SOCIOPATHIC PERSONALITY AS SEEN IN THE MAIN
CHARACTER OF ARAVIND ADIGA’S THE WHITE TIGER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
EKA SHANTI BUDI ASIH
Student Number: 044214047
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
SOCIOPATHIC PERSONALITY AS SEEN IN THE MAIN
CHARACTER OF ARAVIND ADIGA’S THE WHITE TIGER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
EKA SHANTI BUDI ASIH
Student Number: 044214047
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Eka Shanti Budi Asih
Nomor mahasiswa : 044214047
Demi perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
SOCIOPATHIC PERSONALITY AS SEEN IN THE MAIN CHARACTER OF ARAVIND ADIGA’S THE WHITE TIGER
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 15 Oktober 2011 Yang menyatakan
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank and express my greatest gratitude to Jesus Christ for His blessing, love, and guidance to finish this undergraduate thesis. I would like to give my deepest gratitude to my father Eddy Santoso, my mother Isnaningsih, my brother Yanuar and my sister Ajeng. Their love and support gave me the strength to finish this thesis.
I would like to thank my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum. for her time, guidance, help and supports in correcting my thesis. I also would like to thank my co-advisor Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. for the advice and correction to this work. I also thank for all the lecturers and the staff (especially Mbak Nik) in the English Letters Department for all their guidance and help during my study.
I would like to thank all my friends, Bernard, Irine, Troy, Deva, Echi, Deon and Meme for the togetherness in finishing our thesis. I also thank forall my college friends, Fian, Astrid, Toni, Diah, Dhinar, Galon for the fun time in class and thanks to all my friends in the English Letters Department whom I have not mentioned yet. I also thank my family, especially my cousins, Arie, Tyas, Hoho, Ita and Adit for encouraging me all the time in working on my thesis and for the laugh we have shared. I greatly thank Hanes for his support and all the things that he has done along the process of writing this thesis.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE... i
APPROVAL PAGE... ii
ACCEPTANCE... iii
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI...iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... v
TABLE OF CONTENT... vi
ABSTRACT... vii
ABSTRAK... viii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION... 1
A. Background of the Study... 1
B. Problem Formulation... 5
C. Objectives of the Study... 5
D. Definition of Terms... 6
CHAPTER II: THEORITICAL REVIEW... 7
A. Review of Related Studies... 7
B. Review of Related Theories... 9
1. Theories of Character and Characterization... 9
2. Theories of Setting... 10
3. Theories of Social Psychology... 11
4. Theories of Antisocial Personality Disorder... 12
C. Theoritical Framework... 17
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY... 18
A. Object of the Study... 18
B. Approach of the Study... 19
C. Method of the Study... 20
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS... 22
A. The Characteristics of Balram Halwai... 22
B. The Social Condition in India in The White Tiger... 34
C. The Social Condition Influences Balram’s Sociopathy... 39
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION... 52
BIBLIOGRAPHY... 57
APPENDIX... 59
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ABSTRACT
EKA SHANTI BUDI ASIH. Sociopathic Personality as Seen in the Main Character of Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2011
The novel The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga depicts the portrait of social disparity between the rich and the poor in India. The gap that occurs causes the poor to be marginalized. They never get the chance to escape from poverty. The main character, Balram Halwai, tells how he comes from the lower caste and he can become a successful person in India. Balram tells all the way what he does to achieve his goal and escape from poverty.
There are three problems in this thesis. The first problem is aimed at finding out the description of Balram Halwai as the main character. The second problem is aimed to depict at depicting social condition in India that is described in the novel. The third problem is aimed to find at finding the influence of the social condition that causes Balram become a sociopath.
The writer applied the library research method to analyze the novel of The White Tiger. The additional sources are taken from books and other sources related to the study. This study uses the psychological approach because it discusses the psychological aspects of the main character. The theories applied are concerned with the theory of character, the theory of antisocial personality disorder, the theory of social psychology.
viii
ABSTRAK
EKA SHANTI BUDI ASIH. Sociopathic Personality as Seen in the Main Character of Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2011
Novel Aravind Adiga yang berjudul The White Tiger menggambarkan potret kesenjangan sosial antara orang kaya dan orang miskin di India. Kesenjangan yang terjadi menyebabkan orang miskin tersingkir, mereka tidak pernah mendapatkan kesempatan untuk lepas dari kemiskinan. Tokoh utama, Balram Halwai menceritakan bagaimana dirinya yang berasal dari kasta rendah dapat menjadi salah satu orang yang sukses di India. Balram menceritakan segala cara yang dia tempuh untuk meraih cita-citanya, lepas dari jerat kemiskinan.
Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk membahas lebih jauh tentang Balram Halwai. Terdapat tiga permasalahan yang dibahas dalam skripsi ini. Permasalahan pertama adalah bertujuan mencari gambaran Balram sebagai tokoh utama. Permasalahan kedua adalah bertujuan untuk menggambarkan kondisi sosial di India yang dideskripsikan dalam novel. Permasalahan ketiga bertujuan untuk menemukan pengaruh kondisi sosial yang menyebabkan Balram menjadi sosiopat. Penulis menggunakan studi pustaka untuk menganalisis novel The White Tiger. Sumber tambahan lainnya diambil dari buku-buku dan yang berhubungan dengan penelitian. Studi ini mengunakan pendekatan psikologis karena membahas aspek psikologis tokoh utamanya. Teori-teori yang diterapkan adalah teori karakter, teori gangguan kepribadian yang anti sosial dan teori psikologi sosial.
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
The White Tiger is the debut novel by Aravind Adiga. The novel became the
winner of the Man Booker Prize 2008, after defeating another candidate like Sebastian Barry and Amitav Gosh. It was first published in 2008 and in the same year won the Man Booker Prize. His debut novel The White Tiger received attention from thousands of Indian readers because of the realistic picture of some facts about India. It presents the crude, dark and naked facts of India. Adiga portrayed different images of India, India of Light and India of Darkness. The inspiration comes from the fact about India that struck into the author forcefully: there is a gulf between the poor and the rich and there is a voice from the middle class that is never recorded. This novel got into a debate about whether or not it would become the winner of the biggest literary prize in the world. Although the winner was announced by the judging panel, not everyone can accept the decision. This novel got many criticisms. One of the criticisms comes from Sam Jordison in his article How did The White Tiger Capture the Booker?
“I'm annoyed and embarrassed to admit that I hadn't really considered the White Tiger as a contender. Although I enjoyed the book, I had discounted it as too rough and too much of an over-enthusiastic debut to really make the running.”
(http://www.guardian.co.uk, 2008)
of the criticisms comes from Amardeep Singh in his article Why I Didn’t like the White Tiger.
