Mrs. YooRee SathyamoorthySt. John’s Prep

“Sweet-makers,” the old driver said, shaking his head. “That’s what you people do. You make sweets. How can you learn to drive?

That’s like getting coals to make ice. Mastering a car” – he moved the stick of an invisible gearbox – “it’s like taming a wild

stallion- only a boy from the warrior caste can manage that. You need to have aggression in your blood. Muslims, Sikhs, they’re fighters. They can become drivers. You think sweet-makers can last long in fourth gear? Why

don’t you stick to sweets and tea.”

Brahmin: priests/educators

Khastriya: [Shutrya] military/warriors

Vaishya: farmers, herders, merchants

Sudra: [Shudra] artisans, laborers

Dalit (Untouchables): servants, butchers

The White TigerThe White Tiger

OBJECTIVE: TWBAT (teachers will be able to)

examine the role of religion, family, economics and politics in modern India and its impact on the caste system

… as portrayed in…

Introduction: An introduction to castes according to Balram

Halwai(Structure of novel: series of letters Balram writes

to Premier Wen Jiabao of China. )

Balram’s evaluation of the caste system? Zoo analogy:

In past , when animals were encaged (caste boundaries enforced) ORDER

Post 1947 “liberalization,” cages are open, animals attack each other CHAOS

Shift from thousands of castes to just two…

1.Men with Big Bellies

2.Men with Small Bellies

Only two destinies: Eat or get eaten.

Reading 1: ReligionThe Ganga, Hanuman, Sacred Cows

Reading 2: Family Lizards, Money & Marriage, Personal Hygiene

Reading 3: EconomicsThe Mall, Exercise, the Rooster Coop

Reading 4: PoliticsEducation, justice & health care

Reading selections: River Ganga: memory from childhoodHanuman: description of a Hindu godSacred Cows: Balram’s dream after

contemplating abandoning his entire family to pursue a selfish goal

Action plan: Read, share readings, share reflections &

analysis

Kusum – Balram’s grandmother

Mr. Jiabao – Wen Jiabao

Sadhus: holy men

Hardwar: holy city on the River Ganga

Benaras: holy city on the River Ganga

Ghat: steps leading down to water

Buffalo: equivalent to cow in India

1. What are the author’s impressions of the role of religion?

2. What is the author’s impression of the god, Hanuman?

3. What is the author’s impression of the sacred River Ganga? (India of Light vs. India of Darkness)

4. What is the real “god” of the Ganga?5. What is the role of religion with

respect to the caste system?

Reading selections: Lizard: memory from youthMoney & Marriage: coming home as a

successful driverPersonal Hygiene: an epiphany moment

for Balram, the successful driver

Action plan: Read, share readings, share reflections &

analysis

Kishan: Balram’s older brotherKusum: Balram’s grandmotherThe Great Socialist: pseudonym for

local Member of Parliament Naxal: militant communist groups in

IndiaPinky Madam: Balram’s employer

(when he becomes a driver)Paan: equivalent to Indian chewing

tobacco

1. Explain the expectations Balram’s father has of him.

2. What does Balram believe his family is doing to his brother ,Kishan?

3. To what extent does Balram resent his family and his background?

4. What are one’s responsibilities to his family?

5. What is the role families play with respect to the caste system?

Reading selections: The mall: The “have” and “have not” of IndiaExercise: poor dream of being rich, rich

dream of being poorThe Rooster Coop:

Action plan: Read, share readings, share reflections &

analysis

New India: wealthy & modern IndiaGurgaon: suburb of Delhi aka Beverly

Hills of IndiaVitiligo –Lips: a driver who works and

lives in Balram’s apartment compoundMr. Ashok: Balram’s employer, who

recently divorcedJama Masjid: largest, best-known

mosque in IndiaGoa: India’s smallest but wealthiest

state renowned for beaches

1. What does Balram realize at the mall when a common person is rejected from entry?

2. Explain the lifestyle of the “have” compared to the “have not.”

3. What is the “rooster coop?”4. Explain the perpetual culture of servitude

and the factors that make it possible. 5. What is the role of economics in

maintaining the caste system?

Reading selections: Half-baked Indian: education in IndiaForced Confession: commentary on

India’s judicial systemHealth care: commentary on India’s

health care system

Action plan: Read, share readings, share reflections &

analysis

Mr. Ashok/Pinky Madam: Balram’s employers

Honda City: equivalent to Honda Accord

Kishan: Balram’s brotherUncle: generic, respectful greeting to

any older maleGreat Socialist: pseudonym for

Member of Parliament

*Warning* - some language

1. Who or what is a half-baked Indian?2. What is the role of the Indian justice

system in perpetuating class differences?

3. How would you characterize health care in India?

Billions of Entrepreneurs by Tarun Khanna

Personal and local politics in India

An inefficient Indian judiciary

Indian/Australian journalist & authorIndian/Australian journalist & author Born in Madras, emigrated to Sydney Born in Madras, emigrated to Sydney

during high schoolduring high school Studied literature at Columbia UniversityStudied literature at Columbia University Work: Work:

Financial/business reporter for Financial/business reporter for Financial Financial TimeTime

South Asia correspondent for South Asia correspondent for TIME TIME Freelance period – wrote Freelance period – wrote White TigerWhite Tiger

White TigerWhite Tiger, debut novel, winner of 2008 , debut novel, winner of 2008 Man Booker PrizeMan Booker Prize

Currently lives in MumbaiCurrently lives in Mumbai

“At a time when India is going through great changes and, with

China, is likely to inherit the world from the West, it is important that writers like me try to highlight the brutal injustices of (Indian) society. That's what I'm trying to do – it is not an attack on the country, it's about the greater process of self-

examination.”

- Aravind Adiga- Aravind Adiga

“I am India’s most faithful voter, and I still have not seen the inside of a voting booth.”

(p. 86) 

 “There you have it. That was the positive side of the Great Socialist. He humiliated all our masters – that’s why we kept voting him

back in.” (p. 88)

“I was looking for the key for yearsBut the door was always open.” (p. 228)

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle – The poor in India have as much control over their own fate as the animals slaughtered in Sinclair’s novel.

Richard Wright’s Native son – awakening a nation to the realities of racial divide.

Teaching Guides:http://www.teachingindia.or

g/ South Asia Initiative at

Harvard University Friday, April 29 conference

- Gandhi: Beyond the Legendhttp://spice.stanford.edu/

Global investigation on child labor (case studies: India, Uganda, U.S. )

The Story of India – PBS

http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/

Fiction:A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Nonfiction:Billions of

Entrepreneurs by Tarun Khanna

In spite of the gods, the rise of modern India by Edward Luce

Points Possible

Points Earned

Research & Writing1. Full TEXT of article on Google docs (NO links) 5

1. Dateline and byline included in article (City/news organization and journalist who wrote the article)

5

1. One-paragraph summary of news article Written in student’s own words Concise summary of entire article (not just the first few

paragraphs!)

10

1. One-paragraph analysis of article Analysis includes SPICE: social, political, intellectual,

cultural or economic Analysis includes why the article is relevant to our

current study

10

Presentation1. Visuals (2-3 good visuals for presentation)

5

1. Presentation: spoke to audience rather than reading from slides or note cards, made eye contact 5

1. Presentation was engaging and interesting 5

1. Presentation made relevant & meaningful connections to classroom instruction 5

TOTAL 50

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