My most recent humanities moment would have to be a book I recently finished based on my brother’s recommendation. Named The White Tiger, the book was recently adapted into a Netflix film, which follows the story of an ambitious and cunning rich family’s driver in India and how he manages to overcome his impoverished lifestyle and rise to the top as an entrepreneur. The reason why this book resonated with me so much is because it perfectly encapsulates the reality of India’s ranked social and political system and how it can play a role in every individual’s life. The author, Aravind Adiga, does such an amazing job breaking down the characteristics of society through a metaphoric and satirical tone.
Upon finishing the book, I enthusiastically discussed it with my brother and our family. My parents were born and raised in Jaipur, India. The realities of Indian society explained through the book came as a surprise to my brother and I, but were quite the norm for my parents. They found it amusing how my brother and I could not believe the atrocious events that took place in the book whereas they’d witnessed these events every day growing up. It definitely put into perspective the vastly different lifestyles that people like my brother and I, who were raised abroad with expensive international educations and privileges, have from people like my parents. This book is a current favorite and I definitely recommend it. If you’re considering simply watching the film on Netflix so you can get away without the extra reading, I’d highly advise against that. After all, we all know the book is always better than the film.
– Vyapti Wadhwaney (1 Student)