“I haven’t been able to shake the sense that The White Tiger, despite its topicality and its readability, is somehow fundamentally fake. I almost hesitate to bother saying it, because it's quite common for Indian authors to be accused of composing narratives about India's poor primarily for non-poor, non-Indian reader.” (http://www.lehigh.edu/~amsp/2008/09/why-i-didnt-like-white-tiger.html)
Michael Portillo, a member of the judging panel of the Man Booker Prize 2008, provides a reason why The White Tiger became the winner. Portillo in Out of the Darkness Adiga's White Tiger Rides to Booker Victory Against the Odds,
states:
The White Tiger takes a sharp and unblinking look at the reality of India's economic miracle and the work's attention to "important social issues: the division between rich and poor, and issues on a global scale. And it is extremely readable”. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/oct/14/booker-prize-adiga-white-tiger)
Another comment comes from Michael Portillo in another article:
“The novel undertakes the extraordinarily difficult task of gaining and holding the reader's sympathy for a thoroughgoing villain. The book gains from dealing with pressing social issues and significant global developments
with astonishing humour.”
(http://www.themanbookerprize.com/news/stories/1146)
Although this novel has received many criticisms about the winning the Man Booker Prize 2008, the writer thinks that it is still worth studying, it still offers more complex issues that can be debated. Having read the novel The White Tiger, the writer found many interesting aspects. It tells about poverty, poor health
novel is a fiction but based on Indian’s reality. A literary work is the representation of life as Graham Little states in Approach of Literature, that the
literature functions “as a representation of the situation and the thoughts happening in a certain setting time and place” (1963: 1).
The White Tiger is written in the form of letter by Balram Halwai, a young
man from Bihar, to the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, who visits Bangalore on an official assignment. The letters are written in seven nights. His letters to the Chinese Premier are a confession of Balram’s life story. He tells about the poverty of rural Bihar and the evil of the feudal landlords. In the letters, Balram describes his rise from his origins to his current position as an entrepreneur in Bangalore. After he becomes a driver in Delhi, he becomes aware of the wealth and opportunity all around him, while knowing that he will never be able to gain access to that world. He realizes that there is only one way he can become part of this glamorous new India. The only way to become a rich man is by murdering his employer.
becoming an entrepreneur through manipulation, murder, and theft, but as a reader the writer have a question: can we blame him? It is very interesting to the writer how the author can create a unique character; he can make the reader angry, cringe, smile, worry and sympathize at the same time.
The study focuses on the protagonist, Balram Halwai. The writer will analyze the character of Balram Halwai, and in this case his process of his personality disorder. Personality disorders are sometimes considered less serious than other mental disorders, however these disorders can ruin lives as any mental disorders can. According to Millon, as cited in Baron (1987: 532), people are diagnosed of having a personality disorder if they have inflexible and maladaptive traits that cause significant social or occupational problems. The problems are usually more disturbing to the society than to the individual. There are several types of personality disorders. Antisocial personality disorder is one of the types; the popular term for this type of individual is sociopath or psychopath. Sociopathy in males has more serious implications than in females, and this disorder is found three times more often in men than in women.
right to do what they want and to take what they can. They manipulate others by deception or intimidation for their personal gain.
In this thesis, the writer wants to analyze the influence of social condition to the main character’s personality. This study will point out how social condition gives influences to his personality and how he becomes an individual with antisocial personality disorder.
B. Problems Formulation
1. How is the main character characterized in Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger?
2. How is the social condition in India described in Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger?
3. How does the social condition influence the main character to be a sociopath?
C. Objectives of the Study
D. Definition of Terms
In order to help understand the thesis and provide clearer explanation to answer the problem formulation, it is necessary to give the definition of the term used in this study.
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Reviewed of Related Studies
The White Tiger is known as a provocative novel about the social condition
in India, the social disparity between the poor and the rich. Some view The White Tiger as a criticism about social injustice in India. Sebastian A. J, Ph.D in
Poor-Rich Divide in Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger states that social injustice
between the poor and the rich will have a dangerous effect if the problem is unresolved. Adiga wants to expose the economic disparity that happens in India. He shows different images of India, india of Light and Darkness. The poor has no representative and gets a marginal place in the society. Balram is the representative of the poor in India who want to break out of the rules because they do not have the chance to get a better life. Balram realizes that it is difficult for him to get the chance to get out of poverty until he decides to kill his master and take the money to start a new life (http:// www.japss.org/upload/6poorrichdivide.pdf).
Sebastian A. J, Ph.D and Nigamananda Das, Ph.D in Drawbacks of Indian Democracy in Homen Borgohain’s Pita Putra And Aravind Adiga’s The White
Tiger and between the Assassinations: A Comparative Study states that they tried
them.
That is why it is important to look into the drawbacks of Indian democracy. In the article they seek to reflect on the drawback of India in the forms of maladministration, deprivation of liberty or equality, prevalence of injustice, and widespread corruption. The comparative analysis would like to focus on how over the years the state of governance in democracy has deteriorated. Pita Putra by Homen Borgohain and The White Tiger and Between the Assasinations by Aravind Adiga have been chosen to compare the analysis.
Pita Putra is a novel that depicts the Indian democracy during the earlier
years. This novel notifies that from the beginning Indian democracy didn’t work properly. The story tells us that the character in the novel who should be the guardian of liberty and equality has given into corruption. The White Tiger and Between the Assassinations give a portrayal about the bad practices in the Indian
democracy in the recent years. Through the novel Adiga wants to show the gap between the poor and the rich. Both of the authors portray the drawbacks of Indian democracy.
(http:// www.japss.org/upload/5.SebastianandNigamanandaarticle.pdf )
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Characters in the novel are presented through characterization. A character in literary works is usually defined as the creation of imaginary person that seem life-like and the characterization is all things that are related to the character. Rohrberger and Woods state that characters have particular personalities and physical attributes that can make them different from one other. The personality can be analyzed as the part of psychological aspects that considers people entirely as an individual and complex human being. Their consistency with their nature makes the characters behave in particular way (1971: 20-21).
Characterization is important to create the character in a story. The way the author creates the characters is defined as characterization. According to M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseen (1972: 160-173), there are some ways that the authors use to make the characters understandable to the readers.
a. Personal Description
The author described the personal appearances of the characters such as the face, body and even clothes. It will help the readers understand the characters.
b. Character as Seen by Another
The author describes the characters using the eyes and opinions of other characters.
c. Speech
d. Past Lives
The author can give out clues to the events that help shape a character through his or her past life in order to get some ideas about the his or her thoughts, behaviour, and action.
e. Conversation of Others
The author can give the readers some clues to a character through the conversation between other people and what they say about him or her.
f. Reaction
The author can give out clues to a character by letting the readers know how that person reacts to various situations and events.
g. Direct comment
The author can directly describe or comment on a character. h. Thought
The author can give the readers direct knowledge of what a character is thinking about and what he or she feels.
i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s ways of behaving, which may also tell the readers about specific characteristics of different people. The habits or behaviour are the clues in examining the character closely.
