WHITE TIGER: - Adiga uses a variety of animals, both domestic and wild, to illustrate his points about India’s politics and culture. India is portrayed as a “jungle” with different levels of society. - Some are on the hunt for prey and other simply avoid being consumed. “Eat or be eaten up” is the only way to live in India. Lizards: In India, considered to be a wooze if scared of lizards. Representative of inner balram. When threatened, th elizard can detach its tail in order to escape confinement. This is what balram does on a couple of levels: Firstly he divides himself morally and vacillates between feeling remorse and having no remorse for his deeds. He makes the decision to rob and murdder Ashok because Ashok was willing to scarifice Balram after Ashok’s wife runs over a child in the street. Second, after Ashok’s death, balram detaches himslef completely and finally from his family and escapes from delhi to the safety of bangalore where he could not be caught. - Early in the novel, balrams dad kills the lizard, fathers single act of courage. Sad irony- couldn’t see lizard skull being crushed but crushed ashok’s skull with little difficulty. Roosters and Rooster Coop: roosters rarely take the opportunity to escape, even when the door is open, no further temptations beyond their cage. Hence balram not a rooster but a white tiger. No longer useful → eaten up - balrams theory of social class. - old social truth of india - people confined inside narrow social boundaries and no room to move about. Roosters wait patiently to be cut into small edible pieces. (refer pg 148) - quote - once escaped rooster coop - never wanna go back - sacrifice many things for that (eg: family and morals) Water Buffalo: kept by families in the darkness. - daily income - revolved around it - at the expense of the family - (all their hopes were concentrated in her fatness) - pg 17. Represents endless cycle of dependency that no one is able to break - only way - compromise family. - embodies rule sof the rooster coop. Ignore buffalo, rooster coop or run away - sacrifices. darkness - strong allegiance to family. The Number Four: symbolically significant. - balram - 4 names, four big fat animals, 3 poets cant rememmber 4th, 3 traditional myths - god, gandhi, and family,, 4th is unknown. Red Bag: death, should have mentioned it, corruption. Chandelier: symbolises wealth, his success, his escape from the rooster coop and the darkness and enetry into the light india which he always refereed to. - status and freedom Irony: what he says is different to what you understand to be truly going on, helps characterise balram as the hite tiger figure, someone who builds a deep resentment and refusal to continue along the path of his ancestors. Themes: 1. The novel explores the theme of internalized servitude most explicitly in the metaphor of the Rooster Coop. Balram visits the market and notices in a chicken cage a mirror image of the reality of life for India's poor. The chickens, crowded together in filth just a few feet away from the blood and guts of dead birds, simply wait for their turn to be killed. They don't struggle to get away. Balram recognizes that the poor have been brainwashed by society to believe that their destinies are set by their caste, by their poverty. They believe they are born into servitude and will die in servitude. Like the chickens, they don't try to escape. The rich control the elections, and corruption has gutted any kind of social service. The police belong to the rich as well. The poor have no recourse. They can resist and be beaten to death in the street like the man who tried to vote. Or they can submit and work hard all their lives, just to die on a hospital floor with no doctors, like Balram's father. Their destiny is fixed, so they don't struggle. The coop that imprisons the minds of the poor is "guarded from the inside." Servants try to control other servants. Balram notes how much servants enjoy making another servant call them "sir." Besides other servants, "the Indian family is the reason [people] are trapped and tied to the coop." Only someone willing to see their entire family punished would risk changing their fate. Balram recognizes the theme of internalized servitude in the words of a Muslim poet who wrote that people "remain slaves because they can't see what is beautiful." They are unable to see any other option. At the Black Fort, which he has always found beautiful, Balram shakes off the bonds of social expectations of slavery, spitting in the eye of anyone, even a god, who would demand a life of service from him and expect him to be grateful for it. He vows to be free. He refuses to be caged in the Rooster Coop. 2. In his letters to Wen Jiabao, a Chinese official, Balram says, "India is two countries in one: an India of Light, and an India of Darkness." Balram says areas near the ocean are well off because the ocean "brings light" into the country. On the other hand, the poor, rural parts of the country that follow the Ganga River are known in the novel simply as "the Darkness." The river brings darkness and death. The Darkness is plagued by poverty, hopelessness, and