"The great Indian rooster coop"

Continuing the theme of narrators who feel trapped by the society in which they live, Balram Halwai, a young Indian man, recounts his life history in The White Tiger. This is an epistolary novel and Balram is writing to Wen Jiabao. Hearing on the radio that Wen Jiabao wants to meet Indian entrepreneurs Balram volunteers to recount how he became an entrepreneur. Over the course of seven nights he tells his story.

As a boy Balram was successful in school and aspired to leave his village for the city. Learning how to drive he succeeds in becoming a driver, a prestigious occupation for someone of his background. Unfortunately, as he outlines philosophically, he (and all Indians) are constrained by "the great Indian rooster coop" which prevents any one individual from escaping their prison of indebtedness and familial obligations to become really free. As soon as someone tries to escape they are dragged back down with the rest of the chickens. Balram, however, has found a way out of the coop as only a white tiger can.

I did not find Balram to be an admirable or likable character. His lack of familial responsibility or affection is aberrant by any cultural standard.