Aravind Adiga's epistolary novel 'The White Tiger' is, at its core, a story of 'decay and corruption', told through the eyes of Balram Halwai, a man born in the “darkness” of India. The narrative comments on the vast inequalities of corruption in modern India on a systematic and individual level. That being said, there is a certain – small – amount of morality and “humanity” demonstrated in the novel, however, this only highlights how corrupt and rotten Indian society truly is. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay From the perspective of anti-hero Balram Halwai, the reader experiences first-hand the “debauchery” present throughout India. Balram is depicted as a victim of this systematic inequality from birth. He was “born in the darkness” of India in Laxmangarh, a village with “defunct” and “broken” infrastructure, and children “too thin for their age”. This poverty within the village contrasts with the “four animals”. » – the owners who “feed off the village” -. These owners live in “high-walled mansions” and come to the village only to “steal” people. Furthermore, Balram explains early in the text how Indian "democracy" works, thereby reinforcing the depiction of India as a land of "corruption" and "scum." The fact that Balram is “India's most loyal voter” and yet has never been “in a polling booth” demonstrates how, in India, votes are sold. This corrupt democracy is protected by violence; people who wanted to vote are "murdered" and "driven into the ground" by politicians and the police themselves, representing not only the injustice of the system, but also its outright violence. This corruption of the political system is further affirmed by “The Great Socialist” – the “voice of the poor” – when he pressures the landlords for “one and a half million rupees” in order to continue “allowing” them. to steal coal from “government mines”. This represents not only corruption, a widespread problem across India, but also how the poor are "trapped" in darkness, because even those who claim to be "the voice of the... disenfranchised" are flying. Through Balram, the reader gets a deep insight into the rot and corruption that permeates every facet of Indian society. However, even as Balram highlights the lack of ethics in the Indian political and social system, it is important to remember that he himself is a man of "almost total dishonesty". He presents himself as a “monster” ready to see his family “hunted, beaten and burned alive” in order to become a “free man” and rise towards “the light” of India. Balram, although born in a bad situation, was never forced to murder Mr. Ashok. Balram chose to "pierce his throat", even though he claims to distinguish "good from evil", thus demonstrating that he is a "beast", a "pervert... of nature", devoid of all morality, and so a rotten man. . Even before Mr. Ashok's murder, Balram is described as a natural liar, lying that he had "four years of experience" as a driver in order to get his job with Mr. Ashok, and also lying to Ashok saying he “sends [money] home” to his family. This second lie is arguably more revealing of Balram's true nature in that it paints him not only as a liar, but also as a man with a complete and utter lack of empathy, or morality, towards of his family, foreshadowing his decision.