The White Tiger By Arvind Adiga.
Name: Vaja Deepika Bhupatbhai.
Course: The New
literature
Professor’s name: Dr. Barad
Roll no: 04.
Topic: Use of Symbols
in the novel “The white Tiger”.
Submitted by: Department of
English M .K. Bhavnagar University.
Use of Symbols in
the novel “The white Tiger”.
§ Introduction
Indian writing in English holds
the sway and continues to make waves on the international scene. We see that
Indian writing in English as form of Indian writing or form the Diasporas
literature. As we know that The Postcolonial creative writers from Third World
countries, including India, have been waging intellectual war in the form of
literary cult. And how they are use English language? The writers of this
movement are characterized by their defiance of the imposed Western aesthetics,
coining of indigenous aesthetics and asserting their voice through their own
brand of English. At that time in Indian writer like Aravind Adiga wrote “The
White Tiger” and won Man booker Prize in 2008.
We see in this time many Indian novelists like Arundhati Roy, Aravind Adiga,
Salman Rusdies, Anita Desai and Vikas Swarup wrote such thinks into Indian
people. They are written something should not be in western country.
Now we see in Aravind Adiga wrote The White
Tiger as Flashback novel. And how Indian society represented in them. And The
White Tiger in we found use of symbols it becomes Indian reality reflected them.
§ About Author
Aravind Adiga was born to Dr.K.Madhava Adiga and Usha Adiga on 23
October 1974, in Chennai. He spent his childhood in Mangalore by the Malabar
Coast. He studied at Canada High School. Further education he went to the state
and studied English literature at Columbia University in New York Where he
Studied with Simon Schama and graduated as Salutatorian in 1997. He wrote novel
“The White Tiger” in 2008 won Man Booker Prize. We see that in this novel the
social evils that are projected and often suggested in these sketches’ are
elaborated in the novel The White Tiger. Adiga comes out as an angry young man
of India who shouts at the politicians for not taking basic steps to lift the
400 million Indians who lives in extreme poverty, at the executives whose
corrupt practices erode the effectiveness of the meager anti poverty. In the
White Tiger Adiga makes narrative and collage of image of Indian. As we Know
that Indian are Corrupted, blind follower of religious, politics, rigidity,
business, Democracy, Crime, poverty, Richness, Dirty place, caste, loyalty, law
system, police dept, companies etc. As Adiga portrayed India becomes this, it
is true. Here we see to “Adiga was Half
baked cities, built for half-baked men". So now we see ‘The White
Tiger’ is presented as an epistolary novel- a series of letters written over
the period of seven nights to the Chinese premier. Who is going to visit India
in the coming week after being very much impressed with India's economical
growth and development?
In the novel there are many symbols
and sign use as we indentify to Indian society. Aravind Adiga’s “The White
Tiger” that emphasize the huge difference between the rich and the poor. We
found that Adiga portrayed two India like the light India and Darkness India. We how using various symbols Adiga wants to
show real images in this small village Laxmangarh. So we see how Balram Halwai
as servant, Philosopher, Murder as becomes owner, businessman and entrepreneur.
§ What is Symbolism?
Symbol is patterns of imagery and
sign. It is a mark of character used as a conventional representation of an
object, function, patterns. It is
connected to something else and especially a material object representing
something abstract of character personality.
In discussing literature, symbol
signifies an object or event which in its turn signifies something, or has a
range of reference, beyond it. Some symbols are "conventional" or
"public": thus "the Cross,” "the Red, White, and
Blue," and "the Good Shepherd" are terms that refer to symbolic
objects of which the further significance is determinate within a particular
culture. (Abrahm) Adiga
use to symbol in the novel “The White tiger”. And so now we explain represented
to Balram Halwai’s life & personality. These symbols talk to Balram reality
and India society represented here.
§ The White Tiger
§ The Darkness and
light of India
§ The Black Fort
§ The Chandelier
§ Honda Citizen
§ The Rooster coop
§ Lizard
§
Delhi city
§ The White Tiger
Balram Halwai was servant,
philosopher, murder, businessman and entrepreneur like Half backed Indian. He
says that many people in India Half – baked because they have not completed
their schooling. His family has no time
to give him a name. we see that During Balram schooling, he earns name of
‘Manna’ given by his teacher. During schooling time, Balram earns this nickname
when he impresses a visiting school official with his intelligence and reading
skills. A teacher told Balram “The white
tiger that’s what you are in this jungle”.
Adiga talk in this novel ‘The
white Tiger’ - “the rarest animal in the jungle as Balram is a rare man in his
village. here wee that it is symbol of brave and important man. It’s a symbol
for rare talent – we rarely can find White Tiger in Now a day’s but they are
genetic mutation. It’s a symbol for rare talent – only 1 in 10,000. It is Bengal tiger famous in Asia. We see Adiga portrayal of Balram as White
tiger. it means that Thousands of people in one as talent came out and
something done as pressing for him.
