preview

Symbolism In The White Tiger

Decent Essays

Unlike Ramakrishna, whose defiance to authority is not as much action oriented as it is philosophical, Balram is a rule breaker with a vengeance. He must grab and take what he wants from the world, if there is no one to give it to him. Useless sentiments belonged to a different time and space, of pre-liberalised India. According to Gurwara, Balram represents “the danger that is looming large – the backlash of the underdogs” (163). He is a typical Fanonian rebel who will do anything to gain his liberty. He despises everything that stands for servitude, “absolute fidelity, love and devotion,” including Hanuman, a religious symbol of servility and utmost devotion towards Lord Rama, as he firmly believes that such idealisations make it extremely difficult for a simple man like him to come out of slavery and win the freedom due to him (13). As Balram neither wants to remain a servant till the end of his life nor die miserably like his father, he liberates himself from bondage through murder and robbery. The stark contrast between the attitudes of the men and women who people the works of Adiga before and after globalisation is astounding. Compared to the middle class residents of Vishram Society in Last Man in Tower and the protagonist in The White …show more content…

The Masterji in Last Man in Tower and Ashok, the Western educated young feudalist scion, in The White Tiger fail to realise the futility of their defence against the forces unleashed by globalisation and, therefore, perish by it. Globalisation also has an alluring charm that draws every one into its vortex with an unequal share of the spoils or by plainly disregarding the resistance of the voiceless and the marginalised as those residents of Vishram Society who resist the shenanigans of Shah find out for

Get Access