In the Jungle is a white tiger at fault for killing a weak lamb? Balram, a young boy from the slums of India must seize the opportunity to escape India’s corrupt jungle. Balram is determined to escape his cage, no matter what the consequences. He will commit one murder if he can become a free man. Balram justifies murdering Ashok in order to live as the man his father wished, to be subservient to no one and escape the destiny that the Indian jungle had planned for him.
The quest to break free from the life that was planned for him by his grandmother and society begins when Balram is young. He is praised for his intellect and called by the school inspector, a white tiger, "the rarest of animals -- the creature that comes along only once in a generation"(30). Balram is set apart …show more content…
He knew even as a boy, "what was beautiful in the world: I was destined not to stay a slave"(35). His father also saw greatness in him. His father wanted Balram to stay in school and read and write to have a better future. He says, "My whole life, I have been treated like a donkey. All I want is that one son of mine - at least one - should live like a man"(26). Balram was deeply affected by his father 's brutal life. His father lived a hard life as a rick-shaw puller, Balram describes his father as, "a human beast of burden"(23). Balram 's father died a horrible death from tuberculosis right in front of him. Balram refers to his father hurting his destiny when he talks about his father not fighting back. Balram 's father had a harder job than his sweet-maker dad. He had became a rick-shaw puller since he, "had not the belly to fight back"(54) for his family 's sweet shop, around the time the British left in 1947. The caste system ended and India became a place of, "only two destinies:eat-or get eaten"(54). Balram will not allow himself to become weak from his work like his father instead he will use his jobs in the tea shops to learn
The quest to break free from the life that was planned for him by his grandmother and society begins when Balram is young. He is praised for his intellect and called by the school inspector, a white tiger, "the rarest of animals -- the creature that comes along only once in a generation"(30). Balram is set apart …show more content…
He knew even as a boy, "what was beautiful in the world: I was destined not to stay a slave"(35). His father also saw greatness in him. His father wanted Balram to stay in school and read and write to have a better future. He says, "My whole life, I have been treated like a donkey. All I want is that one son of mine - at least one - should live like a man"(26). Balram was deeply affected by his father 's brutal life. His father lived a hard life as a rick-shaw puller, Balram describes his father as, "a human beast of burden"(23). Balram 's father died a horrible death from tuberculosis right in front of him. Balram refers to his father hurting his destiny when he talks about his father not fighting back. Balram 's father had a harder job than his sweet-maker dad. He had became a rick-shaw puller since he, "had not the belly to fight back"(54) for his family 's sweet shop, around the time the British left in 1947. The caste system ended and India became a place of, "only two destinies:eat-or get eaten"(54). Balram will not allow himself to become weak from his work like his father instead he will use his jobs in the tea shops to learn