oppression. Balram's brother, Kishan, is delighted when Balram's work with Mr. Ashok takes him to Delhi because it means "someone in his family was going to make it out of the Darkness." India's growing cities are like another world. Technology Balram has never seen, including his master's smartphone, astonishes him. The wealth of the city dazzles him because all he has ever known was the Darkness. However, the "India of Light," described as the cities of Delhi and Bangalore in the novel, is really full of darkness too, as are its inhabitants. It is in the city that Balram witnesses political corruption, sexual promiscuity, and prostitution firsthand. It is also in the city that he becomes more and more like those he serves. He calls Mr. Ashok a man with a "dark fate" and his brother, Mukesh, a "dark man." Their father, nicknamed "the Stork," turns the water dark when his feet are washed. The Great Socialist, living in the India of Light, has "ruled the Darkness" for decades. In Bangalore, acting as his own boss, Balram mimics Mr. Ashok's way of life, but with more trappings of Light. Corruption dims the India of Light considerably. ELEPHANT VANISHES: 1. Sleep - Murakami develops the protagonist’s ambiguous chain of thoughts by effectively representing sleep as a parallel between death and escapism. The author uses conversational tone by writing in first person and presenting discussions of various ideas in order to portray the protagonist guiding herself through the notion of sleep. Line 25, “No, that would be too terrible”, demonstrates the protagonist’s conversational and self-discussion about death. Murakami introduces the idea of sleep as a “wakeful darkness” in the line, “A wakeful darkness: What it called to mind was death” (11-12). The correlation between, “a wakeful darkness” and “death”, illustrates that when sleeping, a state of unconsciousness, one is still awake. The protagonist believes this condition of unconsciousness yet awake is equivalent to that of dying. Not settling with her conclusion of sleep, the protagonist further question “what was death?” (16), illustrating her uncertainty about the concept of sleep. 2.. Barn Burning - “Barn Burning” by Haruki Murakami follows an observant narrator as he befriends a woman and her mysterious boyfriend in Japan. A pivotal scene in Murakami’s “Barn Burning” (1983) is the boyfriend’s confession to the narrator about his habit of burning barns/greenhouses. Murakami’s sentence structure and use of imagery contributes to the theme of ‘simultaneous existence’ in “Barn Burning.” One of the most noticeable aspects of Murakami’s “Barn Burning” is the writing style because while the sentences read as short and simple, they contribute to the ambiguity of the story, characters, and ultimately the meaning. The writing style serves as a characterization of the narrator who does not provide readers with much explicit detail about himself because there may not be much that he is willing to provide. When describing his own life, he uses plain sentences as a means of convincing readers to accept that his writing, like his life, consists of banal truths. Through his writing style, it is clear that the narrator does not aim to embellish, but rather to provide an account of his experiences as they occurred. The use of simple sentence when describing his own reality suggests that the narrator’s life is uncomplicated and that he does not provide excess details about his life because there are none. Conversely, the narrator’s sentences adopt a more complex structure in order to provide more details about the man. I argue that when the man cuts the narrator off from his memory, it is the end of the narrator’s reality and the introduction into the man’s world. The narrator uses more details and imaginative language, which suggests that the complexity of his sentences reflect his characterization of the man as complex and deeper than the physical traits he offers the readers at the start of the story. For example, he writes, “He sucked the marijuana deep into his lungs, held it there for ten seconds then slowly let it out. The smoke whirled up like ectoplasm from his mouth” (Murakami 6). Within two lines of the man’s confession, the narrator provides the reader with a breadth of details. In this passage, Murakami’s use of imaginative and descriptive language creates two forms of the same man, contributing to the story’s theme of ‘simultaneous existence’. The narrator uses words and phrases such as “swirled,” “ectoplasm,” “slowly,” and “deep into his lungs” (Murakami 6) to paint a picture of the man’s life that is far different from his own. The second version of the man is not created by the narrator, but by the man himself who recounts his time in India and the “memories [that] rush out at you. Lights, smells, things like that” (Murakami 6). In this moment, the man exists next to the narrator, smoking marijuana, but he also exists in India as he vividly remembers his experience. The second version of the man is one that the narrator will never have access to as such possibility presupposes that he could afford the same lifestyle of