Page 79-95

From Page 79-95 Balram talks about democracy, because it is election time. He tells that he owes democracy his birthday, because once there came a man to Balrams school and wrote the name and date of birth of everyone down, but his parents never took note of his birthday and so the men from government said to Balram that this day should be his 18th birthday.
On the one hand he says to Mr. Jiabo that India is better then china, because they have democracy and on the other hand he doesn't really believe in the politicans and democracy in India, because where he lives the servants don't vote for themself, but those who have money and power buy their votes. The upcoming elections seem to be closer as before for the Great Socialist party, because there are 93 criminal cases pending against them, including murder, rape and pimping. Three ministers are already in jail. The landlords use his weakness to increase their political influence by founding a party on their own and try to catch some votes. One week before the elections, the Great socialist and the landlords come to the arrangement, that the stork becomes the president of the Laxmanargh branch of the great socialist party and for that the landlords close their party. Balram tells about one servant that goes mad on the day of the election, because he couldn't vote. He goes to the members of the Great Socialist party and tells them he wants to vote. They kill him for that. 
The Great Socialist wins the election and after that it is buisness as usual.
One day the Great Socialist comes to the storks house, because he wants to have 1.5 Million rupees from them. Otherwise he wouldn't allow them anymore to take cole from the government mines for free anymore.
Next thing which happens is, that Balram gets to know that Mr. Ashok and Pinky Madam are supposed to go to New Delhi. One driver will go with them and get 3000 rupees a month instead of the 1700 rupees at Dhanbad. At first it seems like Ram Persad will go with them. The Nepali servant wants 5000 rupees from Balram for telling the Stork Balram would be better to go to New Delhi. But Balram hasn't got the money. The tide turns when Balram finds out that Ram Persad isn't a Hindu, but a Muslim and that the Nepali servant knew about that the whole time. The Landlords don't want to have muslim servants, so he has something to make them do what he wants. That means from now Balram is the servant number one and can go to New Dehli with Mr. Ashok and his brother Mongoose.

What I found interessting was the busses which go to New Delhi. They are fully loaded with people everywhere. They even sit on the buses roof.

You couldn't imagine such things in germany, but I think in India the laws are more flexible.

www.preetindersodhi.com/pictures/the-indian-bus/

Page 63-78

From page 63-78 Balram continues working for the landlords. He gets an new sleepingroom, where he can sleep seperated from Ram Persad. Mr. Ashok also decides, that he wants to visit Laxmangarh, because it is his hometown. So Balram takes Mr. Ashok and Pinky Madam there in the Honda city, which is the better car of the two ones they have. On their way to Laxmangarh Pinky Madam and Mr. Ashok argue about going back to New York, so Balram starts to worrie about loosing his job. As they arrive at the lanlords mansion Balrams has some sparetime to see his family. He has a bad conscience, because he hasn't send money to his family for over two month, but they aren't to mad on him. While they are having lunch Kusum, their granny, starts to talk about Balrams wedding and that she already has found a girl for him. Balram tells her that he doesn't want to marry yet and they have a big fight. Balram smashes his meal away in the corner and as Kishan wants to stop him from leaving, he pushes him away. After that Balram just drives his master Mr. Ashok and Pinky Madam back without any excuse.



I found it interesting that the people in India get married by there parents. I thought that India would be more progressiv. It is just the wrong way to choose somebody for your marriage, because you're supposed to spent the rest of your life with that person no matter you might benefit from that.
http://allindiadaughtersprotectionforum.blogspot.com/2009/10/india-has-13rd-of-worlds-child.html
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1763

Page 36-63

From page 36-63 The White Tiger talks about murdering Mr.Ashok, how he moves from Laxmanargh to Dhanbad, where he meets Mr. Ashok the first time and he tells about how his father dies.
In the beginning he talks about his relation to Mr. Ashok. He says that he has much respect for him, because he treats everyone around him with respect.
Balram moves to Dhanbad when his Dad dies. He has Tuberculosis and they bring him to a public hospital, but there is no doctor. All the doctors are in private hospitals to make more money and the superintendent, who should be supervising the doctors gets payed off. That means that no doctor cares about those public hospitals. So since there is no doctor for healing his father he has to die.
His cousin Kishna gets married to a girl and this wedding brings some money for the family. After that eventually Balram, Kishna and Dillip move to Dhanbad. They got work at a tea shop there as well. Balram overhears a conversation in this tea shop in which two guys talk about beeing a driver and how much money you get by that. So Balram tells Kishna that he wants to be a driver.
Kishna gets the money from their granny.
Balram has to pay 300 rupees plus a bonus. An old men teaches Balram how to drive. As his apprenticeship is over he gets a reward from his teacher in form of loosing his virginity with a whore. After that he has no job and walks from door to door asking, if somebody needs a driver. After to weeks he almost gives in, but than he gets to Storks house, who is one of the four Landlords from Laxmanargh. He still knows Balram from the old days in Laxmanargh and they just need a driver right at that moment. His son is Mr. Ashok and Balram starts to work for them.

What I found pretty interesting was that he could learn driving from another driver. That seems to be pretty simple, but I checked it out and you have to pass an oral test for getting a learners license. With that you can practice driving together with a permanent license holder for six months. Also an red "L" for learner has to be painted on the front and back of the car. You have to pay 60 Rupees (1€) of fees and fill out some formulars. Then you get tested in driving by an expert and if you pass that test you got your driving license.

So it is definetly plausible how Balram gets his driving license in the book.

http://auto.indiamart.com/user-manual/driving-license.html

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/banking/crcrrate/mmeur.htm

Page 1-36

In the first chapter the narrator talks about his youth, how he was growing up and which things were of great influence for his life.
He writes at night to the chinese Premier called Wen Jiabo.
His name is Balram Halwai. His mother died when he was a young boy. The funeral was at the ganges and she has been burned. His father wants to make him succesful and herefore he sends him to school everyday, instead of getting him to work. This seems to pay off when a schoolinspector comes to Balrams school and recognizes what kind of intelligent boy Balram is. The schoolinspector promises him to get him a scholarship for going to a better school without a corrupt director. After that it turns out like his cousin-sister gets married to a guy. That means Balrams family has to pay the wedding and get gifts for the guy. The family takes a big loan from the Stork, on of the four big landlords in that city. In order to pay there depts, Balram has to start working and stop going to school.


I was impressed of the picture, that came to my mind when the author wrote about the Ganges. He tells that there is feces, straw, soggy parts of human bodies, buffalo carrion, and seven different kinds of industrial acids in there.
There is a Link to Youtube if you're interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb_yDBmRgmU