Power and Hegemony: A Post- Colonial Marxist Interpretation of Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger

Abstract

The paper offers an in-depth exploration of hierarchies and class divisions as portrayed through the lens of Marxist Cultural Theory, focusing on the novel White Tiger (2008) by Arvind Adiga. Through a detailed analysis of this novel, this paper demonstrates the class struggle and resistance of everyday man, in doing so it becomes a cultural counter-discourse to hegemonic powers. This paper expresses the stance of the working class, through the character of the protagonist Balram. Written in an epistolary form, it chronicles the journey of Balram Halwai from a
child born into poverty to a successful entrepreneur. By using the White Tiger as a central point of discussion, the paper delves into the intricate relationship between the concept of Caste/class oppression and hegemony in society which further contributes to shaping ordinary perceptions.