'The White Tiger' by Aravind Adiga

For the Desk of:

His Excellency Wen Jiabao
The Premier’s Office,
Beijing,
Capital of the Freedom-Loving Nation of China

From the Desk of:

‘AG’
The Thinking Man
And a writer
Living in the world of technology and outsourcing
New Delhi – Noida – Lucknow
India

Mr Premier Sir

I have just completed reading Booker Prize winner Aravind Adiga’s “The White Tiger”. My last Booker adventure “Inheritance of Loss” was a nice one and that compelled me to buy this one. I hope you like my words.

Sir, this man Aravind Adiga has done quite well in his first book. Yes, this is his first book. What you like about first time writers is that they have their own style of writing. The format, the tone & the style in which I am presenting you my review is actually his.

Now Mr. Excellency, I shall talk about the plot of the book. I think it’s copied. It’s copied from those roadside cheap comics where the servant kills his employer and flees away (available on almost all railway platforms, famous footpaths bazaars and other markets where the posh doesn’t go). An example from the book –

“MURDER WEEKLY
RUPEES 4.50
EXCLUSIVE TRUE STORY:
‘HE WANTED HIS MASTER’s WIFE’
LOVE – RAPE – REVENGE !”

This book reveals itself through letters to you (one like this review) written by Mr. Balram Halrai (an entrepreneur who used to be a driver cum servant of Mr. Ashok). The first part deals with how Munna is brought up. It sketches the inside of India where the shinning is absent (narrator refers to this place as darkness). The minute details of his narration are admiring.

“At the doorway to my house, you'll see the most important member of my family.
The water buffalo.
She was the fattest thing in our family; this was true in every house in the village.”

“These are the three main diseases of this country, sir: typhoid, cholera, and election fever. This last one is the worst; it makes people talk and talk about things that they have no say in.”

As the story moves forward, he finally gets a name ‘Balram’ and a job too. His job demanded multiple talents (that of a driver and a servant) at a very basic pay. Then comes the concept of Rooster Coup and the reasons for its existence in India. Balman works honestly but to the climb the ladder he decides to bid adieu his master (from this world). This is where the book lacks. The murder sequence has bollywood masala in it and it drags here. After committing the crime he comes to Bangalore and becomes a smart businessman. One thing which puzzled me was the title. Why is the title 'The White Tiger'? If we go by the logic of Rooster Coup, it should be 'The White COCK'!!

Sir, priced at Rs 395, this is not fare. But sir, in my country you have a lot of alternatives. I bought this book at Rs 80 from a respectable prestigious footpath seller at PVR, Saket (New Delhi). I hope you know about PVR, Saket. Incidentally I did my schooling from a ‘gyan’ giving building adjacent to it. If no, here are some lines from the book in its honour.

“Now, PVR Saket is the scene of a big cinema, which shows ten or twelve films at the same time, charges over a hundred and fifty rupees per film – yes, that’s right, a hundred and fifty rupees! That’s not all; you’ve also got plenty of place to drink beer, pick up girls, that sort of thing. A small bit of America in India.”

Also, the author has very well explored the servant-employee relationships from angles of slavery & romantic bonding. He has penetrated into people like Balram coming from ‘darkness’ and brought out their feelings in true sense.

“A time-honoured servants’ tradition. Slapping the master when he’s asleep. Like jumping on pillows when masters are not around. Or urinating into their pants. Or beating or kicking their pet dogs. Innocent servant’s pleasures.”

There are two sets of people in India – “The people with large bellies and the ones with no stomachs at all. Either you eat or get eaten up.”

Similarly, I would divide the book in two sets – pacy and draggy. The first half of the book shoots. It’s full of dark humour with occasional comparisons b/t my country and our country. Sir, if you have a taste for satire tone and sarcastic humour, you got to read the first half of the book. His sarcasm is really admiring!

Before leaving I must tell you something. Why people in the west like India in a dark shade. Why movies like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and books like ‘The White Tiger’ are getting so high appreciations? India has both brightness and darkness; I believe the latter is getting more attention now. And WE, THE INDIAN PEOPLE are happily thinking atleast we are getting some attention. I still believe India chucks out better pieces of literary work than this tiger.

I hope you like my thoughts. In case you need to convey any words from your side, kindly comment…