The White Tiger by Ellen Shanley https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n Does Balram demonstrate free will in determining his future, or are forces outside of himself more responsible for controlling his life? What are your thoughts? en-us 2019-10-31 00:20:06 UTC 2022-11-07 03:24:16 UTC hello@padlet.com Arguments https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404819894 A rich man can easily get his own way by twisting the rules with his financial muscle power

Immorality has been portrayed at both top and bottom without a single positive character

Balram shows a ambition to rise above his predetermined fate to be born and die in the darkness

The division between the two classes is definitely not as regional as reproduced but economic and may possible by social

Response
Deswal believes that Balram demonstrates free will as he was the one to make the choices he made to get out of the darkness + into the light of India - through his own actions of murder.]]> 2019-10-31 02:39:03 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404819894 https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404819997 The argument about not having a name allow's balram to create his own destiny and create his own fate. This is because it allows barlam to decide who he wants to be and move away from the caste he is in. ]]> 2019-10-31 02:39:21 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404819997 Balram IS in Control of his destiny https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820113
  • Awareness of your unconscious self will lead to mutability
  • The white tiger connects to Balram's unconscious self
  • Balram is aware of his unconscious self
  • Ashok is also aware of his unconscious self at parts but not brave enough to see it through

    • ]]>     2019-10-31 02:39:47 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820113     https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820600 Balram does not forge a new unique identity, rather he emulates the identities of others. At the end he changes his name to Ashok which is symbollic of his transformation into master.]]> 2019-10-31 02:41:42 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820600 Balram has control over his destiny https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820716 1. Balram's mutability and lack of record of identity, name etc. and his awareness of this (free will) means that he can get away with murder with minimal consequences - takes advantage of his low status and his "non-identity" 
    2. Most servants force their yearnings for freedom to their unconscious minds but Balram breaks away and uses his free will to make his own choices.
    3. Balram has mutability due to his class and has found a loophole in the system where he can kill his master and steal his identity (freely breaks away from the constraints of society) ]]>     2019-10-31 02:42:07 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820716     Agree https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820851 We agree with Deswal's argument that Balram shows an ambition to rise above his predetermined fate and that the division between the two classes is definitely not as regional as Adiga illustrates (there is more than just the rich and poor). We also agree that a rich man, in this book, can easily get his own way by twisting the rules with his financial power - as seen in the 'hit and run' incident, where Balram nearly had to take the blame for the child's murder. ]]> 2019-10-31 02:42:43 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404820851 https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404821157 'He faints at this moment as he does later in front of the white tiger's cage. Fainting seems to bring him closer to the realm of anti-being as a metaphorical death, where he can then reshape himself into any Being he chooses.' I think this is just a bit silly and definitely reads into his fainting spells a bit too much.]]> 2019-10-31 02:43:50 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404821157 Disagree https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404821610 However, we disagree with Deswal's argument that immorality has been portrayed at both top and bottom without a single positive character as while there were obvious 'negative influences' in most characters, there were some underlying minor characters that showed positive characteristics. Not every single character in the book was negative - Dharam. ]]> 2019-10-31 02:45:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404821610 Deswal POV https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404821849 "The writer presents a riveting tale of the realistic anti-hero Balram Halwai, who although born in the most humble surrounding, harbours a marlowesque ambition to rise above his predetermined fate to be born and die in “the darkness” and achieves it through his ruthless planning of the murder of his master Ashok."
    - he argues that Balram took initiative of his own fate and determined his own future by his own actions. He had many chances to give up and let his future in the darkness take over but he kept fighting and making life decisions for himself to climb up the socio-economic ladder and make it to living in the light]]>     2019-10-31 02:46:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404821849     Quotes https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404822561 "The Stork's son opened his eyes - just as I pierced his neck - and his lifeblood spurted into my eyes. I was blind. I was a free man." - pg 285

    "Servants have to keep other servants from becoming innovators, experimenters or entrepreneurs." pg 194

    "India is two countries in one: India of light and an India of darkness. The ocean brings light to my country. But [the Ganges] river brings darkness to India - the black river." pg 14

    "Let animals love like animals; let humans live like humans. That's my whole philosophy in a sentence." pg 237]]>     2019-10-31 02:49:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404822561     https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404822952 The Persona of the white tiger allows Balram to feel although his name brings him power compared to his family name "Halwi" a constant reminder of his fate in the darkness. The fact it is the white tiger represents the light. 

    ]]>     2019-10-31 02:51:30 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404822952     Waller argues that Balram has is advantaged because he can steal the identity of his master. Why wouldn't other servants do the same thing? https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404823003 2019-10-31 02:51:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404823003 Mixed Reaction https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404823572 We have a mixed reaction to Deswal's notion of whether Balram demonstrates free will in determining his fate, as Deswal discusses how by his interpretation Adiga promotes the idea that one's fate is predetermined (especially for those in poverty/'the darkness') unless they kill their 'master'/superior. We believe that Adiga leans more toward the notion of free will in some of Blaram's decsion making, however there are also clearly events which occur in the novel that one could argue were the result of fate.]]> 2019-10-31 02:54:34 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404823572 Balram's mutability: Though Waller says that with a lack of definition in society it "becomes theindividual's burden or opportunity to take advantage of this mutability" In such a society, there is often little to no oppurtunity for one to use their own free will and move up in social class. https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404824192 2019-10-31 02:56:12 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404824192 Arguments https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404824380 Deswal repeatedly mentions the fact that the novel has a lot of social structure, and that it people are destined to follow the path that they were born into (people in Darkness stay in Darkness, people in Lightness stay in Lightness). Whilst he doesn't explicitly state his point of view on whether it was fate or his own doing, it can be assumed that Deswal believes it was own doing. This is because Balram makes choices that allow him to break free from the path that he was "destined" to follow due to his caste/social class. ]]> 2019-10-31 02:56:38 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404824380 https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404824552 Balram has mutability and is aware of his unconscoius ]]> 2019-10-31 02:57:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404824552 "The more I stole from him, the more I realized how much he had stolen from me... I was growing a belly at last" (231). https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404825154 In this quote here, it appears as though Balram's realization of his situation has enabled him to act accordingly and "get ahead of the system". However, despite this perceived new-found independence, Balram's actions simply seem to be mirroring the behaviours his corrupted boss. This notion is supported by Waller's article, in which she describes how identities are not created, but rather emulated.

    ]]>     2019-10-31 03:00:05 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404825154     https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404825617 Waller makes it seem simple how Balram breaks away from his role in society and steals his master's identity when it wouldn't be as easy as she makes it out to be.]]> 2019-10-31 03:02:31 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404825617 Agree https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404825905 2019-10-31 03:04:12 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404825905 jkkllllll https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404827596 2019-10-31 03:12:58 UTC https://padlet.com/ellenshanley/qrolq1iz0b1n/wish/404827596