2. Theory of Setting
environment in which the characters move. The setting is usually provided by the prevailing conditions (1953: 84).
According to Abrams in his book A Glossary of Literary Terms, the setting in the literary works is the setting of narrative or dramatic work that is the general locale, historical time, and social circumstance in which its action occurs; the setting of an episode or scene within a work is the particular physical location in which it takes place (1981: 175). The background of the story that involves place, time, or social condition is definitely the setting of the story where and when the story takes place.
3. Theory on Social Psychology
4.Theory on Antisocial Personality Disorder
People are diagnosed as having a personality disorder if they have inflexible and maladaptive personality traits that cause significant social or occupational problems. There are several types of personality disorder. One of the best known types is antisocial personality disorder. The term antisocial personality disorder is used interchangeably with the terms “sociopath” and “psychopath. The differences between sociopath and psychopath have been revealed. According to Lykken, sociopaths have normal temperaments, and their personality disorder tends to affect their lives regarding parenting, peers, and their intelligence. They often believe they are doing something good for society or at least nothing that bad. Psychopaths were born with temperamental differences, their emotionlessness and fearlessness that lead them to being risk seekers, impulsive, and not being able to socialize normally.
(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1013712/sociopath_vs_sociopath_there _is_a_pg3.html?cat=72)
after performing actions that harm others (1996: 271-272).
Huffman states that the causes of antisocial disorder are not completely understood, research supports both nature and nurture explanations. Evidence also exists from environmental or psychological causes (2000: 533). The causes of antisocial personality disorder could be the environment a person is brought up in or the current circumstances he or she is going through. This includes the family, neighborhood members and friends that a person grew up with and events that had occurred. Good or bad treatments that he or she had received from others could also affect. People with antisocial personality often come from homes characterized by emotional deprivation, absence of parental discipline, low socioeconomic status and antisocial behaviour on the part of the parents. The behaviour pattern that indicates antisocial personality disorder begins in childhood or adolescence and continues into adulthood. However, antisocial and criminal behaviour related to this disorder tends to decline with age, and may disappear when the individual reaches the age of 40. Nevertheless, this is not the case with personality traits that underlie antisocial disorder—traits such as egocentricity, manipulative, lack of empathy, lack of guilt or remorse, and cruelty towards others. Those traits are relatively stable with age (2005: 277).
People with antisocial personality disorder persistently violate the rights of others and, often, the laws. They ignore social norms, are impulsive, and fail to develop interpersonal and work commitments. They often show their charisma in outer appearance and have above average intelligence.
characteristics of the people with antisocial personality disorder in his book The Mask of Sanity. He formulated a set of criteria to recognize the antisocial
personality disorder (1976: 339-364):
1. Superficial charm and good “intelligence”
Sociopaths exude charm that gives a positive impression during the first encounter. They do not seem peculiar or fake; people will tend to regard them as normal and agreeable, intelligent people. Psychometric tests also very frequently attest to their superior intelligence. (ibid. 338)
2. Absence of delusions and other signs of irrational thinking
Sociopaths do not have delusions, and also react they way normal people do. They have excellent logical reasoning, and when exposed to direct psychiatric examination do not show anything pathologic. Observers may view them as people of compassion and firm assurance. (ibid. 339)
3. Absence of “nervousness” and psychoneurotic manifestation
Sociopaths are devoid of reactions stemming from nervousness. They are always extraordinarily calm even under extreme circumstances. During captive or in psychiatric facility, they may indeed become tense but only from external influences, not from penitence or insecurity from within themselves. (ibid. 339) 4. Unreliability
Sociopaths are likely to perform an excellent amount of reliability, maybe even in a long period to achieve gain, before finally showing their true colour and disregarding obligations and responsibility. (ibid. 340)
Sociopaths are not capable of truthfulness. They easily promise anything to declare their innocence. They will lie about anything in any condition but show no marked signs typical of liars in their speech. However, when confronted with their lies, they can admit them straightforwardly without flinching. (ibid. 341)
6. Lack of remorse or shame
Sociopaths will declare themselves innocent of any blame and responsibility, never showing major shame or remorse. (ibid. 343)
7. Inadequately motivated antisocial behaviour.
Sociopaths are unreliable and willing to commit any criminal behaviour, even that which holds a great risk. In addition, they do it seemingly without scruple or even purpose. (ibid. 343)
8. Poor judgment and failure to learn from experience
Despite their brilliance, sociopaths may go after their objectives while throwing away great chances for gaining. In addition, no amount of punishment is likely to bring them to change their tune. (ibid. 345)
9. Pathologic egocentricity and incapacity for love
Sociopaths are always self-centred and detached from others. They have no capacity for sincere compassion, but are sometimes impressively adept in pretending to demonstrate such emotion. (ibid. 346)
10. General poverty in major affective reactions
reaction. Moreover, despite often being humorous, they never have a true sense of humour. (ibid. 348)
11. Specific loss of insight
Sociopaths cannot view themselves from the perspective of others. They cannot imagine other people’s feelings when they put themselves in others’ shoes. Instead of facing the situation and coming up with a realization of it, they put blame on others but with excellent reasoning despite maybe with a lame excuse. (ibid. 350)
12. Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations
Sociopaths have no real appreciation and affective response to other people. They may perform it only when gaining something from doing so. (ibid. 354) 13. Fantastic and uninviting behaviour with drink and sometimes without
Sociopaths are likely to indulge in alcohol at some point. However, alcohol does not bring out impulses that are not characteristics of them. It only serves as a catalyst that lowers their inhibition. What sets them apart from neurotic drinkers is that they realize what they have done when drinking but will likely to drink again knowing that. Neurotic drinkers, on the other hand, when sober, will regret what they have done during drinking. (ibid. 355)
14. Suicide rarely carried out
Sociopaths may pass up opportunities but will never commit suicide. They may show suicidal threats which are almost always empty. (ibid. 358)
Deviant sexual behaviours are common in sociopaths but they do not crave sex or are moved by it as much as normal people do. They also regard sex more casually than most people do. (ibid. 359)
16. Failure to follow any life plan
Sociopaths do not set a consistent life plan. Conversely, they may even sabotage their own life and attribute failures to foolishness. (ibid. 364)
C. Theoretical Framework
The writer tries to apply the theories above to answer the problems formulated in the problem formulation. First, the writer wants to understand the main character more closely so that the writer can see his personality by using the theories of characterization. By analyzing it, the writer hopes to find the position of the main character in the society.
