The White Tiger ICW

Thesis: The master and servant relationship in India’s Caste system creates an environment that unintentionally encourages homosexuality.

Quote/analysis 1: “So close that I could smell his aftershave—it was a delicious, fruitlike smell that day” (pg.7)This quote is a clear indication of Balram’s, more than friendly response to Mr. Ashok. His use of the words “that day” show that it wasn’t the first time he intentionally took a whiff of Ashok’s aftershave. Perfume has been used in many different cultures as a way to seduce and grab the attention of someone of interest. When Balram inhaled Mr. Ashok’s aftershave, he, in a sense, took bits of Mr. Ashok inside of him. “ The cologne from his skin—a lovely cologne—rushed into my nostrils for a heady instant while the smell of my servant’s sweat rubbed off onto his face”(pg. 65-66). Once more, Mr. Ashok’s smell crawls into Balram, however this time it is a combination of skin, sweat, and cologne. The mixture is something that neither men can ignore nor bother to forget. It was in this instance that the inconvenient attraction between both men began.

Quote/analysis 2: “Now that she was gone, I knew that it was my duty to be like a wife to him.” page 157. In this quote Balram is speaking of his transition to a “wife” figure to Mr. Ashok. He disregards his masculinity and instead becomes a transsexual Indian man. While the Caste system requires Balram to treat his master as a father and give them his utmost loyalty, he took it to the point where he saw it as a duty. Also, Balram seemed happy that Pinky Madam had left Ashok. Even though it meant that he had to deal with a broken hearted master, he knew that there was a way that he could win Mr. Ashok’s heart. There were some foreshad...

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...t was a moment where both men acknowledged the brewing sexual tension within them. The word “beak” is a reference to his penis, which is used throughout whenever something remotely sexual is brought up. Although it is a very crude way to speak about sex, we often find Balram thinking about intercourse with a variety of people. Whether it be about his brothers wedding night, to his heterosexual feelings toward Pinky Madam, or his abnormal closeness to Mr. Ashok. Overall, there is master - servant unintentionally encourages homosexuality.

Conclusion: The White Tiger provides a large amount of opportunities for homosexuality to be explored through the master - servant relationship. India’s Caste system creates an environment that unintentionally encourages homosexuality. The close relationship most masters and servants have allow them to feel yet repress this urges.