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Definition of Motif
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of... read full definition
Key Examples in The White Tiger
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Coal:
Balram cannot shrug off his associations with coal, which follow him from Laxmangarh to Dhaban and even Delhi. In The White Tiger, coal powers tea shop furnaces, fills the air, and lines wallets. Its presence is a constant reminder of ill-gotten wealth and the extractive realities that underlie India’s breakneck pace of modernization.
Related Themes:
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Car:
For the son of a rickshaw driver looking to advance his station in life, the car combines both literal and figurative meanings of mobility. Drawing upon its familiar connotations of wealth and status, The White Tiger uses cars to trace Balram’s social ascendancy and provide a backdrop to his turmoil-ridden aspirations.
Related Themes:
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
In fitting service to its title, The White Tiger contains a wealth of references and similes to animals. Dogs, roosters, and tigers make their appearances at various points in the novel, drawing attention to the degrading circumstances of India’s underclass. Animals expose the limits of human dignity and provide forceful commentary about the country’s social system.
Related Themes:
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Clothing:
Clothing is often a matter of taste. In The White Tiger, it is also a political statement and a sign of status. Balram’s descriptions of clothing track the changes in social class and the political affiliations of its wearers. Through clothes, Balram observes India’s shifting socioeconomic landscape and narrates his own rise to power.
Related Themes:
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Language and Literacy:
Throughout Balram’s struggle for mobility, language and words matter nearly as much as money. Though Balram is forced to leave school at an early age, he cobbles together skills to read and write. As a servant, language allows him to outsmart his masters and reveals the privilege that literacy affords.
Related Themes:
