Prey or Predator: Probing the Undercurrents of Class in Adiga’s The White Tiger

Abstract

The current study is an endeavor to investigate the undercurrents of the class by keeping in its center the lines of social stratification which pervade through the general and specific levels of society. The core of this research is to analyze the nature of class permeating Adiga’s fiction. It takes into account the trends of modern capitalism which can aptly be illustrated by seeking guidance from the theoretical framework of Marxist critical theory. Additionally, it tends to inquire whether the level of consciousness attained by working class members makes them eligible for wheeling an organized movement or not. The current elucubration confirms to the parameters of qualitative research and encompasses Adiga’s The White Tiger (2008) as its primary source of data. The selected text has been subjected to close textual analysis. Extensive reading of the novel brings forth the outcomes which have been interpreted in the light of much-celebrated Marxist concepts. The results vividly indicate that class segregation and class consciousness thrive in Adiga’s fictional expedition. It seems as if the characters gradually develop class consciousness and exercise it within their social circle. The contemporary period is under the spell of capitalism and globalization which certifies the segmentation of human societies on the basis of social class. This work can undoubtedly assist cultural studies. It can also lend a helping hand to the social theorists attempting to comprehend the pros and cons of social stratification in society at large.