The novel by Indian author Aravind Adiga tells the story of the Indian social class system and how Indian society affects the choices one makes. The book takes place during an interesting time as India is one of the fastest growing economies and the novel excellently captures the demographics of a society where the people and infrastructure are rapidly changing. The White Tiger is an exciting read that includes many surprising events which distinguish the plot from existing stereotypes about Indian society.
The story is told from the perspective of a cab driver, Balram, who finds himself working for an Indian-American couple and gets a taste of what life abroad is like. Balram comes to learn that the husband is extremely corrupt and has a number of side deals with several of India’s top politicians. Balram sees his opportunity to leave his former life behind and find success for himself. The novel follows his journey as he starts a taxi company called White Tiger Drivers.
After reading Interpreter of the Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, I was instantly reminded of this novel. Even though the plot points differ, the context of both the stories are very similar: they both feature an Indian-American couple and an Indian taxi driver and part of the stories are dedicated to illustrating the differences between the two cultures. Both texts also illustrate the concept of ‘othering’. In Interpreter of the Maladies, the taxi driver, Mr.Kapasi’s view tends to be overshadowed by the couple he is working for seemingly because of his social status. Similarly, in The White Tiger, Balram’s point of view is undermined by the people he works for. The novel also extends this to include all people of India’s working class as a group that is overshadowed by the rest of society and the novel aims to reclaim their voice.