title: The White Tiger by: Adiga, Aravind published: 2008-04-22 read: 2020-08 preview

The moment you recognize what is beautiful in this world, you stop being a slave.

How do you become independent? Not depending? The main character, living in India, starting from small means.  A success story? Far from it.  But his way out seems to be to become a chauffeur of the wealthy.  And increasingly successful at it.  So much that he manages to get his own apartment.  But then… he unfortunately kills his “master” – who had it coming, but that does not improve the situation.

Central, thus, is India’s socio-economic disparities. About Balram Halwai, a poor villager who rises to become a successful entrepreneur in modern India.

The book is written through the eyes of the antihero, the driver.  He relates the story of his life. His servitude exposes him to India’s corruption and ruthlessness of India’s wealthy elite. And Balram thus wonders the strict caste system in which he grew up. You can see him sitting in his den while he writes this, the heat, the darkness, around him. 

Darkness? Perhaps caused by the sequence of crimes committed by Balram, with murder the final act. And stealing the victim’s money, which allows Balram to start his company. But Balram is also forced to take blame for crimes done by his employer’s wife. So, all’s good again?

A rich man’s body is like a premium cotton pillow, white and soft and blank. ‘Ours’ is different. My father’s spine was a knotted rope…The story of a poor man’s life is written on his body, in a sharp pen.

The book shows contemporary Indian society where the rich continue to exploit the poor, keeping them trapped in cycles of poverty and servitude.

I enjoyed reading the book.