E.g.
Dhirubhai Ambani.
§ The Darkness and light of
India
As novel begin that Adiga given image of Two
India. ‘The white Tiger’ novel in narrator Balram talk about Wen Jiabao that
India as two countries: The Darkness of India and The Light of India. In Indian
of darkness in northern part of India like UP, Bihar, WB, Jharkhand etc. in
this place we find that people are so poor and rigid. Here the ocean brings light to my country.
Northern India in The River Ganga brings darkness to India - the black
river. We see in novel Balram talks
about to the mother Ganga. And we see that the holy Ganga as river of India
daughter of Vedas, this river of illumination, protector of us all and breaker
of the chain of birth and rebirth. Balram talk about to the holy river Ganga as
symbolize to darkness of India. Wherever it flows that area is the darkness and
poor.
It full of soggy parts of human and animals bodies, buffalo carrion and
seven different kinds acids. As we know that many westerner has came to India
and see near by the ganga many ‘sadhu’ believes in superstitions. They are also
go and take photography of naked sadhu. It is Indian people mentality and
present time it is in there. We know
that The River Ganga connected to myths and ritual. People come to wash their sins on the bank of
The Ganga no matter how sinful deeds as they did. The darkness of India as
connected to poverty, rigidity, and religious and believes in superstitions.
That’s why Balram talks to The Ganga is stand for the symbol of Darkness in
India.
The
light of light as richness, business, modern thinks and development of industry
as light side. We see Balram has poor boy and as struggle, philosophy and
something bad at that time he becomes entrepreneur. This is reality of all
Indian business man and how India as richer, glimmer world, city life. It is
Indian of light and Mr. Ashok as example to light India. And we see Balram has entrepreneur
as symbol of India of lightness.
§ The Black Fort
‘The White Tiger’ begin that Balram has poor
and Rixapular son. He leaves in Laxmangarh. Here The Black Fort is a symbol of
the extreme poverty that Balram is in his village Laxmangarh. It is connected
to 1947 in British left that but they built fort and thought that we are free.
But is here today in India that this fort suggests that they are ruling over
India. The fort is located high on a hill. It is the architectural centerpiece
of Balram's village. As a child he is afraid to go alone. We see that Balram
was conquers this fear as he gets older. It later becomes his sanctuary, where
he goes to contemplate his misfortune. ‘The White Tiger’ in One day Balram gets
the courage to enter the Black Fort.
Balram says that “I leaned out
from the edge of the fort in the direction of my village...I spat. Again and
again...Eight months later I slit Mr. Ashok’s throat”. (Adiga, The White Tiger)
So Balram broke out of the black fort
mentally. And it is that Balram has no fear of them. When he spat on it from it’s
the entranceway and broke out from the Black Fort physically. We see in novel
Balram was killed his master and entered the ‘light’. This Black Fort
emphasizes how desperate Balram fells in the end of novel.
§ The Chandelier
The Chandelier is the opposite of the
Black Fort. It opposite ideas in this novel. The Chandelier has connected to
richness, wealthy, high thinks and something good but as concept of evil
behind. The Chandelier is full of small diamond shaped glass pieces, just like
the ones they used to show in the films of the 1970 & 1980s. The Chandelier
is the gaudy light fixture that Balram has in his new office after the murders
Mr. Ashok and starts his own company in Bangalore.
We see that Balram has business
man and entrepreneur of the wealthy person and how his life becomes the
chandelier also stand for richness or showing light of Balram life. It seems
like the strobe light at the best discourse in Bangalore and now it is in
Balram’s office so it symbolizes his richness and victorious of life. It
represents the wealthy that Balram has joined through murdering his master Mr.
Ashok and stealing his money. Balram says that “It makes me happy to see the chandelier...Let me buy all the
chandeliers I want”. (Adiga, The White Tiger) We see that Balram
was too desperate for wealth that he not only murders his master Mr. Ashok.
Balram thought that his master’s family would take deadly revenge and personal
ideas that’s why he done that. Balram was talk that “I’ve got no family anymore. All I’ve got are chandeliers”. In this
sentence Balram has no ideas and emotional to his family. Here the chandelier
also emphasizes how desperate Balram felt to get out of his poverty. So we see
that Hanging in Balram’s Bangalore office is a vintage chandelier. He frequently
looks to it for “inspiration” confessing to “staring” for long periods of time.
The chandelier comes to symbolize the “Light” of Bangalore and Balram’s new
life.
It that Balram has associates
himself with the little man, who is so desperate that he will defy God and
associate with the devil to break out of the cycle of poverty. We found in most
of Indian film in this the chandelier has symbol of rich & wealthy. So This
Chandelier symbolize to Balram’s wealthy, Richer and how murdering his master.
It is that Light of Balram’s life and his office’s fan as to stealing from
light of chandelier.
