浅析《贫民窟的百万富翁》中的宿命论色彩学位论文

Abstract

Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British romantic drama directed by Danny Boyle. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A (2005) by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup. Slumdog Millionaire was nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 2009 and won eight, the most for any film of 2008.

On the interpretation of the film, many scholars make a fruitful exploration, but these linguistic features and are more from shooting techniques, focusing on the interpretation of the film's theme and successes. Fatalism is a valuable aspect of creation in the movie Slumdog Millionaire which describes about the fate of the characters is particularly highlighted. This is a problem worthy of our serious consideration: How to correctly understand the infiltration of religious thought, the cruel fate and dark reality in the film?

The purpose of the present study is to analyze necessity, contingency and creativity in plot arrangement from the perspective of fatalism setting and characters in the film, and to discuss the causes of fatalistic ideas and its performance analysis in creation of this film. Its expression is not a pure fatalism, but takes fatalism to criticize the society and pay attention to the suffering through the experience of the protagonist, around a reflection on human nature as well as the satire in American dream.

Key Words:Slumdog Millionaire; fatalism; love attitude; criticism

摘要

2008年上映的《贫民窟的百万富翁》这部电影是根据印度作家及外交官维卡斯?史瓦卢普的作品《Q&A》所改编，由英国导演丹尼?博伊尔所执导拍摄。于2009年《贫民窟的百万富翁》得到奥斯卡金像奖十项提名，并荣获了8个奖项，成为2008年电影界的大赢家。

关于该电影的阐释，不少学者做出了卓有成效的探索，但这些研究多从语言特点和拍摄技巧方面着眼于解读电影的主题和成功之处等，宿命论是影片《贫民窟的百万富翁》创作思想的一个重要方面，作品中关于人物命运的描写对此表现得尤为突出。该如何正确理解影片中渗透的宗教思想，残酷的宿命与黑暗的现实，这是值得我们深思的问题。

本论文主要论述这一宿命论思想的形成原因，并对其在这部影片创作中的人物设定和情节安排中的必然性、偶然性以及创造性进行了分析，其表达的并不是一种纯粹的宿命论思想，而是借宿命论来达到社会批判的目的，通过主人公的苦难经历对社会呐喊，引起世人对人性的思考以及美国梦的讽刺。

关键词：贫民窟的百万富翁；宿命论；爱情观；批判

Contents

Abstract (i)

摘要 (ii)

1. Introduction (1)

1.1 Rationale (1)

1.2 Aim and objectives (1)

1.3 Organization of the paper (2)

2. Literature Review (3)

2.1 Studies on fatalism (3)

2.1.1 Definition of fatalism (3)

2.1.2 Foreign and domestic study on fatalism (3)

2.2 Brief introduction about Slumdog Millionaire (4)

2.3 Foreign and domestic study on Slumdog Millionaire (4)

3. The causes of fatalistic colors in Slumdog Millionaire (6)

3.1 Family environment (6)

3.2 Collective education (6)

3.3 Social culture (7)

4. Fatalism in marriage decisions (8)

4.1 the encouragement in love attitude towards actor (8)

4.2 the conditioning in love attitude towards actress (8)

5. The manifestation of fatalism in plot arrangement (10)

5.1 The living conditions in the slum (10)

5.2 An unattainable dream (10)

5.3 The unequal status (11)

5.3.1 The conceited, self-satisfied white people (11)

5.3.2 The destitute Jamal (11)

5.4 The loyalty and betrayal of Salim (11)

6. Conclusion (13)

6.1 Major findings (13)

6.2 Limitations and suggestions (14)

References (15)

Acknowledgements (15)

1. Introduction

1.1 Rationale

According to Oxford Advanced Learner's English-Chinese Dictionary 6th Edition (2004:626), fatalism is the belief that events are decided by fate and that you cannot control them; the fact of accepting that you cannot prevent something from happening.

In 19th century Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is to break the traditional philosophy and theology on God and the human concept of idealism so that it is rising out of the gloom and melancholy of the new concepts of natural philosophy. In front of the vast universe, under the influence of genetic factors and life environment, people cannot master their own destiny, and even feel powerless.

Xu Jiangang (2009) states that fatalism, as a concept of destiny, does have its negative influence. Mankind itself is a living in a world of immeasurable natural forces to control small fraction of the endless, repetitive evolution process. At the same time, natural cruelty is also a new understanding of the natural philosophy. Human in front of nature must compete to survive, and the destruction of a small number of people is inevitably sacrificed in the course of human progress. Fatalism is changing over from irrationality to rationality. Whether Gods control destiny or environment impacts fate, people in the face of powerful forces are always helpless.