traveling to India in the first place. This is not just an example of simultaneous existence between the two versions of the man, but also between the man and narrator who experience Japan in two vastly different ways due to their positions on opposite ends of economic prosperity. Murakami utilize boyfriend’s confession as a means of further illustrating one of the themes of the narrative, makes use of devices that are available to literature. Murakami capitalizes on the ability to manipulate sentence structure and word choice within literature to show the opposing dichotomies between the narrator and the man. - Murakami’s short collection The Elephant Vanishes, in which “Barn Burning” is included, subverts the idiomatic “elephant in the room” by having characters speak their thoughts, as opposed to merely thinking them. The main character, who admits to burning barns, is completely open about his obsession. The man who he is speaking to has no fear when he asks as to the nature of the eponymous barn burning, either. All thoughts are spoken, which makes the atmosphere more familiar than it should be. The weird and arbitrary nature of the act of barn burning is normalized as the people in the story address it in a way that makes it so. 3. Elephant Vanishes - Before the elephant vanishes, it is kept in a repurposed school gym that serves as the town’s makeshift elephant house. Whereas zoo animals are typically kept behind a barrier and given a relatively large area of land to roam, the elephant in the story is shackled to a concrete slab inside the elephant house. The narrator notes that the metal cuff is so strong that the elephant could never break free of it no matter how hard it tried. The shackle around the elephant’s ankle symbolizes humanity’s tendency to oppress and exert control over animals. Although the elephant is already held inside a building secured behind a gate, the townspeople’s paranoia over the potential safety risk that the giant animal could pose if it were to escape results in this inhumane treatment of preventing the elephant from simply moving around. In spite of this effort to control the elephant, the shackle is ironically found still locked on the floor of the elephant house after the animal and its keeper vanish—perhaps suggesting the ultimate futility of human beings’ attempts to exert control over animals and the natural world. - Humans vs Animals: As a captive zoo animal, the elephant has no agency over its life—its whereabouts, housing, diet, and care are all placed under the control of a town that largely regards the elephant as a waste of practical resources. Rather than being treated with respect and proper care, the elephant’s primary role for the community is to advance the mayor’s political agenda upon its arrival and serve as a brief distraction after it vanishes. ... Murakami contrasts the community’s indifference and disdain for the elephant with the zookeeper’s deep, loving relationship with the animal in order to criticize humankind’s tendency to control and manipulate animals for their own gain. The elephant’s journey from the zoo to being adopted by the town is one that is motivated by political gain rather than genuine concern for the animal. ... The elephant “stayed alone in the decaying zoo for nearly four months with nothing to do—not that it had had anything to do before,” exemplifying the tragedy and emptiness of its life spent in captivity for human entertainment. ...Neither the media nor the townspeople show genuine concern for the elephant’s whereabouts and wellbeing, suggesting that its significance in the town was more aligned with that of an inanimate attraction and less with a living creature. ...The close friendship that the narrator witnesses between the pair is a stark contrast to how the elephant is treated by outside society, suggesting that humanity’s inclination to either overlook or control animals is anything but natural. ...This close relationship is the antithesis of how the elephant is regarded by the mayor, townspeople, and media—outsiders seemingly only concerned with the positive benefits the animal could reap for them and the entertaining, short-lived drama of its disappearance. ...Murakami juxtaposes this intimate companionship between the elephant and its keeper with the town’s mistreatment and neglect of the elephant in order to demonstrate how the inclination of humanity to control animals is inherently immoral and motivated by political power, financial gain, and entertainment value. - Order, Perception and Imbalance: Witnessing this surreal shift in balance has a profound effect on the narrator, who feels that his own life has been irrevocably disrupted in the wake of the pair’s disappearance. ...The narrator is rigidly tied to his daily rituals, noting that his alarm clock wakes him up at the exact minute of 6:13, and that “I’m one of those people who read the paper from beginning to end, in order.” The narrator’s routines are implied to be an anchor of balance and meaning in a life that is otherwise empty—his career is “not the kind of work that takes a great deal of intelligence,” and he is