The White Tiger: Social Issues Raised In The Novel

Throughout the novel ‘White tiger’ written by Aravind Adiga’s corruption being inescapable in modern India due to the modern aspect of dictatorship is portrayed through many instances. This novel is a story about the political and powering parts of India, in which Balram the protagonist makes it a point to highlight corruption going around India within political and social areas in which he regards corruption as to be acceptable. From greed and money, low political transparently and ‘yellow’ and ‘brown’ man this novel emphasises just how much corruption is ongoing and just how unescapable it really is.

From the beginning of the novel, the protagonist, Balram, explains that he knows the ‘truth’ about India. The terms darkness and light are mentioned throughout the novel significantly. The poor people that experience poverty are described to live in the ‘darkness,’ whereas the wealthier people live in the ‘light.’ Money is an extensive factor for the rich in the novel, and this is shown by Balram when he learns from his boss, Mr. Ashok and the Stork family. Bribes are a powerful act of doing and they allow the idea of corruption to be acceptable. “It’s amazing. The moment you show cash, everyone knows your language”. This quote metaphorically stating wealth being a language. We learn that while money is a luxury, the rich are corrupted by it. The novel shows the audience that India is filled with self-serving people, greed and those who wish to be at the top of the political and social ladders.

The Author Aravind Adiga, throughout the novel mentions how the streets of India are described to be filled with corruption taking a toll on the country. This being a main factor in the book, when ensuring certain political people and government agencies are elected proving the lack of democracy in India. The great socialist who is a corrupt ‘populist’ leader who would fulfil in horrible doings to remain the one in power dominated the darkness. Anything the great socialist did or touched was purely due to him being addicted to the power. The great socialist was a powerful person used to represent the factor of corruption during the novel in which this showing the corruption within politics. “He had ruled the darkness, winning election after election, but now his rule was weakening” Those with no voice, those trapped in the ‘darkness’ and the week civil participation were ignored and shown lack of remorse by the government. “They began beating him … they kicked him … until he had been stamped back into earth” Adiga shows the readers how helpless the people of the ‘darkness’ were, and how they had no option for a voice of their own or freedom. Corrupted governments highlighted the fact of inequality throughout citizens in which Balram stated how these arrogant men were prepared to do anything for power.