Great discussion of Diamond's theory on collapsing societies this morning. For our next meeting, please read through page 95, which comprises the second and third nights, of The White Tiger. In addition, begin examining the links I gave you on India's economy. We will begin looking at our last theory of collapse, then turning our attention toward India.
For your post this weekend, please make your comments below. I am curious what you think of The White Tiger so far. Please give some reflection to any part of "nights 2 and 3" that you are interested in. Just take an idea and play with it from inside the book. I am curious what you are seeing with the text.
Best,
JMN
6 comments:
So far I have truly enjoyed reading White Tiger; I feel it is thoroughly entertaining and very humorous. This is a book that I would happily read on my own and would be happy just to read it because of the story. I think what makes this book so entertaining is the constant irony and the naivety of the narrator, which is both shocking and hilarious. This is shown in Balram identifying himself as an entrepreneur or by the whole premise that the Chinese premier would actually take Balram’s letter serious, let alone even read them.
One of the scenes/topic of this book that I found really interesting and says a lot about India’s politics and social structure is when Balram discusses the voting process. Balram describes himself as “India’s most faithful voter, and [he] still h[as] not seen the inside of a voting booth” (86). This shows how corrupt politics are in India and how the rich fight each other for controlling the votes of the poor. However, this humor is contrasted by the darkness in the scene where Balram discusses the “mad man” getting beaten to death when he tried to vote. First off, the reason the mad man is mad is because he goes against the status quo and chooses to actually vote for himself in the “democratic” state of India. Thus his madness is defined by his courageousness in fighting for freedom when there is no possibility of gaining any freedom. Overall, White Tiger offers an interesting and different look into the inner workings of India, and this different perspective will allow me to better access India’s chances of collapse.
I actually really like the White Tiger, because it's a very interesting plot, narrated with certain wittiness that makes you want to read more. The narrator offers insight that gives you a totally different perspective of India. I feel this is a great read, even for outside of school.
A thing I found interesting in Chapters Two and Three was the caste system as described by Balram. The ridiculousness of the caste system is exemplified on page 54-55 when the Stork decides on hiring Balram, arguing that having one or two servants from the bottom castes won't hurt their family. The duty of Balram's Halwai cast also struck me as fascinating. His caste is of sweet maker which I thought was very specific. Through this book, you really do get to see the importance of this social system. The caste structure really does affect the upbringing of many. I also love Balram's insightfulness. He is very perceptive with his "Men with Big Bellies" and "Men with Small Bellies" idea.
I found the mentioning of the Naxals terrorism group in the story to be relevant. In central India just two days ago, a Maoist group ambushed and killed 24 people in a convoy carrying politicians.
I am enjoying White Tiger as well. There is something terribly humorous about the novel. The most intriguing part of the book to me is the ignorance shown by the narrator. His misuse of the word entrepreneur is my favorite example of this.
The narrator's reference to himself as an entrepreneur is insightful into what the meaning of an entrepreneur in India is. It is apparent that the narrator is little more than a household servant, who occasionally drives his bosses around. He does not appear to be some wealthy successful businessman giving advice to a Chinese Premier.
Although he is somewhat entrepreneurial in the way he attempts to improve his occupation, much of his description of other entrepreneurs further discredits him. He frequently proudly proclaims that there are many entrepreneurs in India, yet he frequently describes various Indians as greedy, unemployed, and lazy. For example, the man who teaches him to drive could be seen as an entrepreneur by the narrators standards, despite his apparent laziness.
Ultimately, the ignorant usage of the word entrepreneur is comical to the reader and provides insight into the cultural practices of India. As we begin our investigation into India, it is important to understand the cultural practices of this distinct society. In that respect, White TIger has been wonderful.
I'm realizing how much more difficult it is to comment at the /end/ of the thread, rather than the beginning! Now that the scene with the caste system has already been discussed...
I have nothing really to add regarding the caste system. It does show how vital the system is to India's infrastructure. Ian's basically right.
Jake and Moody both mentioned the ironic humor, and I also enjoy that aspect of the novel. Aravind Adiga is very, very clever with his use of language, and I think it's very intentional. I'd like to expand on the point that Moody made about Balram's language being relevant to Indian culture.
I believe there's something more to the fact that Balram calls himself an "entrepreneur," than simply revealing his hypocrisy, or the general ignorance or stupidity of the Indian population. I think in many parts of the story, we see Balram using language which he believes puts him at a higher status; on the level of someone in power like Wen Jiabao or even Ashok. But, his lower status is revealed when he uses these words incorrectly, or overuses them. We've seen the phrase "What a fucking joke," quite a few times so far, in addition to "entrepreneur." I think it's important also to understand the significance and the cause, as well- what is Adiga trying to tell us about India?
If this novel is indicative of Indian culture, then it is strange and worth analyzing that the first (real) sentence of the book is, "Neither you nor I speak English, but there are some things that can be said only in English." What is the significance of English as a language? I think it has something to do with Balram's aspirations to be "English" in status- we see an example of this when he and the other servant go out to buy the liquor. English represents a status, a class. It puts people on the same level as those who can speak English, those in power.
In that case, if English is so important, than India's cultural independence is still evolving. In many ways, Indians like Balram believe the English system to actually be better than attempted reformers'. The dependence on the broken English system (Jake's discussion of the voting booth scene) causes a lot of problems in India that include corruption, on top of pollution and poverty.
My final point is, when we evaluate India's role in the future world, we have to consider that independence may not be complete. It's a process that is still going through growing pains and backlash, and it may not be complete for a while. But, if we ask ourselves, what if India can overcome these obstacles, and India is currently growing despite them, then will India attain unprecedented growth?
I've actually really liked reading White Tiger. It's been pretty fast-paced, so it doesn't have the drag of a didactic story that's trying to shove a point down your throat. However, it also tries to bring a point about India's corrupt government and caste system through the use of irony and sarcasm (which I happen to love). My favorite thing about the book is that the narrator himself admits that he is lazy & doesn't vote, yet he is one of the best entrepreneurs. Apart from the political commentary, this book lends itself to a great social commentary. I don't have much more to add because everything I found interesting has already been stated by my peers, and I don't want to be redundant, but it's been a genuinely enjoyable read, and isn't the type of book that you read simply because you "have" to.
Our "entrepreneur" may not merit his epithet in the ways we normally associate with it, but his remarkable ability to freely express his psyche and self-determination within his caste system reveals his dedication to the sort of "entrepreneurial" spirit bred into him by his society. He does not let back, to the point of ironic comedy, something that true entrepreneurs are not afraid of.
The discrepancy between his assumed free will about his success and the entrenched caste system are both humorous and tragic. Balram is stuck between two worlds, revealing both the difficulties of both reconciling two mindsets and, as a whole, of India's arduous transition from an old stratified society to a modern global one.
Ultimately, entrepreneurs are about selling themselves, and the whole book has been about how his selling his life to the reader.
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