This blog is a part of my academic activity. We were asked to compare the novel "The White Tiger" written by Arvind Adiga and the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" directed by Danny Boyle.
1. Narrative structure
Narrative structure of both the movie and film are same. They both have used flashback technique to move their plot. In the novel “The White Tiger” writer has used the wanted poster. Balram Halwai was reading something from Wanted Poster and then he was telling something from his past. Same happens in the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” Jamal Malik was in the show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”. There are questions in the show and with each questions there are events from past. So, basically there was a parallel structure. Some thing from past and present go hand in hand. The narrative is from first person point of view, which describes narrator’s journey from rags to riches.
2. Indianness
The novel and the movie both has captured the Indianness very well. We can talk about few elements of Indianness from both works. For instance the trains, trains are very important in the life of Indians and both the director and writer had successfully captured it. Then both have shown the dark side of India, where poverty lies. They have also shown the importance of money in the dark side. The people from dark side, in short belongs to poor family, can do anything for money. Ultimately money is the only thing they want. Both movie and novel has shown the corrupt face of police system. Both have also criticized the religion and its division, which creates chaos. This is how we can find Indianness in movie and novel both.
3. List of questions asked in the film. If you have to replace or add a few questions, which questions would you like to add. Remember, questions shall be in-tune with the screenplay of the film.
There was nine questions in the movie. Which are listed as below.
1. Who was the star in the 1973 hit film "Zanzeer"?
2. A picture of three lions is seen in the national emblem of India. What is written underneath it?
3. In depiction of God Rama, he is famously holding what in his right hand?
4. The song " Darshan Do Ghanshyam" was written by which famous Indian poet?
5. On the American One Hundred Dollar Bill, there is portrait of which American Statesman?
6. Who invented the revolver?
7. Cambridge Circus is in which UK City?
8. Which cricketer has scored the most first class centuries in history?
9. In Alexander Dumas' book, "The Three Musketeers", two of the musketeers are called Athos and Porthos. What was the name of the third Musketeer?
These all were the questions in the show. Apart from this, if I would have to add some questions, I would like to add some questions of slums, where he passed his few years and also about trains, because he passed his most of the life around trains.
4. On what grounds can you deconstruct the film with reference to post colonial tools / theories.
Indians have problem with this film because it shows the poor India, the India which cheats for money, the India with people living in dirty places. But Danny Boyle deliberately attempts to make India reminds their days as a Colony, and white people as their saviours/rulers. We can give one or two examples of this deliberate attempt. One was when Jamal was guiding Americans to one of Dhobi Ghats. At that time the taxi was robbed by some boys and driver starts hitting Jamal. At that time Jamal says this is real India and the American lady says they will show him the real America and gives him money for medicine of his injury. This shows that Danny Boyle still thinks India is a Colony of Whites. He shows here India as all bad and America as all good. This can not be at all the truth. Indians also have the light side which director has skipped. This is problematic from the Post-Colonial view.
Secondly, director has choose only V.T Railway Station. Which reminds Indians of the White rule, because it was made by Britishers. Further director has choose a particular pillar with the name of some English man. He made Jamal sit at that pillar and the name was so much in frame focus. Why only that pillar and not any other? Why the name was not hidden and fully in frame focus. This was the deliberate attempt to make Indians remind of their rulers. This is also problematic from Post-Colonial view.
5. Compare with Texture and Treatment of subject content in film and novel.
The texture of both novel and the movie was dark and gloomy. Both have captured the Indianness very well. The narrative goes parallel with past and present in both movie and novel, and for that both have used flashback technique. Themes like corruption, and poverty were captured very effectively. The treatment of subject content was with dark humour, both novel and movie present some harsh reality with humour. We can take example of school from both. The situation of school in Laxmangadh from the novel and situation of school in slum from the movie, both are harsh realities but presented as humorous.
Thank you.
Narrative structure of both the movie and film are same. They both have used flashback technique to move their plot. In the novel “The White Tiger” writer has used the wanted poster. Balram Halwai was reading something from Wanted Poster and then he was telling something from his past. Same happens in the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” Jamal Malik was in the show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”. There are questions in the show and with each questions there are events from past. So, basically there was a parallel structure. Some thing from past and present go hand in hand. The narrative is from first person point of view, which describes narrator’s journey from rags to riches.
2. Indianness
The novel and the movie both has captured the Indianness very well. We can talk about few elements of Indianness from both works. For instance the trains, trains are very important in the life of Indians and both the director and writer had successfully captured it. Then both have shown the dark side of India, where poverty lies. They have also shown the importance of money in the dark side. The people from dark side, in short belongs to poor family, can do anything for money. Ultimately money is the only thing they want. Both movie and novel has shown the corrupt face of police system. Both have also criticized the religion and its division, which creates chaos. This is how we can find Indianness in movie and novel both.
3. List of questions asked in the film. If you have to replace or add a few questions, which questions would you like to add. Remember, questions shall be in-tune with the screenplay of the film.
There was nine questions in the movie. Which are listed as below.
1. Who was the star in the 1973 hit film "Zanzeer"?
2. A picture of three lions is seen in the national emblem of India. What is written underneath it?
3. In depiction of God Rama, he is famously holding what in his right hand?
4. The song " Darshan Do Ghanshyam" was written by which famous Indian poet?
5. On the American One Hundred Dollar Bill, there is portrait of which American Statesman?
6. Who invented the revolver?
7. Cambridge Circus is in which UK City?
8. Which cricketer has scored the most first class centuries in history?
9. In Alexander Dumas' book, "The Three Musketeers", two of the musketeers are called Athos and Porthos. What was the name of the third Musketeer?
These all were the questions in the show. Apart from this, if I would have to add some questions, I would like to add some questions of slums, where he passed his few years and also about trains, because he passed his most of the life around trains.
4. On what grounds can you deconstruct the film with reference to post colonial tools / theories.
Indians have problem with this film because it shows the poor India, the India which cheats for money, the India with people living in dirty places. But Danny Boyle deliberately attempts to make India reminds their days as a Colony, and white people as their saviours/rulers. We can give one or two examples of this deliberate attempt. One was when Jamal was guiding Americans to one of Dhobi Ghats. At that time the taxi was robbed by some boys and driver starts hitting Jamal. At that time Jamal says this is real India and the American lady says they will show him the real America and gives him money for medicine of his injury. This shows that Danny Boyle still thinks India is a Colony of Whites. He shows here India as all bad and America as all good. This can not be at all the truth. Indians also have the light side which director has skipped. This is problematic from the Post-Colonial view.
Secondly, director has choose only V.T Railway Station. Which reminds Indians of the White rule, because it was made by Britishers. Further director has choose a particular pillar with the name of some English man. He made Jamal sit at that pillar and the name was so much in frame focus. Why only that pillar and not any other? Why the name was not hidden and fully in frame focus. This was the deliberate attempt to make Indians remind of their rulers. This is also problematic from Post-Colonial view.
5. Compare with Texture and Treatment of subject content in film and novel.
The texture of both novel and the movie was dark and gloomy. Both have captured the Indianness very well. The narrative goes parallel with past and present in both movie and novel, and for that both have used flashback technique. Themes like corruption, and poverty were captured very effectively. The treatment of subject content was with dark humour, both novel and movie present some harsh reality with humour. We can take example of school from both. The situation of school in Laxmangadh from the novel and situation of school in slum from the movie, both are harsh realities but presented as humorous.
Thank you.
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