The White Tiger- Aravind Adiga

Chapter -5:  The Fifth Night Summary

P.Asmin Janisha,

Ι MA English Literature,

Holy Cross College (Autonomous),

Nagercoil-4.

Balram begins his letter to the Premier by introducing the metaphor “Rooster Coop”. He explains that a rooster coop traps hundred of hens and roosters tightly together in foul-smelling wire-mesh cages. Above all, the butchers will be slaughtering other chickens. Even though every rooster knows that they won’t ever try to escape. He takes the “Rooster Coop” as a symbol to represent the lower class people and servants. He further says that even though the servants have enough opportunities to cheat their masters and escape themselves from that place. They can do anything but they remain subservient rather than taking these opportunities. He provides more examples. While giving the example, he says that Indians are the world’s most honest people. He also says that 99.9% of servants and lower class people are caught in the rooster coop just like those guys in the poultry market.

He goes on talking about the mindset and trustworthiness of the servants. He also compares the servants with the diamonds. Masters trust them very much. He says that the Indian economy is based on the trustworthiness of the servants. He questions Premier whether they have something like this in China. After that he describes about the duties about the servants. He reasons, a few men in power have condemned 99.9% of the Indian population, who are otherwise equally qualified, to a state of eternal servitude. Only someone is willing to see his family which is tortured and murdered would be able to break out of the Rooster Coop. He says that it would take a “freak”, a “pervert”, a “White Tiger” such as himself, to take such a risk.

He then returns to his story, describing his terror in the wake of forced confession. He sit inside the mosquito net like a rooster coop. He thinks about the jail. At last, Vitilgo-Lips arrives and says that Mr.Ashok is calling him. The stork also arrives. He thinks that the stork will save him, but the Stork wants his feet to be massaged. Pinky Madam enters and asks that whether they have told the driver about the accident. No one replies. Later Mr.Ashok tells that their police contact has informed that no one comes forward to report about the accident. So that Balram’s confession will not be needed, after all. He goes and continues his regular duties. The Stork and Mongoose return to Dhanbad. One night, Pinky Madam awakes Balram and orders him to drop her in the airport. He obeys and she hands him a brown envelope full of money before she leaves. She returns to America. The marriage life of Pinky Madam and Mr.Ashok comes to an end.

Mr.Ashok blames and attacks him. He fights back to save his life. He tells that he did what Pinky Madam instructs him to do. After returning to his room he counts the money which was given to him by the Pinky Madam. It was 4,700 Rupees. At that time, four other drivers come and investigate about Pinky madam but he lies.

By the time Mr.Ashok is grief stricken and starts drinking heavily. He feeds him and takes care of him like a wife. On the 3^rd night, Mr.Ashok ordered him to take out around the town. Mr.Ashok vomits repeatedly and asks that what is the point of living. Balram tells stories to him and Mr.Ashok gets amused. It is certain that how much of his caring is genuine concern for Mr.Ashok and how much is his self-interest.

The Mongoose returns a week later and Mr.Ashok is overjoyed to see his brother. He becomes once again just as the driver. Balram gets angered by hearing Mr.Ashok’s conversation. Mr.Ashok says “I had nothing but this driver in front of me for five nights. Now at last I have someone real by my side”.

He prepares them dinner. At that time, Mongoose tells him, he has a letter from Granny Kusum and he starts reading it aloud without getting permission from Balram. Mr.Ashok scolds his brother, but Mongoose hesitated his words and starts reading his letter. The letter tells that the family needs more money, Granny hopes Balram to get married. She writes the letter to make sure that his employers know he is supposed to send money home.

The next day, he finds Mr.Ashok trying to message his own feet. He tries to help but Mr.Ashok screams and refuses to leave him alone. At night, he drives his master to the mall. While he waits for Mr.Ashok to return, he watches a train of donkeys being led past the car. He feels like one of them. He doesn’t want to obey his Granny. When he thinks about the marriage life, he finds that there are some good things, while thinking he has a panic attack. To calm his nerves, he gets into the lotus position and starts to meditate by uttering the word “OM”. When other drivers see that they laugh at him. He gets out of the car and pretends it as a joke. He tells them that he is pretending to do what he has seen on television.

He stops his story abruptly when the phone rings. There is an emergency at his work and so he signs off. Thus, this chapter ends.