Exploring the Theme and Characters in White Tiger

Exploring the Theme and Characters in White Tiger

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand and explain the main theme and important characters in the novel White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.

Introduce the learning objective and explain the importance of understanding the theme and characters in a novel.

What do you already know about White Tiger?

About the Author

Aravind Adiga is an Indian author and journalist. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2008 for his debut novel White Tiger.

Provide a brief introduction to the author and explain the significance of winning the Man Booker Prize.

Setting

The novel is set in India, primarily in the city of Bangalore, and the rural village of Laxmangarh.

Introduce the setting of the novel and show images of the locations to help students visualize the environment.

Narrative Style

The novel is written in the first-person narrative style, with the protagonist Balram Halwai narrating the story.

Explain the narrative style of the novel and how it affects the reader's understanding of the story.

Plot Summary

The novel tells the story of Balram Halwai, a poor Indian driver, who becomes disillusioned with the corruption and inequality in Indian society and decides to take matters into his own hands.

Provide an overview of the plot of the novel and highlight the main events that occur.

Themes

The novel explores themes of corruption, poverty, inequality, and the struggle for social mobility.

Introduce the themes of the novel and explain how they are explored throughout the story.

Characters - Balram Halwai

Balram Halwai is the protagonist of the novel. He is a poor Indian driver who becomes disillusioned with the corruption and inequality in Indian society and decides to take matters into his own hands.

Introduce the protagonist of the novel and provide a brief character analysis of Balram Halwai.

Characters - Ashok

Ashok is the son of Balram's employer and becomes his friend. He represents the privileged class and the corruption and hypocrisy that comes with it.

Introduce the character of Ashok and explain his significance in the novel.

Characters - Pinky Madam

Pinky Madam is Ashok's wife and represents the privileged class and the corruption and hypocrisy that comes with it.

Introduce the character of Pinky Madam and explain her significance in the novel.

Characters - The Stork

The Stork is Balram's childhood friend who becomes a successful businessman. He represents the possibility of social mobility in Indian society.

Introduce the character of The Stork and explain his significance in the novel.

Symbols - White Tiger

The White Tiger is a symbol of rebellion and freedom. It represents Balram's desire to break free from the constraints of Indian society.

Explain the symbolism of the White Tiger and how it is used in the novel.

Discussion Questions

What do you think the author's message is in the novel? Which character do you identify with the most and why? How does the setting of the novel affect the story?

Provide discussion questions to encourage critical thinking about the novel and its themes.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.