Balram’s Mother Character Analysis in The White Tiger

Balram’s mother dies when he is a young boy in Laxmangahr. Though she is a minor figure in the background of his life, Balram recounts that she had great ambitions for him, her favorite son, and insisted he finish his education. There was lifelong tension between Balram’s mother and grandmother Kusum, who does not believe in helping Balram realize his potential. Witnessing his mother’s funeral on the banks of the Ganges as a child, Balram understands the hopelessness and futility of her life, and resolves to make a better future for himself as she would have wanted.

Balram’s Mother Character Timeline in The White Tiger

The timeline below shows where the character Balram’s Mother appears in The White Tiger. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Ganges River, where religious Hindus have cremated their dead for centuries and where Balram’s own mother was cremated when he was a young boy. He describes the traumatic experience of her... (full context)