The theory of setting is the main theory to answer the second. The writer uses the theory to show the social condition of India described in the novel.
The theories of antisocial personality disorder are the theories to answer the third question in problem formulation. In analyzing the third problem to show how the social condition gives influences toward the main character and leads him to be a sociopath, the writer uses the theory of antisocial personality. In the writer’s opinions, those theories are reliable to answer the third problem. By using this theory, the writer will be able to show certain symptoms of a sociopath.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study in this thesis is The White Tiger, a debut novel by an Indian author, Aravind Adiga. It was first published in the United States of America in 2008 by Simon and Schuster Inc and consists of 288 pages and seven chapters. The version used in this thesis was published by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. It is a paperback edition published in 2008. The novel became the winner of the Man Booker Prize 2008. This novel got into a debate about whether or not it would become the winner of the biggest literary in the world.
Adiga’s The White Tiger is a novel which presents a dark view of modern day life in India. The story in the novel is presented by a first person narrator. The narrator is telling the story from his point of view.
becomes aware of the wealth and opportunity all around him, while knowing that he will never be able to gain the access to that world. Balram realizes that a little dishonesty can bring him enough money for a secure future. He realizes that there is only one way he can achieve his dream, the only way to become a rich man is to murder his employer and to run away to Bangalore with his money loot and starts his own business there.
B. Approach of the Study
In this study, the writer analyzes the novel using the psychological approach. This approach is the most suitable to answer the problem formulation. Although literature is different from psychology, there is a close relationship between the two which benefit one other. Literature is related to the world of fiction, drama, poetry, and essay, which are classified into the art, while psychology refers to the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes. Although different, both have a commonality, in that both discuss human and life. According to Wellek and Warren, psychology and literature are closely related, in which some of literary works talk about psychology cases. They say that people can learn about the theory of psychology that may be revealed in works of literature by analyzing the works (1956:81).
human motivation, personality and behaviour patterns written in literary objects. Both literature and psychology discuss people and human lives. Literature discusses humans and their lives; those are expressed through language as a works of literature. Meanwhile psychology is the study of man’s life along with their mind and behaviour. They also state that the psychological approach brings us to analyze the novel from the psychological point of view of human being (1971:12-13).
Since the study is related to the personality disorder of the main character, which is part of psychology, psychological approach is appropriate to apply in the analysis of the study. The writer applies the theory of psychology to make a deeper analysis. It is important to know the personality of the main character and to point out the aspects that influence it.
C. Method of the Study
In this study, the writer used library research to answer the problems that are formulated in the previous chapter. In this thesis, two kinds of sources are used. They are primary and secondary sources. The primary source was taken from the novel itself, The White Tiger written by Aravind Adiga. The secondary sources are articles, essay, and criticisms, which were taken from books found in the library and from the internet. The secondary sources are used to support this thesis.
novel. In the second step, the writer collected the supporting data which describe the novel both in books and the internet. The writer looked for books suitable for this study; the examples of those books are Davison and Neale’s Abnormal Psychology, Coleman’s Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life, Huffman and
22
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the problems formulated in the earlier chapter will be answered. Based on the problem formulation, this chapter will be divided into three parts. The first part covers the character and characterization of Balram Halwai, the main object of this study. The second is the part the social condition where the main character lives will be elaborated. Last but not least, in the third part it will be explained how the social condition gives influences toward the main character and leads him to become a sociopath.
A. The Characteristics of Balram Halwai
A character is an essential element in the work of literature. The writer will analyze the main character, Balram Halwai, and his characterization to make a deeper analysis.
1. Smart
cleverness by asking him to read the sentence on the blackboard, to write his own name, and to read the time from his watch.
“Try Balram, sir,” the teacher said. He’s the smartest of the lot. He reads well.” (2008:29)
The inspector pointed his cane straight at me. “You, young man, are an intelligent, honest, vivacious fellow in this crowd of thugs and idiots. In any jungle, what is the rarest of animals- the creature that comes along only once in a generation?”
“The white tiger”
“That’s what you are the in this jungle”
“I’ll write to Patna asking them to send you a scholarship. You need to go to a real school. You need to a real uniform and a real education.” (2008: 30). On the dialogue above, Balram is recognized as a smart kid by his teacher and the school inspector. After knowing Balram’s cleverness, the school inspector gives him the nickname “the white tiger”. He also promises Balram a scholarship to attend a proper school.
Murphy theorized that a character can be described from the past life. Balram considers himself “half-baked”. He is not allowed to finish school like most children of his age but he has broad general knowledge. He likes to eavesdrop on people in the tea shop to enrich his knowledge that he can not get due to dropping out.
I used my time at the tea shop in Laxmangarh to spy on every customer at every table, and overhear everything they said. I decided that this was how I would keep my education going forward-that’s thesay for one good thing I’ll say for myself. I’ve always been a big believer in education-especially my own (2008: 43).
The more they talked, the faster I massaged. They talked about politics, coal and about your country- China. I absorbed everything-that’s the amazing thing about entrepreneurs. We are like sponges- we absorb and grow (2008:60).
From the dialogue above, Balram is always looking for a way to keep learning even tough he can not learn in school. However, the ways he uses to enrich his knowledge are not responsible because he is using his time to work. He does it by eavesdropping his employers or his consumers.
Balram never finishes school, but he has always thought a step further than his friends. When a fellow driver can do not anything about the prohibition of the poor to enter the shopping mall, he feels degraded as a human being. Balram looks for ideas to enter to the mall without being spotted by the security guard and evicted from that place.
I went to the gateway of the mall in my new white T-shirt. But there, the moment I saw the guard, I turned around- went back to the Honda City. Even as I was walking inside the mall, I was sure someone would say, Hey! That man is a paid driver! What’s he doing in here? There were guards in gray uniforms on every floor- all of them seemed to be watching me. It was my first taste of the fugitive’s life. (2008: 128).
Getting out was as tricky as getting in, but again the guards didn’t say a word to me, and I walked back to the parking lot, got into the car, and changed back into my usual, richly colored T-shirt in a bundle near my feet (2008: 129).
mall and feels the atmosphere inside the mall. The guards do not realize that Balram is a driver because of his appearance.