seemingly alienated from those around him...The narrator’s artificially constructed sense of stability and dependability is disrupted when he experiences the elephant’s inexplicable shift in size and subsequent disappearance, forcing him to grapple with the tenuous nature of balance and the chaos of reality. The night before the elephant and its keeper disappear, the narrator peers into the elephant house from a nearby cliff and is shocked to see that the elephant has somehow shrunk down to the zookeeper’s size, wondering whether “my eyes were playing tricks on me” or if “town might have got hold a of a new smaller elephant.” ...Witnessing this moment of imbalance has a profound impact on the narrator, who until this point has been fully routinized into the natural order of his surroundings and usual rhythms of everyday life. He feels that “a different, chilling kind of time was flowing through the elephant house—but nowhere else,” and that the elephant and the keeper willingly “[gave] themselves over to this new order” of reality. ... His repeated use of the qualifier “probably” when recounting the diminished size difference between the elephant and its keeper suggests the narrator’s self-doubt and reluctance to accept the “new order” of reality that was ushered into being by this physical shift....She cannot reconcile the narrator’s seemingly impossible conviction that the elephant and keeper magically vanished with her previously-formed perceptions of him as a potential mate, and their budding relationship is stunted as a result. On a similar but grander scale, the narrator feels that “things around me have lost their proper balance, though it could be that my perceptions are playing tricks on me.” - Alienation, conncetion and unity: Through the narrator—the last person to see the animal before its strange disappearance—as well as the elderly zookeeper and the elephant itself, Murakami spins a story of isolation and meaningful connection. ...The mayor’s effort to make the elephant into the town’s symbol fails to foster a sense of unity, as the narrator recalls that the empty platitudes (such as a poem dedication) given during the elephant house dedication ceremony are “virtually meaningless.” ... The mayor’s attempts to unite the town around the elephant’s presence fail, and the animal and its keeper are left to cultivate a friendship in lieu of the community that shuns them. The alienation of the elephant and the keeper by the townspeople paradoxically makes them the only two characters in the story to find true companionship, as the pair’s mutual ostracization fosters a connection between them. ...This seemingly magical event can be interpreted as a physical manifestation of the emotional intimacy between the elephant and its keeper, as their mysterious bond subverts what natural laws and human perception deem possible. ...His inability to find a kindred spirit in his recollection of the event reflects the stark contrast between forced social connection and the true unity that he observed between the elephant and its keeper. ... He identifies with the alienation that the elephant and keeper faced and becomes isolated in his obsession, as he was likely the sole witness of the private bond they shared and the last one to see the pair before they vanished. Later, when the narrator meets an attractive, single woman at a business event, he attempts to move beyond their superficial conversation by confiding in her about seeing the diminished size difference between the elephant and the keeper on the night before their disappearance...Unable to foster a similar sense of intimacy in his own personal life, the narrator is haunted by the unanswerable nature of the elephant’s relationship with the keeper. Murakami uses the alienation of the pair from the town, and later that of the narrator from the world around him, to emphasize the intrinsic value and mysterious nature of the deep camaraderie that the narrator observes between the elephant and its keeper. Introduction: White Tiger and Elephant Vanishes In The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, the author presents a compelling narrative that delves into the life of Balaram, a village boy in India who defies societal boundaries and rises above the oppressive circumstances he was born into. Through the act of writing a letter (epistolary novel) to the Chinese premier, Balaram narrates the intricate web of injustices he endured while living in the shadows, ultimately leading him to commit the heinous act of killing his boss. The Elephant Vanishes is a collection of 17 short stories by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. His stories captivate readers through his existential ideas, masterful use of narration, vivid imagery, and thought-provoking themes that resonate with modern readers, inviting us to contemplate the complexities of the human condition and the mysteries that lie just beneath the surface. The works of Haruki Murakami and Aravind Adiga, "The Elephant Vanishes" and "The White Tiger," respectively, offer captivating narratives that delve into the complexities of human existence. Both texts