Murder, Markets, and Mobility: Neoliberal Capitalism in The White Tiger

Abstract

This paper examines The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga as a literary critique of neoliberal capitalism in post-liberalization India. Through close textual analysis, the study argues that Adiga transforms economic structures, class hierarchy, labor exploitation, entrepreneurship, and globalization, into narrative forces shaping moral consciousness. Drawing upon Marxist economic theory and neoliberal discourse, this paper demonstrates how Balram Halwai embodies aspirational capitalism while simultaneously exposing its structural violence.