Book review> White Tiger

Read a couple of books over the last week. One was Jim Corbett’s ‘My India/ Jungle Lore/ Tree Tops’ omnibus. The other was the Booker Prize winning ‘White Tiger’ by Aravind Adiga. By a strange coincidence both of them spin their tales around the Gangetic plain – of simple village folk from UP and Bihar and the stories that surround them. One, a book by a white man writing about India. Another, a brown man writing about India.

Let me begin with Adiga’s White Tiger. It is a compelling read from start to finish. It spins the tale of a boy born into poverty, then kicked around, he’s facing a life of destitution. His helplessness gives us an idea of the helplessness of every person who’s had the misfortune to be born into the lawless black hole that is Bihar/ UP. Most of the characters are painted to be cruel, selfish, greedy, crafty and dumb and victims of the scenario into which they are born. Being marginally cleverer than the rest of the yokels, this lad dreams of getting out. He lands a job as a driver, is ridiculed, sexually frustrated and disillusioned with his master. Ultimately, he is driven to murder him and in doing so, cause his family of 17 to be slaughtered back in the village. He sees this as the only way to get ahead in life. And he gets away with it to lead a prosperous life as a taxi entrepreneur in Bangalore. End of story. A fascinating glimpse into a twisted mind and a superficial look at the life that the savagery of extreme poverty forces you to lead. It’s a good read. It is troubling. Balram’s moral dilemma is not too difficult to comprehend because there isn’t too much of a dilemma to start with. He is remorseless and did what he had to, to get ahead. It leaves a lot to ponder. Where does Darwinian instinct for survival end and morally reprehensible crime begin? As tempting as it is to pick out flaws, such as the contrived ‘letter to the PM of China’ device, I would recommend this book as a good read. It’s a great achievement, considering it’s his first novel and I’m looking forward to his next. About the other book, the Corbett omnibus, I cannot be too objective. Corbett is one of my favourite people/ writers. I discovered Corbett in boyhood and I think every boy should read Corbett. A combination of old-school manners, giant heart, courage and simplicity. His greatest feat was to present his anecdotes, astonishing acts of bravery, kindness and human strength without any gloss or exaggeration. He merely chronicles them, explaining events patiently to you, in a matter-of-fact manner. He is an astute judge of human nature and his insights into the life of peasants and hill-folk around Kalladhungie and Nainital make you see things their way. The accounts of India by Corbett make you love India, make you wistful for how things were. It is not inaccurate but Corbett chooses simply to speak well about the people he meets. It’s not a deliberate attempt at manipulation. It’s just how Corbett is. It was the code of the gentlemen of that era. It was bad form to speak ill of people you know.

White Tiger differs from this because it offers you a view of India that makes you shudder. Go and buy it. It’s money well spent. Or you can always borrow mine. I don’t think I’ll re-read this. Jim Corbett, like all my PG Wodehouses, will remain on my bookshelf forever.