Balram always thinks several steps ahead. When he is a fugitive for killing his employer he does not think to hide like everyone else. He is looking for ways to make it survive in Bangalore. He knows that the police are corrupt and can be bought off with money easily by someone rich and powerful. When all fugitives try to avoid the police, he actually goes to the police and gives bribes to facilitate his plan to open his own car centre company.
I acted like an important man, and made sure the policemen saw the red bag by swinging it a lot. Then I insisted on seeing the big man there, the inspector.
He counted the money- ten thousand rupees- heard what I wanted, and asked for double. I gave him bit more, and he was happy. I tell you, Mr. Premier. My poster was right there, the one that I had seen earlier, the whole time I was negotiating with him. THE WANTED POSTER, with the dirty little photo of me. (2008: 257)
Balram, with his intelligence, tries to find a way so he can hide safely. The ways that he uses is to go to the police station, acting like an innocent man, and giving bribes to the police inspector. When other fugitives are hiding in the dark places, Balram chooses to hide in the light.
2. Selfish
I did my job with near total dishonesty, lack of dedication, and insincerity. Instead of wiping out spots from tables and crushing coals for the oven, I used my time at the tea shop in Laxmangarh to spy on every customer at every table, and overhear everything they said.
Eventually I got sent home. No one else in Laxmangarh would hire me after that, even as a field hand. So it was mostly for my sake that Kishan and Dilip had come to Dhanbad—to give me a chance to start career as a human spider afresh (2008: 43-44)
Balram never finishes his work. He prefers to eavesdrop on the customers. The employer is angry to see Balram being irresponsible for the job and chooses to fire him. Balram does not think about the consequences of his actions. Balram’s brother, Kishan, quits from his job because no one wants to hire Balram. They move into Dhanbad and look for a new job.
Balram hears some conversations that drivers get big salaries. He gets interested in driving lessons but does not have the money to pay, and eventually the grandmother agrees to pay the fee to drive, with a condition that Balram must give a receipt of his salary every month. Balram forgets his promise; he refuses to send money home to his struggling family.
Great news! Granny had agreed to let them invest in my driving classes. “There’s only one thing,” Kishan said.” Granny says you’re a greedy pig. She wants you to swear by all the Gods in heaven that you won’t forget her once you rich.”
“Pinch your neck and swear- you’ll send every rupee you make every month back to Granny.” (2008: 47)
“You’ve not sent any money for months. You forgot our arrangement.” (2008:71-72)
marry, but Balram considers the letter as a threat. He does not want his grandmother to tell his master the fact that he never sends his salary to his family.
I did not want to obey Kusum. She was blackmailing me; I understood why she had sent that letter through the Mongoose. If I refused, she would blow the whistle on me- tell Mr. Ashok I hadn’t been sending money home (2008: 165)
Balram knows it will be difficult to achieve success because he comes from a low caste and is only a driver. He recognizes there is only one way to achieve his dream: killing his employer and carrying off his money. Balram knows that his employer’s family will take revenge on him. His brother and their children may be slaughtered, the women of the family may be raped, but he does not care.
Either the Stork had them killed, or had some of them killed, and the others beaten. Now, even if by some miracle he, or the police didn’t do that. So the villagers would have forced them out-and they’d have to go to Delhi.., to live under concrete bridge, begging for their food, and without a hope for the future. That’s not much better than being dead (2008: 270)
One day, I know, Dharam, this boy who is drinking my milk and eating my ice cream in big bowls, will ask me, Couldn’t you have spared my mother? Couldn’t you have written to her telling her to escape in time? (2008: 272)
3. Cunning
Balram knows that being a driver in New Delhi will get him more money. He looks for a way to get selected to be the driver invited to the city but it is not easy because he is the driver number two in the house of his employer. He should give some money to the guard. That makes him cancel his desire to be a driver in Delhi. Balram accidentaly knows that the number one driver has been lying to his master. He claims of being a Hindu in front of his master and the guard covers his lies. Balram uses this excuse to get special treatment from the guard who has always treated him cruelly. Balram uses this opportunity to threaten both of them.
“Now, this Mohammad Mohammad was a poor, honest, handworking Muslim, but he wanted a job at the home of an evil, prejudiced landlord who didn’t like Muslims- so, just to get a job and feed his starving family, he claimed to be a Hindu! And took the name of Ram Persad.”
“And you know how he managed to pull this off? Because the Nepali guard at check up on Ram Persad’s background, was in on the scam!”(2008:92) …The Nepali came to me with a grin on his face. He told me that, since Ram Persad had left their service without a word, I would be driving Mr. Ashok and Pinky Madam to Delhi. He had personally-and forcefully-recommended my name to the Stork (2008: 93)
The guard is afraid that if Balram tells his lies to his employer, he will lose his jobs. Balram who knows of the guard’s fear uses this opportunity to threaten him. The guard, who is frightened, recommends Balram to be a driver in Delhi.
I really didn’t want him to think, even in the two or three minutes he had to live, that I was that kind of driver- the one that resorts to blackmailing his master-but he had left me no option:
“It’s been giving problems ever since that night we went to the hotel in Jangpura.”
“The one with the big T sign on it. You remember it, don’t you, sir? Ever since that night, sir, nothing has been the same with this car.” (2008: 243) I rammed the bottle down. The glass ate his bone. I rammed it three times into the crown of his skull, smashing through to his brains. It’s a good, strong bottle, Johnnie Walker Black- well worth its resale value.(2008:244-245)
As stated by Murphy, a character can be observed by seeing the person’s speech. Balram, who tries to kill his master, asks his master to get off from his car but his master refuses to go down. Feeling that this is the only chance he has to kill his master, he finally uses his master’s mistakes from the past to ask him to get out of the car and threaten him. He finally uses this opportunity to kill his master.
Balram is familiar with bribery when he becomes a driver. Whenever he encounters a problem, he will resort to it. He will use money and his power to solve his problems. He uses his money to bribe the police to solve the cases of accident by his employees.
The policeman played along with me.” It’s a good idea, son. We need to register the case at the station.”
The assistant commissioner who sat in the station was a man whom I lubricated often. (2008:264)
He sighed.” See, at the time of the accident, your brother bicycle has no lights. That is illegal you know. There are other things that will come out. I promised you things will come out.”
The brother understood at last why I had brought him to the station- he understood at last that the trap had shut on him. (2008:265)
remove the evidence left by the employee. Even the police distort the facts, saying that the victim committed an illegal act by not using the light during the night. The brother of the victim finally realizes that Balram has prepared everything to avoid his claims.
4. Irresponsible
While working as human spider in the teashop, Balram never works wholeheartedly. Balram works in his own way; he even uses his working time to eavesdrop on the conversations of the customers. He never thinks about the consequences of his actions. He loses his job because he is not responsible with his job.
