The White Tiger is a hilarious satire written by Aravind Adiga. Set in modern-day India, Adiga addresses problems of the country through the story of a murder, Balram Halwai. The novel is written in the form of a letter to Premier Wen Jia Bao of China. India is a rising country alongside of China and while both these countries are rising economically, they both have problems that should be discussed. The novel explains that one reason that India is rising is because of its large technology industry. As Balram says in the novel: “…we entrepreneurs-have set up all these outsourcing companies that virtually run America now.” And while the novel boasts about India, it also satirizes issues such as corruption and poverty.
Why is the book named The White Tiger? The white tiger is the “the rarest of animals-the creature that comes along only once in a generation”. Balram is the white tiger. His story is of his change from a servant, a driver, to a successful entrepreneur working in Bangalore. What was part of the process though, was the murder of his master. Although Balram is a murderer, I found him absolutely entertaining. Adiga has great author's craft. For example, he gives details from a wanted poster to weave Balram's explanation of his crime into the novel. But what is best about Adiga's writing is the voice. The humor and satire of Balram’s voice brings out the seriousness in the issues he addresses. The humor of the novel is already apparent from the first page where Balram describes Beijing as the "Capital of the Freedom-loving Nation of China". Another example of Balram's voice is when he talks about the corruption education he was given by saying: “If the Indian village is a paradise, then the school is a paradise within a paradise.” Right afterwards, he then says that the teachers stole their lunch money. Balram's humorous voice carries throughout the novel and contrasts with the serious issues he talks about.
This novel, although a great laugh, also prompts the readers to think about the serious problems of India. This book is a perfect read at a time like now, when India is rapidly growing economically. Adiga writes this satire well, with strong voice and a captivating plot. This is an excellent book to read for both teenagers and adults.