explore themes of identity, oppression, and the search for meaning, captivating readers with their distinct storytelling styles. Both authors employ stylistic devices such as _____, ______ and _____ when describing the_____; this helps in depicting the book's central themes of _____ and _____. - Despite their divergent settings and plots, "The Elephant Vanishes" and "The White Tiger" employ non-linear storytelling techniques to explore themes of existentialism, societal constraints, and the search for personal liberation. Through the use of symbolism, vivid imagery, and multifaceted characters, both authors invite readers to question the nature of reality and the human condition. Compare and Contrast 1. Elephant Vanishes and White Tiger 1) Point Order and Stability (narrator's life before the elephant and after the elephant)(Balram’s life before killing and after killing, rooster coop escapes - liberation after killing- entrepreneurial act) → elephant disappears and uses his sense of reality, Balram tries to fathom the reality after killing his boss (contrast) (elephant vanishes - narrator loss of sense of reality, slight guilt whereas Balram has no regrets. Search for identity and meaning 2) Point The Elephant Vanishes presents a non-linear narrative structure that disorients readers and reflects the ambiguity of reality. Murakami employs fragmented storytelling, shifting perspectives, and blurred boundaries between dreams and waking life. For example, in the story, the protagonist experiences vivid dreams that intertwine with his waking reality, blurring the line between the two states of existence. By employing a non-linear structure, Murakami creates a sense of disorientation that mirrors the protagonist's own confusion and uncertainty. The fragmented storytelling technique represents the fragmented nature of human perception and memory. The shifting perspectives and blurred boundaries between dreams and reality emphasize the subjective and elusive nature of truth. Murakami challenges traditional notions of linear narrative, inviting readers to question the stability of their own perceptions and the boundaries of the world around them. This non-linear approach allows for a deeper exploration of existential themes, encouraging readers to contemplate the fluidity and complexity of reality itself. Similarly, in "The White Tiger," Adiga employs non-linear storytelling techniques to challenge readers' understanding of social constructs and the nature of power dynamics. - - - - 2. - - - 3. 1) - - - Adiga incorporates letters written by Balram to the Chinese premier, introducing a narrative within a narrative. These letters disrupt the linear progression of the story, providing glimpses of Balram's future while simultaneously exploring his past experiences. Adiga's use of non-linear storytelling in "The White Tiger" serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it adds a layer of complexity to Balram's character, as his future self reflects on his past actions and the consequences of his choices. This technique underscores the idea that personal growth and self-reflection are not confined to a linear timeline but can occur through nonlinear moments of introspection. Secondly, the fragmented narrative structure exposes the cyclical nature of power dynamics in society. Balram's letters to the Chinese premier highlight the ongoing struggle between the rich and the poor, the oppressed and the oppressors, emphasizing that this power dynamic is not a linear progression but rather a perpetuating cycle. Adiga's non-linear storytelling allows readers to consider the complexities of social structures and question the nature of power, exposing the intricate connections between past, present, and future. Both "The Elephant Vanishes" and "The White Tiger" employ non-linear storytelling techniques to challenge readers' perception of reality and offer profound insights into the human condition. The non-linear structure in both works allows for a more nuanced exploration of the ambiguity of existence, the fluidity of memory and perception, and the complexities of societal structures and power dynamics. Through their use of non-linear storytelling, Murakami and Adiga employ distinct narrative techniques to explore themes of existentialism, societal constraints, and the search for personal liberation. Both texts invite readers to àquestion the nature of reality, the impact of societal expectations, and the complexities of the human experience. The non-linear narrative structure enhances the exploration of these themes, encouraging readers to critically examine the fluid and multifaceted nature of the world we inhabit. Sleep and White Tiger explores the theme of societal conformity and the suppression of individuality. Through the exploration of societal conformity, Murakami highlights the suffocating nature of societal expectations and the potential loss of individuality. The non-linear narrative structure in "The Elephant Vanishes" allows for a deeper examination of the characters' struggles with conformity. As the story unfolds in fragments and shifts perspectives, readers witness