I did my job with near total dishonesty, lack of dedication, and sincerity. Instead of wiping out spots from tables and crushing coals for the oven, I used my time at the teashop in Laxmangargh to spy on every customer at every table, and overhear everything they said.
The owner of the shop sat up at the front..He knew what I was up to! Whenever he saw me loafing around a table or pretending to be doing a spot of wiping just so I could hear more of a conversation, he would shout, “ You thug!”
Eventually I got sent home. No one else in Laxmangarh would hire me after that, even as a field hand. (2008:43-44)
Balram is supposed to wipe the tables and crush the coals, but in fact he eavesdrops on the conversation on every customer. The owner of the shop, who is angry with Balram’s behaviour, finally fires him. No one in his village wants to hire him after knowing his reputation.
I drove the car out of the apartment block…. No idea where I was going- I just drive around the malls.
I played his music. I ran his A/C at full blast.
I drove back to the building. I spat over the seats of the Honda City, and wiped them clean (2008:178)
I put up with his usual threats and warnings- no A/X, no music, no wasting fuel, blah blah blah. When the train left, I danced around the platform and clapped my hands. (2008:207)
Although he is supposed to obey the employer, he does not. The employer, who is always giving orders, makes Balram feel uncomfortable, leading to him intentionally violate any order. He should turn off the air conditioner but he turn it on. He even plays the music when the employer is not with him.
Balram does not have enough money to fulfil his desire of hiring a prostitute. Finally able to collect money, he violates his employer’s orders, as he wishes, without even feeling guilty doing so.
Over the next two weeks, I did things I am still ashamed to admit. I cheated my employer; I took his car to a corrupt mechanic who billed him for work that was not necessary; and three times, while driving back to Buckingham B, I pick up a paying customer.
The strangest thing was each time at the cash I had made by cheating him, instead of guilt, what did I feel?
Rage
The more I stole from him, the more I realized how much he had stolen from me. (2008:195-196)
5. Dishonest
Kishan and Cousin Dilip lifted me up from the ground, big smiles on their faces. Great news! Granny had agreed to let them invest in my driving classes. “There’s only one thing,” Kishan said.” Granny says you’re a greedy pig. She wants you to swear by all the Gods in heaven that you won’t forget her once you rich.” (2008:47)
I hadn’t seen him since he left Dhanbad and come back to work in the fields- that was three months ago. I hadn’t sent any money home for the past two months.
“You’ve not sent any money for months. You forgot our arrangement.” (2008:71-72)
From the dialogue above, the writer sees that Balram easily forgets his promise to send his wages to his family in the village. Balram is very easy to make a promise but also to deny it.
Balram tries to make a good impression on the master so that his employer believes him. Balram wants to impress him with the good attitude that he always shows. Balram gives the impression of a very religious person, contrary to his atheistic belief. Balram will do everything possible, including lying so that the employer trust him more.
“So Balram here touched his eye as a mark of respect. The villagers are so religious in the darkness.”
That seemed to impress the two of them, so I put my finger to my eye a moment later again. (2008:77)
The two of them kept an eye open for every tree or temple we passed by, and turned around to me for a reaction of piety- which I gave them, of course, and with growing elaborateness: first just touching my eye, the my neck, then my clavicle, and even my nipples.
They were convinced I was the most religious servant on earth. (Take that, Ram Persad!) (2008:78)
money to his family. He uses all his salary for the sake of pleasuring himself. Balram will use every way to make a good name even though it is a lie.
“Sir... my wages.”
“You’re sending some of it home, aren’t you?”
“All of it, sir. Just what I need to eat and drink here- the rest goes home.” At ten o’clock that night I walked down to the market just around the corner from Buckingham Towers B Block. (2008: 121)
It took me fifteen minutes to get a bottle. I stuffed it down my trousers, for there was nowhere else to hide it, and went back to Buckingham. (2008:122)
6. Unscrupulous
Although Balram makes a mistake he never wants to admit it or even feeling guilty. He is always looking for justification for all the mistakes he does. When the grandmother asks him to marry, he roughly refuses. He refuses to apologize because he feels that he has a good reason to refuse his grandmother.
She said. “We’ll fix up the wedding for later this year, okay?...”
“Granny,” I said,” give me some more time. I’m not ready to be married.” I pushed the plate so hard it went flying to a corner and hit the wall and spilled the red curry on the floor. “I said, I’m not marrying!”
Kishan got up and tried to stop me as I left, but I pushed him to the side- he fell down hard-and I just walked out of the house.(2008:74-75)
Kusum, Luttu Auntie, and all the other women were gathered by the side of the road as we drove out. They gaped at me-stunned that I wasn’t coming to apologize: I saw Kusum clench her gnarled fist at me. (2008:760)
Balram does not even feel guilty when he commits to disobey the orders from his employer. He even feels better after doing it. The employer is always giving orders and makes Balram feel uncomfortable, so he intentionally violates any orders.
The strangest thing was each time at the cash I had made by cheating him, instead of guilt, what did I feel?
Rage
The more I stole from him, the more I realized how much he had stolen from me. (2008:195-196)
Balram does not feel guilty when he kills his employer. He does not see the murder as a mistake. He feels that he will make a mistake if he does not kill the man.
I think the Rooster Coop needs people like me to break out of it. It needs master like Mr. Ashok- who, for all his numerous virtues, was not much of a master-to be weeded out, and exceptional servants like me to replace them....
I have switched sides: I am now one of those who cannot be caught in India...
I’ve made it! I’ve broken out of the coop! (2008:275)
I’ll never say I made mistake that night in Delhi when I slit my master’s throat. (2008:276)
B. The Social Condition in India in The White Tiger
As Yelland, Jone, and Easton stated in A Handbook of Literary Terms that setting is an element that gives the readers an abstract impression of the environment in which the characters move (1953; 84). The setting in the novel The White Tiger is Laxmangarh, Dhanbad, Delhi, and Bangalore. Adiga portrays
harm the poor. Poverty and unemployment, corrupt education system, poor health services, the dowry system and master-servant relationship are part of the problem that caused by the caste system.
Although many experts say that caste has been abolished, it does not reflect reality. The social condition in India that differentiates between the poor and the rich derives from the caste system. The caste system can be described as an elaborately stratified social hierarchy. The caste system is a rigid system of inequality, which gives a great influence on the society. The caste system is based on birth, in that people inherit caste from their parents and pass it on to their children. The caste is associated with an occupation; there is connection between the level of caste and economic prosperity. People from the higher caste are more prosperous than those from the lower caste. People from the lower caste live in conditions of great poverty and social disadvantage. They can not send their children to get a good education, unlike the landlords who can send their children to schools or even to universities abroad. Because they can not get a good education they can hardly find a good job. They end up doing some menial jobs like pulling a rickshaw or cart, or working in the farm of their landlords. People are restricted in their choice of occupation, in which each caste has a specific change the occupation.
