From Margins to Center: A Study of Power and Identity in The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga

Abstract

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga offers a powerful critique of contemporary Indian society by exposing the sharp economic and social inequalities that exist beneath the country’s image of rapid economic progress. The novel, which received the prestigious Man Booker Prize, presents the story of Balram Halwai, a poor village boy who rises to become a successful entrepreneur in Bangalore. The novel portrays India as a nation divided into two contrasting worlds: the “India of Light,” representing prosperity and opportunity, and the “India of Darkness,” symbolizing poverty, exploitation, and social oppression. The story highlights the deep-rooted corruption, class divisions, and exploitation that characterize modern Indian society. Adiga introduces the metaphor of the “Rooster Coop” to explain how the poor remain trapped in a system of servitude due to fear, loyalty to family, and social conditioning. Balram’s transformation from an obedient servant into a self-made entrepreneur is both inspiring and disturbing, as it involves crime, betrayal, and moral compromise. His actions challenge conventional ideas of morality and raise questions about survival, ambition, and justice in a deeply unequal society.