In both Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger and Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers, a rapidly changing India threatens and disempowers those who adhere to a traditional way of life, such as Balram's family in Laxmangarh and the slum-dwelling community in Annawadi. Therefore, the two groups must change in order to compete in this new world. Both Asha and Balram are negatively affected by the globalization of India; however, they intend to escape the restrictions of globalized India by sacrificing their morals and justifying their actions with the belief that economic success is more important. Balram justifies his actions by calling them “acts of entrepreneurship” (9). The reality of globalization is either giving up one's morals to achieve economic success, or being left stranded in the poor part of India that the other half has left behind. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayAravind Adiga and Katherine Boo vividly evoke the tension between old and new globalized India, indicating that succeeding in the modern world (as Balram does) requires a combination of ethical and personal compromises. The Americanization of India allows Balram to momentarily change his caste. Balram also acknowledges the nature of globalization and how to benefit from it saying; “I have always been a man who sees 'tomorrow' while others see 'today.'” (274). He makes the conscious choice to sacrifice parts of himself and completely alter his identity in order to succeed. He states: “The story of how I was corrupted from a sweet and innocent village fool to a citizen full of debauchery, depravity and wickedness” (189). When he lived in the village, there is no doubt that he was in financial difficulty, however he describes himself as sweet and innocent. When he became rich, he became “full of debauchery” and even describes himself as evil. Through the process of escaping from the restrictions of globalization, he had to give up parts of himself to achieve what he considered a success Balram's recognition of the increasing competition resulting from globalization contributes to his resulting actions in its corruption and loss of identity The effects of globalization in India do not stop at poverty and hunger While the rest of the country advances rapidly, those who they find themselves in financially unfortunate situations as Balram and Asha are forced to sacrifice their identity and family. , and morality. In the shadow of the other part of India that is reaping the benefits of globalization, the slum dwellers of Annawadi struggle to survive. Capitalist globalization has resulted in hunger, poverty and untold disease, racial and gender inequality, and an explosion of slums. However, Asha plans to become a slumlord and then "then ride the city's relentless corruption into the middle class." (xvii) In a community of struggling families, there will always be those who are willing to abandon their morals and identity to achieve economic stability. Asha is selfishly driven by her poverty and greed. Similar to Balram, Asha has managed to overcome the guilt because she cannot afford to feel it if she wants to succeed. “Guilt like the one that had overwhelmed Robert was an obstacle to working effectively in the city's back channels, and Asha considered it a luxurious emotion.” Gaining financial and political power to overcome the poverty that globalization has caused has had an emotional impact on Asha and Balram. Asha must suppress thehis true guilt for what he does because he sees emotion as an obstacle on the road to success. Surrounded by luxury hotels and a major airport, Asha is a constant reminder that she is facing all the disadvantages of globalization, while other parts of India prosper. She takes advantage of the corrupt politics influencing India. The influence of western society and foreign powers are the cultural invaders and have forced the natives of Mumbai and Bangalore into inferior positions and created a corrupt society. For the rich, the effects of globalization are not a problem, but as Boo demonstrates, the same cannot be said for the poor. New rules, customs and value designations have changed due to the influence of foreigners. Globalization does not stop at economies but extends beyond and permeates the cultures of nations. Globalization has won in the destruction of native culture, distribution of colonial power, mechanization and westernization. It has destroyed privacy in all fields and helped promote consumer culture. He spread the concept that Westernization is a part of civilization. Everything is superior whether it is western liquor, girls, language, clothing. Globalization replaces native culture with consumer culture. Consumer culture aims at the destruction of native culture and identity. As globalization hits India, citizens like Balram adopt a new perception of society, one that values Western culture over their own. “I must explain to you, Mr. Jiabao, that in this country we have two kinds of men: Indian alcoholics and English alcoholics. Indian liquors were for village boys like me: toddy, arrack, country hooch. English liqueur, of course, is for the rich. Rum, whiskey, beer, gin—everything the English left behind” (73). Balram describes English liquor as “natural” for the rich, as if it were something so commonly ingrained in society that the upper class can be expected to consume primarily English rather than Indian due to their financial situation. India has been divided into rich and poor. Due to Americanization and globalization, the cultures between the two parties are very dissimilar. “'Please understand, Your Excellency, that India is two countries in one: the India of light and the India of darkness'” (12). Because of this segregation, if the poor want to find the “India of light” they have to sacrifice a lot. The difference between the two Indias is mainly the progress and globalization of light India, compared to the traditional culture and poverty of dark India. The problem with globalization for the characters Balram and Asha is that they are being provoked by a rapidly advancing society just out of their reach. The faster the new India modernizes, the more different it becomes from the societies from which Balram and Asha come. Cities left behind in poverty and hunger fall into corruption. Those willing to, like Asha and Balram, recognize and take advantage of their corrupt governments: “Now that he has had the ear of the Corporator, he could solve other similar problems for hire. And when he had real control over the slum, he could create problems to solve them – a profitable sequence he had learned from studying the Corporator” (20). Asha recognizes that success is achieved by “studying” others. He ultimately becomes corrupt when he plans to create problems just so he can solve them. He makes himself unavailable by sacrificing and suppressing parts of his identity. Those left behind by globalizing India will only drift further and further away from the modernized society India is becoming,.
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