The White Tiger written by Aravind Adiga

1. Symbolism
The white tiger by Aravind Adiga

2. What is Symbolism ?
• Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify
idea and qualities, by giving them symbolic
meanings that are different from their literal
sense.
• Symbolism means use of symbol like object,
characters. Figures or colour to represent
abstract ideas, concept or qualities”

3. • The white Tiger
• The Darkness
• The Black Fort
• The Chandelier
• Honda Citizen
• The Rooster Coop
• Delhi City

4. The white Tiger
• Myth of Yin & Yang
• Symbol for rare talent
• Man VS Nature
• “You, young man, are an
intelligent, honest, vivacious
fellow in this crowd of thugs
and idiots. In any jungle, what
is the rarest of animals—the
creature that comes along only
once in a generation?”
“The white tiger.”
“That’s what you are,
in this jungle.”

5. The Darkness
• India is two countries in
one..
• “The ocean bring light
to my country. Every
place on the map of
India near the ocean is
well off. But (The
Ganges) river brings
darkness to India – the
black river”

6. The Black Fort
• The Black fort stands on the crest of a hill
overlooking the village, the Black fort is a symbol
of the extreme poverty and Darkness and fear.
• The architectural centerpiece of Balram’s village.
As a child he is afraid to go alone, but he
conquers this fear as he gets order. It later
becomes his sanctuary, where he goes to
contemplate his misfortune.
• The Fort is located high on a hill, and as he looks
down on his village, he vows to escape from the
Rooster Coop and never to return

7. The Chandelier
• Symbol for light in
darkness.
• It shows Balram’s
struggle to get out from
poverty and slavery.
• “It makes me happy to
see a chandelier. Why
not, I’m a free man; let
me buy all the
chandeliers I want.”

8. Honda City
• This is the more luxurious
of the 2 cars owned by the
Stork's family. When
Balram is 1st hired as a
driver, he is never allowed
to drive this car. When he is
promoted and able to drive
the Honda, he feels like he
has “made it” in life. Later
in the story, Balram secretly
takes the car out at night on
his own, pretending to be
wealthy.

9. The Rooster Coop
• Symbol of Master-slave relationship.
• India’s poor people see one another crushed by the wealthy
and powerful, defeated by the staggering inequality of
Indian society, but are unable to escape the same fate.
• The Rooster Coop Balram describes is one that’s “guarded
from the inside.”
• Balram believes that the traditional Indian family unit keeps
the Rooster Coop of social inequality alive. If a servant
attempts to escape or disobeys his employer, the superior’s
family will punish the servant by murdering or brutally
torturing his family. In this way, familial loyalty and love
become weaknesses in the context of rooster coop logic.

10. Delhi City
• Symbol of Rich and
Poor, Life.
• Environmental, Social,
Cultural, Political and
Moral drawbacks.
Traffic Jam, Corruption
and Pollution are such
problems which are
chiefly tackled by
Adiga.

11. Lizard
• Symbol of Darkness, Fear and
Phobia.
• Represent the fears, cultural
values, superstitions that trapped
Balram in the Darkness, many of
which he seems to still fear hold
him back.
• “Now, you may find it incredible
that a boy in a village would be
frightened of a lizard. Rats,
snakes, monkeys, and mongooses
don't bother me at all. On the
contrary—I love animals. But
lizards…each time I see one, no
matter how tiny, it's as if I turn
into a girl. My blood freezes.”

12. Works sited
• (Kasbekar)
• (Virajee)
• (Scopa)
• (Lancy)
• Google Image