The old driver asked,” What caste are you?” “Halwai.”
“Sweet-makers,” the old driver said, “That’s what you people do. You make sweets. How can you learn to drive?”
“That’s like getting coals to make ice for you”
From the quotation above, someone’s occupation is based on their level of caste. People from “Halwai” caste can not be a driver because they are sweet makers. The caste system does not permit the change of caste. Poverty, unemployment, and landlords are interrelated problems in Laxmangarh. They usually ask for a job to the landlords and these are used by landlords to exploit their labours with low wages. Some of those who do not have jobs in the village try to find a job in the city.
So the rest of the village waited in a big group waited in a big group outside the shop. When the buses came, they got on and went to Gaya; there they went to the station and rushed into the train-and went to Delhi, Calcutta and Dhanbad to find work. (2008:22)
My uncles also did backbreaking work, but they did what everyone else did. Each year, as soon as it began raining, they would go out to the fields with blackened sickles, begging one landlord or the other for some work. (2008:23)
Life in the darkness is getting worse by the poor education system. The teacher does not give a good example to his students. He does things that violate rules, such as corrupting lunch money; he even takes the school uniform that belongs to his student. He sells the uniform in a neighbouring village, but no one in the village dares to blame him.
There was supposed to be free food at my school- a government program gave every boy three rotis, yellow daal, and pickles at lunchtime. But we never saw rotis or yellow daal, or pickles, and everyone knew why. The schoolteacher had stolen our lunch money.
Once, a truck came into the school with uniforms that the government had sent for us; we never saw them, but a week later they turned up for sale in the neighbouring village.
Poor health services add to the list of bad social condition in the Darkness. There is no hospital in Laxmangarh so there is no good service to people who are sick. Many people do not get treatment because of the lack of hospital and medical facilities. They even have to cross the river in order to go to the hospital, but there is no doctor in the hospital; the doctor seldom visits the hospital. Even the position of a doctor becomes an item that can be auctioned because there is good money in the public service.
There is no hospital in Laxmangarh, although there are three different foundation stones for a hospital, laid by three different politicians before three different elections. (2008:39)
“Why isn’t there a doctor here, uncle?” I asked. “This is the only hospital on either side of the river.”
“Now, each time this post falls vacant, the Great Socialist lest all the big doctors know that he’s having an open auction for that post. The going rate for this post is about four hundred thousand rupees these days.”(2008: 41) Another picture of the social conditions in Laxamangarh that burden the poor is the dowry system. This dowry system is often utilized by the groom to ask the bride for a large dowry. This leads the bride who is unable to prepare the dowry to borrow money from the landlord. This causes people to be trapped in debt with the landlords.
Because we were the girl’s family, we were screwed. We had to give the boy a new bicycle, and cash, and a silver bracelet, and arrange for a big wedding. (2008:30-31)
The family had taken a big loan from the Stork so they could have a lavish wedding and a lavish dowry for my cousin-sister. He wanted all the members of the family working for him and he had seen me in school. So they had to hand me over too. (2008:31)
The marriage of Balram’s cousin sister, Reena, puts the family in debts. This leads Balram to drop out of the school and work with his older brother, Kishan. Different things happen when his older brother gets married; his grandmother takes the opportunity to gain a large dowry from the bride.
The caste system also affects the relationship between master and servant. Religion and caste are important to Balram’s masters. They just want to have employees who are Hindu and from upper castes.
“Are you from a top caste or bottom caste, boy?” “Bottom, sir.”
The old man said, “All our employees are top caste. It won’t hurt to have one or two bottom castes working for us.”(2008:54-55)
Balram even has to suffer humiliation from his master; the ill-treatment from his master is shown through his order. His master orders Balram to look for a rupee coin that has fallen in the car. His master is so bothered about a rupee coin after bribing someone with a million rupees.
“Get down on your knees. Look for it on the floor of the car”
I got down on my knees. I sniffed in between the mats like a dog, all in search of that one rupee.
“We’ve just paid half a million rupees in a bribe, Mukesh, and now we’re screwing this man over for a single rupee”
Finally, I took a rupee coin out of my shirt pocket, picked it up and gave it to the Mongoose.
There was a childish delight on his dark master’s face.(2008: 117)
To whomsoever it may concern,
I, Balram Halwai, son of Vikram Halwai, of Laxmangarh village in the district of Gaya, do make the following statement of my own free will and intention:
That I drove the car that hit an unidentified person, or persons, or person and objects, on the night of January 23rd of this year....
I swear by almighty God that I make this statement under no duress and under instruction from no one. (2008:143)
Balram is forced to sign a statement accepting full responsibility for the accident that he never did.
C. The Influences of Social Condition on Balram’s Sociopathy
Based on Huffman’s theory of in Psychology in Action, the society and culture directly influence people; these influences are so strong and become a part of who we are, that we find it difficult to recognize them (2000: 601). Social condition plays an important role as one of the factors that shape the main character. Huffman also states that the causes of antisocial disorder are not completely understood; research supports both nature and nurture explanations. Evidence also exists from environmental or psychological causes (2000: 533). The causes of antisocial personality disorder could be the environment a person is brought up in or the current circumstances he or she is going through. This includes the family, neighbourhood members and friends that a person grew up with and events that had occurred. Good or bad treatment that he or she had received from others could also affect.
1. Selfish
but are sometimes impressively adept in pretending to demonstrate such emotion (1976: 346).
Balram who was born in the Darkness always gets bad treatment from those around him. He does not get attention from his family; even his parents did not give him a name.
“Munna? That’s not a real name.” “That’s all I’ve got, sir,” I said. “Didn’t your mother name you?”
“She’s very ill, sir. She lies in bed and spews blood. She’s got no time to name me.”
“And your father?”
“He’s a rickshaw puller, sir. He’s got no time to name me.”
I came home that day and told my father that the school teacher had given me a new name. He shrugged. “If it’s what he wants, then we’ll call you that.
Balram’s family’s poverty causes him not to get attention from his family. The marriage of Balram’s cousin sister, Reena, throws the family in debts. Reena is asked to give a large dowry to the groom, and because the family does not have enough money they borrow money from the landlord. This leads Balram to dropping out of the school and working with his older brother, Kishan. Balram is disappointed because he has to quit the school for pay the family’s loan when the school inspector promises him a scholarship.