the internal conflicts the characters face as they grapple with their suppressed desires and the tension between societal pressures and personal fulfilment. Murakami's fragmented storytelling mirrors the fragmented sense of self that arises from societal conformity, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences with conformity and the potential consequences of suppressing one's true identity. White Tiger also delves into the theme of societal oppression and the desire for personal freedom. Balram is subjected to the rigid social hierarchy and oppressive class system in India. His journey from a village boy to a successful entrepreneur reflects his relentless pursuit of liberation from the constraints of his social position. Adiga's use of non-linear storytelling in "The White Tiger" allows for a deeper exploration of Balram's transformation and highlights the cyclical nature of societal oppression. The fragmented narrative structure mirrors the disjointed nature of Balram's experiences, reflecting the fragmented nature of society itself. Through Balram's nonlinear journey, readers witness the oppressive forces at play in his life and the complex interplay between power and powerlessness. Adiga prompts readers to question the mechanisms of societal oppression and the pursuit of personal freedom within an oppressive system. The non-linear structure further emphasizes that liberation is not a linear path but a convoluted and unpredictable process. It invites readers to critically examine the societal structures that perpetuate oppression and reflect on the complexities of navigating one's path to liberation. Barn Burning and White Tiger Point Elephant Vanishes explores the theme of alienation and the inherent disconnect between individuals. In the story "Barn Burning," the protagonist becomes fixated on the mysterious barn burnings occurring in his neighbourhood. This fixation reflects his deep sense of disconnection from the world around him, as he is unable to comprehend the motivations and actions of those within his community. Murakami's portrayal of alienation in "The Elephant Vanishes" goes beyond mere social isolation. Through non-linear storytelling, he captures the fragmented nature of human existence and the existential isolation that accompanies it. The protagonist's preoccupation with the barn burnings serves as a metaphor for his struggle to find meaning and connection in a world that appears absurd and incomprehensible. The non-linear narrative structure, with its disjointed and fragmented sequences, mirrors the protagonist's fragmented sense of self and his desperate search for authenticity and connection. Similarly, in "The White Tiger," Adiga also explores the theme of alienation and the disconnect between individuals. - - - - 2) - - Balram, as a member of the lower class in India, experiences a deep sense of isolation and marginalization. His journey to overcome societal constraints and achieve personal liberation highlights the alienation he feels from the privileged classes and the larger social structure. Adiga's non-linear storytelling in "The White Tiger" serves to amplify the portrayal of alienation. Through fragmented narrative techniques, Adiga emphasizes the dissonance and discord that exist within Balram's world. The non-linear structure mirrors Balram's fractured identity, torn between the expectations of his social class and his own aspirations for personal freedom. The disjointed narrative reflects the fragmented nature of his experiences, as he navigates the complex web of power dynamics and oppressive systems. By employing non-linear storytelling, Adiga effectively conveys the inherent isolation and alienation experienced by individuals trapped within societal constraints. explore the theme of alienation and the disconnect between individuals. The non-linear storytelling techniques in both works enhance the portrayal of this theme by reflecting the fragmented nature of human experiences and the challenges of forging meaningful connections in a complex and disconnected world. Through their non-linear storytelling, Murakami and Adiga shed light on the universal human experience of alienation and the longing for connection. By exploring these themes, both texts invite readers to reflect on the complexities of human relationships, the impact of societal structures on individual experiences, and the fundamental human desire for genuine connection. Point Theme: Relationships Barn Burning: Extended Metaphor - Barns and Relationships It goes to show that no barn is safe from burning down and that the longer a barn has been up the easier it is to catch on fire, although very much unlikely seeing as the newly built barns are the ones that burn the fastest. In essence, what the man might have meant when he said that “It’s like that’s why they were put there from the very beginning. No grief to anyone. They just… vanish. One, two, poof!” was that every relationship has at least one person thinking of burning the barn down because of the fact that they have might lose the sparks they initially had in the beginning. Essentially, these barns would