,tandtattemptsttotarrangetbothtbrothers’tmarriagestearlytintlife,tbeforettheytaretablettotsupporttfamiliestofttheirtown.tThetrichtaretsimilarlytburdenedtbytfamilialtobligationtandtinterference.tEventBalram’stwealthytmastertAshoktcomplainstofthistfathertandtbrothers’tattemptsttotexerttcontroltoverthistpersonaltlife.

BalramtfurthertbelievestthattthettraditionaltIndiantfamilytunittkeepstthetRoostertCooptoftsocialtinequalitytalive.tIftatservanttattemptsttotescapetortdisobeysthistemployer,tthetsuperior’stfamilytwilltpunishtthetservanttbytmurderingtortbrutallyttorturingthistfamily.tIntthistway,tfamilialtloyaltytandtlovetbecometweaknessestthattcantstoptantindividualtfromtbeingtablettotadvance.tThetarrivaltoftBalram’styoungtcousintDharamtintDehlitfitstintotthistpattern.tJusttwhentBalramthastresolvedttotmurderthistmastertAshok,tKusumtsendstDharamttotlivetandtworktwithtBalram.tFortbettertortfortworse,tthistnewtresponsibilitytoftcaringtforthistrelativetinitiallytpreventsthimtfromtexecutingthistplantandttakingtatradicaltstepttotalterthistfuture.tUltimately,tthough,tBalramtdoestcarrytoutthistplanttotmurdertAshok,tknowinglytsacrificingthistowntfamilyttotbrutaltandtprobablytfataltvengeancetintthetprocess.tHetcutstloosethistowntfamilytintorderttotfreethimself.tThattthetfamilytplaystthistnegativetroletintBalram’stworldtwastatreflectiontoftthetdeeplytcorrupttandtimmoraltstatetoftIndiantsociety,twhichttransformsteventthetmosttsacred,tintimatetrelationshipstbetweentpeopletintottoolstoftoppressiontthattsomeonetliketBalramtfeelsthetmusttescapetintorderttotachievetfreedomtandtsuccess.