The family had taken a big loan from the Stork. Now the Stork had called in his loan. He wanted all the members of the family working for him and he had seen me in school. So they had to hand me over too. (2008:31)
“You’re angry with me for taking you out of school, aren’t you?” I said nothing.
“You hate the idea of having to break coals, don’t you?” I said nothing He took the largest piece of coal in his hand and squeezed it. “Imagine that each coal is my skull: they will get much easier to break.”
Balram is disappointed because he has to quit school and work at the teashop to pay the family’s debts but he never works with responsibility. Instead of crushing coals as he is required to do, he uses his time in the tea shop to spy on every customer. The owner of the shop fires him because he is not working responsibly. No one wants to hire him in Laxmangarh. He does not think of his family when he loses his job.
I did my job with near total dishonesty, lack of dedication, and insincerity. Instead of wiping out spots from tables and crushing coals for the oven, I used my time at the tea shop in Laxmangarh to spy on every customer at every table, and overhear everything they said.
Eventually I got sent home. No one else in Laxmangarh would hire me after that, even as a field hand. So it was mostly for my sake that Kishan and Dilip had come to Dhanbad—to give me a chance to start career as a human spider afresh. (2008: 43-44)
From the explanation above it can be seen that Balram does not get attention from his parents and continuously get bad treatment from people around him. Then, feels disappointed and becomes a selfish person. He works in the teashop and he has never been responsible for his job. Because of this, the employer chooses to fire him. He is not thinking about the consequences of his actions. He does not think of his responsibility to pay family debts. Balram’s brother, Kishan, also quits from his job, because no one wants to hire Balram. They move into Dhanbad and look for a new job.
his wanting to get away from his family, he forgets his promise. He refuses to send money home to his struggling family.
I hadn’t sent any money home for the past two months.
“You’ve not sent any money for months. You forgot our arrangement.” (2008:72)
I did not want to obey Kusum. She was blackmailing me; I understood why she had sent that letter through the Mongoose. If I refused, she would blow the whistle on me- tell Mr. Ashok I hadn’t been sending money home (2008: 165)
From the quotation above, Balram’s selfishness is more visible. Balram who has promised to send his salary to the village after becoming a driver breaks his own promises.
Balram knows that his employer will go to Delhi. They need a driver and he hopes that his employer will invite him to become a driver in Delhi. Balram knows that being a driver in New Delhi will get him more money, but it is difficult for Balram to go to Delhi because his employer will take the old driver. Balram accidentally find out that the old driver has been lying to his master. The old driver who knows his lies are uncovered decides to leave the house while the guard who is afraid of losing his job recommends Balram to be a driver in Delhi.
I thought, What a miserable life he’s had, having to hide his religion, his name, just to get a job as a driver- and he is a good driver, no question of it, a far better than I will ever be. Part of me wanted to get up and apologize to him right there and say, You go and be a driver in Delhi, You never did anything to hurt me. Forgive me, brother.
family, but Balram does not care about everything because he can get what he want. Balram does not even regret with what he has done.
2. Charming
Another characteristic of sociopaths is superficial charm and intelligence. Sociopaths exude charm that gives off a positive impression during the first encounter. They do not seem peculiar or fake; people will tend to regard them as normal and agreeable, intelligent people (1976:339).
After finishing his driving lessons, Balram tries to find a job. Everyone refuses to hire him. At least he ought to know someone in the house rather than knock doors and ask for a job. When he gets a chance to get a job he does everything to gain sympathy from his potential employer; he try to give a good impression on his employer.
You should have seen me that day- what a performance of wails and kisses and tears! While clutching the Stork’s feet, I was starring at his huge, dirty, uncut toenails, and thinking, What is he doing in Dhanbad? Why isn’t he back home, screwing poor fishermen of their money and humping their daughter? (2008:51)
He closed his eyes. “Do people there still remember me? It’s been three years since I was there.”
“Of course, sir-people say, “Our father is gone, Thakur Ramdev is gone, the best of landlords is gone, who will protect us know?” (2008:52)
“Are you from a top caste or bottom caste, boy?” “Bottom, sir.”
The old man said, “All our employees are top caste. It won’t hurt to have one or two bottom castes working for us.”(2008:54-55)
Balram gets bad treatments from his environment because he comes from the lower caste. He tries to get out of poverty, so he keeps trying to give a good impression to his employers so they will trust him more than they do the old driver.
“So Balram here touched his eye as a mark of respect. The villagers are so religious in the darkness.”
That seemed to impress the two of them, so I put my finger to my eye a moment later again. (2008:77)
The two of them kept an eye open for every tree or temple we passed by, and turned around to me for a reaction of piety- which I gave them, of course, and with growing elaborateness: first just touching my eye, the my neck, then my clavicle, and even my nipples.
They were convinced I was the most religious servant on earth. (Take that, Ram Persad!) (2008:78)
Balram gives the impression of a very religious person, contrary to his atheistic belief. Balram will do everything possible, including lying so that the employer trusts him more.
3. Dishonest
Another characteristic of sociopaths is untruthfulness and insincerity; sociopaths are not capable of telling truth. They easily promise anything to declare their innocence. They will lie about anything in any condition but show no marked signs typical of liars in their speech (1976:341).
money for the driving lessons that Balram will send every penny he receives to his family. He only thinks about his own pleasure without concern of his family. He is only thinking of how to escape from the responsibilities toward his family.
Kishan and Cousin Dilip lifted me up from the ground, big smiles on their faces. Great news! Granny had agreed to let them invest in my driving classes. “There’s only one thing,” Kishan said.” Granny says you’re a greedy pig. She wants you to swear by all the Gods in heaven that you won’t forget her once you rich.” (2008:47)
I hadn’t seen him since he left Dhanbad and come back to work in the fields- that was three months ago. I hadn’t sent any money home for the past two months.
“You’ve not sent any money for months. You forgot our arrangement.” (2008:71-72)
Balram tries to make a good impression on the master so that his employer believes him. Balram wants to impress him with the good attitude that he always shows. Balram will do everything possible, including lying so that the employer will trust him more.
“Did you see what the driver did?”
My heart skipped a beat. I had no idea what I had just done. Mr Ashok leaned forward and said,” Driver, you just touched your finger to your eye, didn’t you?”
That seemed to have impressed the two of them, so I put my finger to my eye a moment later, again (2008: 77)
Balram tries to look good in front of his master by any means including lying. The employer knows that Balram will send his salary to his family in the village. Balram uses this opportunity to give the impression that he is very concerned about his family, when the reality is far different. Balram never sends the money to his family. He uses all his salary to please himself.
“Sir... my wages.”
“You’re sending some of it home, aren’t you?”
