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Unit 18: Aravind Adiga: The White Tiger—Characterisation
• The family of Balram is poor but very traditional. Men and woman sleep in different corners Notes
of their house (p. 17) and all members of the family adore and carry for the water buffalo,
which is fed by the woman still before they make the meal for their husbands.
• Vikram Halwai is the father of Kishan and his younger brother Balram who is the first
person narrator.
• Vikram is a poor man nevertheless he is a man of honour and courage (p.23).
• He earns money for his family as a rickshaw-puller in Laxmangarh. Laymangarh is a little
village in northern India.
• Balram's grandmother is called Kusum and the oldest member of the family. She has her
own opinion of the future of her grandsons and barges in the parenting of her son, the father
of Balram and his brother, f.e. "That night she told my father.
• Kishan is Balram’s older brother (p.37) and works in the teashop for the stork as well (p. 32).
He began to work there after the wedding of his cousin Meera to earn money for the family
because the dowry tears a hole in their budge and that's why he hasn't finished school.
• Dharam is Balram’s nephew. Balram takes this little boy along to Bangalore and Dharam
considers this journey as his first holidays. He had never left his home for holidays before.
• The author frequently mentions the rooster coop when describing the situation or
characteristics of the servant class in India and he also defends himself for murdering his
master with it. The author first describes how the rooster coop looks like in the market in Old
Delhi, in order to give the visualization to the target audience
18.4 Key-Words
1. Charismatic : The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that
can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent.
2. Nourish : To provide with food or other substances necessary for life and growth; feed,
to foster the development of.
18.5 Review Questions
1. In what ways did Balram's character transform from the beginning of his story to the end in
The White Tiger?
2. Were Balram's actions a consequence of his character or circumstances?
3. Why is The White Tiger structured as a letter to Premier Jiabao?
4. How did Balram justify the murder of his master, knowing he was putting his entire family in
danger, in The White Tiger by Adiga?
Answers: Self-Assessment
1. (i)(b) (ii)(c) (iii)(b) (iv)(b)
18.6 Further Readings
1. Aravind Adiga, 2008. The White Tiger. New Delhi. Harper Collins, Publishers
India.
2. V.S. Naipaul, 1964. An Area of Darkness. London. Andre Deutsch.
3. V.S. Naipaul, 1990. Million Mutinies Now. London. Minerva Paperback.
4. 2008. Articles from The Hindu Delhi, Literary Review, Nov 2.
5. 2008. Articles from The New Indian Express, Sunday, 9 November.
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