How "The White Tiger" satirize Indian culture or the novel as a Dark comedy

Name :-Darshangi K. Andharia 

Paper no:-401 New Literature

Topic :-"The White Tiger" as dark comedy or satirize Indian culture 

Sem :-IV Part:-II

Year:-2012-2013

Submitted to,

Dr.Dilip Barad 

Dept. Of English

M.K Bhavnagar University

Bhavnagar

                  The writer tiger is drafting realistic and graphic picture of some of the most canny truths about India , Adiga has depicted guide , dark and make facts about India , through his words sometimes we laugh at our self but it is his way of writing in which we laugh on the bitter truth of life and our culture.

                   The entire plot of the novel pivots round the protagonist Balram Halwai, a young man wow is barn and brought up in Bihar and writing letter to prime minister and he is describing the dirty picture of village even he is honesty saying that yes I am bad.

                   Very first line of the letter is harsh reality of Indian people, normally its belief that Indian are very poor in English and he stars the letter with the line that

             Sir,

                    Neither you nor I speak English, but there are some things that can he said only in English.

                    How Balram is putting our culture in different way, whenever he is giving any description he will speak only bitter words about culture, society, belief, Indian concept master slave relationship and many other things.

                     Let’s see some part in which Balram is satirizing Indian culture. We have our traditional to do Namaste when we meet any person very first time. Balram is talking about the politics, he says to jiabao when even I see our prime minister and his distinguished sidekicks drive to the airport in black cars and get out and do Namaste’s before you in front of a TV camera and tell you about how moral and saintly India is.

 (TWT-4)

                      In India River Ganga is symbol of purity and it is in our culture that those who wants to whip out their sin they will take bath in river Ganga and will become pious. But how Balram is showing reality that right now what the condition of river Ganga is.

                    That black river am I talking of which is river of death, whose banks are full of rich ,dark, tickly and mud whose grip traps everything that is planted in it, suffocating and chocking and stunning it?................................................................................................................................................................................Every place on the map of India near the ocean is well off, But the river brings darkness to India the black river.

                    How he satirize Indian mentality, we believes that cow and buffalo are helpful for farmer so they give more respect and spend their attention more towards them.

Balram gives vivid picture of the buffalo that always stands import of his house as a member of the family.

     The water buffalo,

                  She was the fattest thing in our family; this was true in every house in the village. All day long, the women fed her were the main thing in their lives. All their hopes were concentrated in her fatness, sir. If she gave enough milk, the women could sell some of it, and there might be a little more money at the end of the day.

              This paragraphs shows poetry also because women feed more to their animals and only buffalo is the only member who is fat enough, and only one who get enough food.

               He also criticizes school system of India and himself also. In India those who can write their name only they also come in literate person. So he says that,

               He can read and write, but doesn’t get what he is read. He is half backed; the country is full of people like him. Entrepreneurs are made from half backed clay.

              Indians longing for whiteness is also comes through his dialogues. And Indians aren’t satisfied what they have in India money. This is shown through his words in below.

            The blackish face bit is still true although I’m of half a mind to try one of those skin whitener creams they’ve launched these days so Indian men can look white as westerners –but the rest , alas, is completely useless. Life in Bangalore is good –rich food, beer, nightclubs, so what can I say! Thin and ‘small’-ha! I am in better shape these days! ‘Fat’ and ‘potbellied’ would be more accurate now.

            Balsam’s description about school system and satire on institution also. They have no time to give name to their children. Even about dirtiness of Indians because of people who are dropping dust and split anywhere.

           “Munna? That’s not a real name.”

            He was right: it just means ‘boys’.

            And your father?

            ‘He is a rickshaw puller, sir. He is getting no time to name me.’

            The teacher turned aside and spat-a jet of red paan splashed the ground of the classroom.

            Teacher gives him name ‘Balram’ which is also symbolic. Teacher asks him, that was the sidekick of the god Krishna. Same things happen in Balram halwai’s life he is driver and only plays according to his master. He can’t think to speak truth when pinky madam’s crime in the court.

           His Description about hard Hanuman is also very satirical. He says that inside the temple, you will find an image of a saffron colored creature, half man half monkey: This is Hanuman, everyone’s favorite god in the darkness. Do you know about Hanuman, sir? He was the faithful servant of the god ram, and we worship him in our temples because he is a shining example of how to serve your masters with absolute fidelity, love and devotion. Understand, now, how hard it is for a man to win his freedom in India.

         Dark satire on supplying of electricity, water and telephones in Laxmangarh.

         Indian village paradise, adequately   supplied with electricity, running water, and working telephones and that the children of my village, raises on a nutrias dief of meat, eggs, vegetables, and lentils will be found. When examined with tape measure and scales, to match up to the United Nations and other organizations whose treaties our prime minister has signed and whose forums he so regularly and pompously attends.

        He is honestly talks about his dishonesty. “I did my job with near total dishonesty, lack of dedication, and insincerity.

       What he dreams from the life is there are two castes-Big bellies and small bellies and two destiny-eat or eaten up. It is Darwinian concept that survival for the fittest and if you can’t do hard work then you will be destroy by other people. It is also concept of haves not.

      Satire on election and socialist. There are the three main diseases of this country, sir:- typhoid , cholera and election fever.

      Do you want good roads, clean water, and good hospitals? Then vote out the great socialist!

      I have seen twelve elections five state, two local – and someone else has voted for me twelve times. I have heard that people in the other India get to vote for themselves – isn't that something?

       I am India’s most faithful votes, and i steel have not seen the inside of the voting booth.

      At the end Adiga has put the fact of slave with the mouth piece of Balram Halwai. He puts his fact very honestly that

      Even if they throw me in jail and have all the other prisoners dip their beaks into me-even if they make me walk the wooden stairs to the hangman’s noose – I will never say i made a mistake that night in Delhi when i slit my master’s throat.

       I will say it was all worthwhile to know, just for a minute, what it means not to be a servant.

      End is also shows darkness of slave and what is their experience to live as a slave.