perish so badly in the flames that everything is gone without a trace. The way Haruki Murakami was able to allow the reader to come up with their own conclusion as to their interpretation of the story is what makes his style of writing that much more compelling. Murakami was able to present the imagery of relationships burning and the harsh realities that come thereafter once they do. The whole idea that every human relationship is nothing more than a shallow existence and bound to crash and burn after losing its initial spark is what is relatable to the readers. It goes to show that once a person has received everything a relationship has to offer, they make no effort to maintain it thus having the “barn burn”. White Tiger Balram isolates himself from all the relationships - Conclusion: To conclude, "The Elephant Vanishes" by Haruki Murakami and "The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga utilize non-linear storytelling to offer profound insights into themes of alienation, societal constraints, and the search for personal liberation. Murakami's fragmented narratives challenge readers to question the nature of reality, while Adiga's non-linear approach emphasizes the complexities of his characters' journeys. Both works illuminate the universal human experiences of alienation and the yearning for genuine connection in a fragmented and disconnected world. Through their use of non-linear storytelling techniques, both authors engage readers in contemplation of the profound questions that arise from the human condition. The analysis of specific scenes and the examination of literary devices further enhance our understanding of these themes, allowing for a deeper exploration of the texts and their implications. 1. White Tiger: Throughout his life, Balram’s concept of himself as a White Tiger and as an exceptional person motivates him to advocate for himself and fight for his own advancement. His conviction that he is somehow special also causes him to feel exempt from traditional moral and legal standards, empowered to live life on his own terms. The morning before he murders his master, Ashok, Balram encounters a white tiger in the Delhi Zoo. After locking eyes with the animal and fainting on the spot, he decides to commit the murder and dictates a letter to his grandmother Kusum apologizing in advance, and explaining that he cannot live in a cage any longer. Balram’s identification with his namesake emboldens him and convinces him that he is justified in moving forward with his plan. 2: Rooster Coop: The Rooster Coop is Balram’s metaphor for describing the oppression of India’s poor. Roosters in a coop at the market watch one another slaughtered one by one but are unable or unwilling to rebel and break out of the coop. Similarly, India’s poor people see one another crushed by the wealthy and powerful, defeated by the staggering inequality of Indian society, but are unable to escape the same fate. In fact, he argues that the poor actively stop each other from escaping, either willfully by cutting each other down, or less purposely but just as powerfully, through a culture that makes them expect such abuse and servitude. The Rooster Coop Balram describes is one that’s “guarded from the inside.” Balram believes that the traditional Indian family unit keeps the Rooster Coop of social inequality alive. If a servant attempts to escape or disobeys his employer, the superior’s family will punish the servant by murdering or brutally torturing his family. In this way, familial loyalty and love become weaknesses in the context of rooster coop logic. In a country where the rules are stacked so overwhelmingly against the poor, Balram comes to believe that to create a better life and “break out of the Rooster Coop,” one must be willing to sacrifice everything, including attachment to traditional morals and to one’s family. 3. The Black Fort: Looking back on his past from his luxurious office in Bangalore, Balram imagines what the detectives and police would have found out about him had they returned to his home village of Laxmangahr. He laughs to himself that the police would never discover the true clue to what differentiated him from the other villagers, what made him capable of imagining a better life: his fascination with the Black Fort. The Black Fort was the only thing of beauty in Balram’s impoverished ancestral village. The fort is a grand old building on a hill above town, constructed by foreign occupiers years ago, which both fascinated and frightened Balram throughout his youth. He claims that his ability to appreciate its beauty marked him early on as different from his fellow villagers and showed his destiny not to remain a slave. When he returns to the village years later with his wealthy master Mr Ashok and his mistress Pinky Madam, he finally gets the courage to visit the fort alone. From the very top, he looks down on Laxmangahr and spits—he has literally risen above the Rooster Coop, and from within this fort representing the power of former occupiers, he rejects his former life and his family that still lives that life. A short time later, he murders Ashok.
