Discuss the way Adige has utilized literary techniques to position his audience to respond to Balram in this way.”

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Aravind Adiga’s novel, The White Tiger, discusses the life of entrepreneurial India, Balram. Moving from a weak frightened boy living in what he calls the ‘darkness’, a place of poverty and cruel leaders, he moves up the social hierarchy to the point were he becomes a CEO of a large business corporation. In a letter format to a Chinese minister he conveys his personal thoughts on India’s corruption, the difficulty of social mobility and the change in his own person identity during his life. The readers of this text are forced to form an emotional bond with the protagonist and empathises with him to the extent that a friendship is formed between the two. This bond is achieved through many different literary techniques used by Adiga such as monologue, the plot and the imagery achieved throughout his writing to develop Balram’s character as a likeable person.

Adiga’s use of monologue is key to the formation of this emotional bond between the reader and Balram as it gives a direct insight into his opinions and reasoning. Throughout the text Balram conveys his story in a first person perspective and often adds his own thoughts as well as perspective on the events. An example of this opinion giving is when Balram states “in this country we have two kind of people”. These kinds of thoughts are commonly displayed throughout the text and characterise him to be an intelligent, interesting person, despite being only “half-baked”. This forces the reader to start to like his character and appreciate his potential. The use of monologue also allows Adiga to further develop Balram’s character with the use of tone. Throughout the text Balram sustains a humorous yet condescending tone again furthering the reader’s appreciation towards him. An ex...

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...r he now process over the light and how he can make it conform to his command. Imagery has been used throughout the text to display the theme of identity and allows the reader to empathise with his need to escape and become ‘The White Tiger’.
The characterisation of Balram throughout the book has been achieved through the use of several key techniques that enables Adiga to force the reader to like, sympathises and even become friendly with a killer. Overall we side with Balram because he is depicted as a true human, with flaws, hopes and dreams. In this all reader can relate some part of their life to his situation and a level of understanding is reached between the reader and Balram. He is like because of his perceptiveness, humour and ambitions. In light of these aspects and with constant justification it is easy for the reader to side with him.

By: Jack O’Brien

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