46 pages • 1 hour read
Aravind AdigaThe White Tiger
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga is a coming-of-age story that examines the conflict between tradition and innovation in India through the rise of Munna Balram Halwai to a successful entrepreneur in former Bangalore. The novel, narrated through letters to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, highlights Balram's journey from his village to the city, which includes corrupt dealings and a murder to achieve success. Includes racially charged language and sentiments, a death by tuberculosis, and murder, including the accidental death of a child.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger is an engaging and darkly humorous critique of India's class struggles. Reviewers praise its sharp social commentary and vivid, candid prose. However, some find the protagonist's moral ambiguities unsettling and the depiction of poverty overly bleak. Overall, it offers a provocative, thought-provoking narrative.
Who Should Read The White Tiger?
Readers who appreciate incisive social commentary and complex character studies will enjoy The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. Fans of Slumdog Millionaire and The God of Small Things will find its exploration of poverty and ambition in modern India captivating and thought-provoking.