Saturday, March 6, 2010
Servants Vs. Servants
To me one of the most interesting aspects of Adiga's The White Tiger is the relationships between servants. Although we know life is a power struggle, to see each caste with its own competition is very important in Adiga's novel. It helps emphasize the fact that everyone is a servant to someone. Even Ashok is a servant to his father as well as the government that he continually has to pay off. The key is to be the "rich" servant. We see this even among servants in the same business, such as with the drivers. Balram is constantly trying to be seen as better than Vitiligo Lips and the others. This is partly why he dons the look of a rich man and goes through the doors of the mall. Everyone is trying to prove that they are not on the very bottom. This is also illustrated through the envy of the uniform. To most of us, it seems odd to want to wear a uniform everyday. This is not the case in this novel, though. The minute Balram recieves his uniform, the respect he receives in his village skyrockets. In a world that focuses on upward mobility, even the smallest step up is significant.
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The focus on upward mobility is characteristic of those in Balram's village and as we discussed a symptom of extreme poverty and desperation. Those that do not escape cling to those that have achieved some semblance of success and are almost in awe of it: the fear of touching the uniform or the Honda City. Nevertheless, with adoration comes extortion ie: Granny's threats to notify Balram's masters of his 'wickedness' and greed in his refusal to send money to the family. The suggestion of his marriage drives Balram to throw off the noose they are trying to fit him with and he goes to the black fort thinking of how his brother has wasted away similar to his father. It is clear that there is hierarchy even in desperation. Animals still need eat or be eaten.
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