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Balram’s natural intelligence and integrity set him apart from his peers from an early age. On one occasion, his academic prowess so impresses a visiting school inspector that the official calls him a “White Tiger”: the most noble and intelligent animal in the jungle. Throughout his life, Balram’s concept of himself as a White Tiger and as an exceptional person motivates him to advocate for himself and fight for his own advancement. His conviction that he is somehow special also causes him to feel exempt from traditional moral and legal standards, empowered to live life on his own terms.
The morning before he murders his master Ashok, Balram encounters a white tiger in the Delhi zoo. After locking eyes with the animal and fainting on the spot, he decides to commit the murder and dictates a letter to his grandmother Kusum apologizing in advance, and explaining that he cannot live in a cage any longer. Balram’s identification with his namesake emboldens him and convinces him that he is justified in moving forward with his plan.
The White Tiger Quotes in The White Tiger
The The White Tiger quotes below all refer to the symbol of The White Tiger. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1: The First Night
Quotes
“You, young man, are an intelligent, honest, vivacious fellow in this crowd of thugs and idiots. In any jungle, what is the rarest of animals—the creature that comes along only once in a generation?”
“The white tiger.”
“That’s what you are, in this jungle.”
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The White Tiger LitChart as a printable PDF.
The White Tiger Symbol Timeline in The White Tiger
The timeline below shows where the symbol The White Tiger appears in The White Tiger. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: The First Night
...singles him out for his academic promise and integrity. The man calls Balram a “ White Tiger ,” the rarest and most noble animal in the jungle, and promises him a scholarship....
(full context)
Chapter 5: The Fifth Night
...family unit is the reason the Rooster Coop stays intact, and that it takes a White Tiger , someone willing to see his family destroyed, to escape.
(full context)
Chapter 7: The Sixth Night
...knowledge of the crime he plans to commit. When he and Dharam come upon a white tiger pacing back and forth in his cage, Balram locks eyes with the animal and faints....
(full context)
Chapter 8: The Seventh Night
...eliminate his competition and make him appear as a legitimate businessman, he creates his “start-up”: White Tiger Drivers.
(full context)
White Tiger Drivers is an immediate success, and Balram quickly becomes a wealthy man. He renames himself...
(full context)