§ Honda Citizen
This is symbolizing to wealthy, richness,
luxurious life. As we know that Balram was car driver but we thought that
Balram was not happy or may be drive this car. This thought to connected
Balram’s mind and how in his mind poor man.
But he Murder his master Mr. Ashok
that time Balram thought that himself promoted and able to drive the Honda.
Indian people like this car and every Indian in their mind as becomes wealthy
and drive Honda car. It is not only Balram Halwai as driver but he also feels
has Made it in life. ‘Honda’ as company it is connected and dream of every
Indian. Here we see that Balram secretly takes the car out at night on his own
and also pretending to be wealthy man.
§ The Rooster coop
It
is symbolize to master slave system. In the novel we see that Balram was
considering the rooster coop a unique symbol. And it is situation of Indian’s
underclass system. It is symbolizes master- slave relationship. This is not in
present time but in Ancient time this underclass system also like (Raja &
Praja, Das- Dali in Royal Family, Upper – Lower and Brahman - Sudra).
‘The White Tiger’ novel in we see that Balram
was servant and Mr. Ashok was master. It is that under privilege of servant
identity. we see that Even though
servants have frequent a lot of opportunities to chit their master or escape
from their slavery they don’t do this and remain slave to their master like
Rooster in The Cage. Here Balram criticize to master & slave ideas.
He also
has given example of the Rooster coop. In novel we see that metaphor that Balram
employs to describe the Indian servant/master system. Balram was servant it is
not problematic. ‘The white tiger’ in
Balram see that roosters being slaughtered next to other live caged roosters. The
roosters know they are next, but they do not rebel. Here Balram observes that
servants in India remain trapped in servitude. But no one can breaks out of the
rooster coop. It means that The Rooster coop is a servant mindset which Balram
believes enslave the underclass. He explains how the Indian family ties people
to the coop, since they know that any disloyalty could harm their families. It
is that Balram has servant and at end that power position in society, that’s
why the Rooster Coop as master- slave morality underclass of system in India.
§ Lizard
As
novel Begin that in symbol of lizard. Balram is Bothering phobia from a small
insect lizard. It is also symbolize the darkness.
The lizard has also fear to come into the light and staying into the darkness
it gets food like the same way the landlords in the Laxmangarh chucked the poor
people by keeping them into the darkness. The lizard represents the fears,
cultural values, and superstitions that trapped Balram in the Darkness, many of
which he seems to still fear hold him back.
it is symbolize to fear and darkness of India.
§ Delhi city
‘The white Tiger’ begin in we see that another
symbol is The Delhi city. It is symbolize that how a common man totally lost
his existence for getting something. it is modern, richness, industrialism,
struggle and poverty as there.
In this
city most of people work there and effect of globalization. Delhi is the place
where all the roads look the same. They have come from the darkness too. You
can tell by their thin bodies, filthy faces, by the animal like way they live
under the huge bridges and overpasses, making fires and washing and taking lice
out of their hair while the cars roar past them. We see it damage of city and
how poverty, evil thinks, dirty place & people have done something wrong.
Where men are sleeping, playing cards and then four more roads go off from it.
Balram also says that “people ‘just keep
getting lost and lost, and lost in Delhi”.
Adiga
also narrates the problem of Environmental, Social, Cultural, Political and
Moral drawbacks. We see in Balram also talk about Traffic Jam, Corruption and
Pollution are such problems which are chiefly tackled in Delhi city. The life
of the people of Delhi is devoid of time but is full of pollution. The pollution
is so bad that the men on the motorbikes and scooters have a handkerchief
wrapped around their faces. There is a good reason for the face masks. They say
air is so bad in Delhi, that it takes ten years off a man’s life. It is all
about artificial thinks and most of the people say that ‘just nice, cool, clean, air conditioned Air’. So this are the
problem of people of Delhi city and Delhi city as symbolize industry and
development but in think about different way darkness, pollution & poverty
are there.
§ Conclusion
So there are the different
symbols in noel ‘The white Tiger’. It is reflected in Balram’s life. And as we
think about to our self in novel that is in our also. It is real image of
Indian country. How India represented in
noel ‘The White Tiger’. it is not good
for Indian people. Here Adiga criticize to Indian people life style. how poor
people that trapped by the rich people and became slave and never come out as
The Rooster coop into the cage. Every Indian have to this dream for Balram
Halwai done that. Balram has a rickshaw puller’s son shows that little
dishonesty makes a man to immense accomplishment. How small the village boy
came out and becomes his philosophy, servitude, morality as well as richer,
wealthy entrepreneur. So these are the symbol connected to Balram’s life and
also image hidden image of India.
Works Cited
Abrahm, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms.
Ed. James McDonald. Vol. 7. United States of America.: Earl McPeek, 1999.
Adiga, Arvind. The
White Tiger. India, 2008.
—. The White Tiger.
India, 2008.
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