Money is a wonderful thing, except when people grow greedy for it. That is when a person’s worst is brought out. Greed for money and success is helpful to a certain point and then it becomes dangerous. Within the two books The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga and 419 by Will Ferguson the idea explored is that money outweighs people’s morals. Lawmen, politicians, lawyers, although they are there to fight for the law they can become corrupt if money is involved. It does not matter what job you have or how much money you make, there will always be ambition for more. There is a limit on how much guilt a person can have before it becomes an issue and unless they learn to accept the guilt it will crush them from within, Balram from The White Tiger and
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Both men are well educated men that choose to use their skills to break the law for money, this is because their ambitions for wealth and success are too strong and they can not reach their goals legally.
Lawmen, politicians, lawyers, criminals, all the same. Put money in front of them and they would all do the same thing, take it. It does not matter what job you have or how much money you make, there will always be ambition for more. Everyone was taught money was the key to success and success was the key to a better life, this is what makes it so easy for people to be corrupt. In The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga and 419 by Will Ferguson corruption among men of the law and politicians plays a huge role. In The White Tiger it is very simple, if illegal actions are to remain “unnoticed” then police, lawyers, and politicians must be paid. Truly “It’s amazing. The moment [he] [shows] cash, everyone knows [his] language.” (Adiga) Like money is the universal language. This is exactly like in 419 by Will Ferguson, Winston is confronted by a man nicknamed the Oga who promises him security from the law and prosecution in exchange …show more content…
That is why Balram and Winston have learned to live with it, because it gets easier to do it again if they know how to live with the guilt. They would do anything for money and that includes accepting the fact that they are monsters. To begin, Balram killed a man and the next week started a business, he never forgot about it but he never let it bother him either. He never let the guilt get to him cause he knows that it will slowly kill him. Balram got the job with Mr. Ashok then “Eight months later, [he] slit Mr. Ashok’s throat” (Adiga 36) for a bag of cash. Balram saw this man as a father and yet chose money over his life, and did not feel anything after because he knows guilt makes a person weak. Much like how the guilt of stealing people’s lives does not affect Winston from 419. He knows what happens to people he steals from and that he ruins their lives but he choses to continue doing it because to him, money is more important than people’s lives. Winston was a monster, “‘[He is] a thief and a murderer.’ ‘Hold [that] tongue [he is] not a thief, nor a murderer. [He is] an entrepreneur!’” (Ferguson 344) that is how he see’s himself. He believes what he is doing is just business and he is a businessman when in reality he is a criminal, like Balram. For Balram it is worse, he killed a man with his hands. Balram stood over this man “who is kind of like a second father” (Adiga 37)
Both men are well educated men that choose to use their skills to break the law for money, this is because their ambitions for wealth and success are too strong and they can not reach their goals legally.
Lawmen, politicians, lawyers, criminals, all the same. Put money in front of them and they would all do the same thing, take it. It does not matter what job you have or how much money you make, there will always be ambition for more. Everyone was taught money was the key to success and success was the key to a better life, this is what makes it so easy for people to be corrupt. In The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga and 419 by Will Ferguson corruption among men of the law and politicians plays a huge role. In The White Tiger it is very simple, if illegal actions are to remain “unnoticed” then police, lawyers, and politicians must be paid. Truly “It’s amazing. The moment [he] [shows] cash, everyone knows [his] language.” (Adiga) Like money is the universal language. This is exactly like in 419 by Will Ferguson, Winston is confronted by a man nicknamed the Oga who promises him security from the law and prosecution in exchange …show more content…
That is why Balram and Winston have learned to live with it, because it gets easier to do it again if they know how to live with the guilt. They would do anything for money and that includes accepting the fact that they are monsters. To begin, Balram killed a man and the next week started a business, he never forgot about it but he never let it bother him either. He never let the guilt get to him cause he knows that it will slowly kill him. Balram got the job with Mr. Ashok then “Eight months later, [he] slit Mr. Ashok’s throat” (Adiga 36) for a bag of cash. Balram saw this man as a father and yet chose money over his life, and did not feel anything after because he knows guilt makes a person weak. Much like how the guilt of stealing people’s lives does not affect Winston from 419. He knows what happens to people he steals from and that he ruins their lives but he choses to continue doing it because to him, money is more important than people’s lives. Winston was a monster, “‘[He is] a thief and a murderer.’ ‘Hold [that] tongue [he is] not a thief, nor a murderer. [He is] an entrepreneur!’” (Ferguson 344) that is how he see’s himself. He believes what he is doing is just business and he is a businessman when in reality he is a criminal, like Balram. For Balram it is worse, he killed a man with his hands. Balram stood over this man “who is kind of like a second father” (Adiga 37)