Fatalism is in general the view which holds that all events in the history of the world, and, in particular, the actions and incidents which make up the story of each individual life, are determined by fate. The theory takes many forms, or, rather, its essential feature of an antecedent force rigidly predetermining all occurrences enters in one shape or another into many theories of the universe. Sometimes in the ancient world fate was conceived as an iron necessity in the nature of things, overruling and controlling the will and power of the gods themselves. Sometimes it was explained as the inexorable decree of the gods directing the course of the universe; sometimes it was personified as a particular divinity, the goddess or goddesses of destiny. Their function was to secure that each man's lot, "share", or part should infallibly come to him (Maher, M. 1909).

1.2 Aim and objectives

In this dissertation, Slumdog Millionaire is not just a film about 20 million rupee quiz competition, not just about a tough life of 18-year-old orphan but is a film with fatalistic color which describes the social experience of hero in India through ten brief but slashing questions. Moreover, it puts traumata and robustness, corruption and struggle, hesitation and dauntless, contradiction and demure into a 120-mintue film so that it can focus world attention squarely on the thinking of human nature and fantasy of the American Dream by representing the values in different social classes.

Fatalism is a valuable aspect of creation in the movie Slumdog Millionaire which describes about the fate of the characters is particularly highlighted. This is a problem worthy of our serious consideration: How to correctly understand the infiltration of religious thought, the cruel fate and dark reality in the film? The purpose of the present study is to analyze necessity, contingency and creativity in plot arrangement from the perspective of fatalism setting and characters in the film, and to discuss the causes of a fatalistic ideas and its performance analysis in creation. Its expression takes fatalism to criticize the society and pay attention to the suffering through the experience of the protagonist.

1.3 Organization of the paper

This paper is divided into six chapters. Chapter one serves as an overall introduction to the rationale and aim of the study. Chapter two is an overview of the theories and studies related to fatalism and Slumdog Millionaire. Chapter three describes the causes of fatalistic colors in Slumdog Millionaire, including collective education, family environment and social culture. In Chapter four the fatalism in marriage decisions will be presented and discussed objectively and in detail. And, Chapter five is to highlight the manifestation of fatalism in plot arrangement. Finally, Chapter six is devoted to the conclusion which we will put forward the major findings and limitations of the study.

2. Literature Review

In this chapter, we will briefly introduce the theories and studies concerning fatalism and Slumdog Millionaire.

2.1 Studies on fatalism

2.1.1 Definition of fatalism

Fatalism has already been one of Weltanschauung for a long time which believes that the history of the development is decided by the inevitable supernatural powers. What is the significance of fatalism? Fatalism is a belief that events are determined by fate. Fatalism is a belief that we have to accept the outcome of events, and that we cannot do anything that will change the outcome because events are determined by something over which we have no control. Furthermore,Modern Western Culture Art Dictionary (1996:198) concludes the following: The theory that certain future events must occur regardless of you present actions or choices. Strictly speaking, fatalism removes ethical concerns from human actions, for fate indifferently assigns each person to the predetermined course of events, the Greeks held to the idea of the allotment, by the Moirai, to each individual at birth of certain quantity of misfortune that he or she must endure. The Romans saw their gods spinning human destiny.

In Islamic belief everything is ruled by an inexorable fate, called Kismet. It is important to distinguish between fate and chance. If fate is conceived to be operative, any event, however independent of the actions of merits of an individual, is the result of an impersonal force predetermining it. If chance is believed to be operative, the event is the working of coincidence rather than of fate. Although fatalism often coincides with a belief in predestination, as in Calvinism or Islamic belief, it does not necessarily entail the existence of a purposive agent through whose decree the necessary events occur; it merely assert that these necessary events are inevitable.

2.1.2 Foreign and domestic study on fatalism

Collecting data from academic advising sessions, Richard Holton (2009) contrasts fatalism and determinism and reveals that if any pays diligently obtains with the same result, determinism is one form of the fatalism. Hugh Rice (2010) compares the different reading in fatalism, such as the theology of Aristotle's logical fatalism and the God of fatalism, thinking about fatalism that can not be generalized. The domestic scholars also have the massive research about fatalism. Wu Longhuan (2005) explains the essence of the religious reason, the social reality, the pardoned crime and the human imperfect through Flannery O’Connor’s representative works Projected from a Good Man is Hard to Find in the rich fatalism plot and image. Throughout developing process in fatalism, Zhang Xue (2008) divides it into two stages, non-rational and the rational, to analyze the differences and common ground of fatalism through the mystical tendency fatalism

in The King Di Pusi and the naturalism fatalism both in Tess of the d’Urberv and Sister Carrie. Meanwhile, Bao Chuanliang (2011) has demonstrated fatalism components in Haruki Murakami novel Kafka on the Shore from the plot and the result, as well as the linguistic and vocabulary style. Li Meiju (2011) elaborates the cause of Hardy's fatalism, and has carried on the analysis to it in the creation's performance of Tes s of the d’Urberv.

2.2 Brief introduction about Slumdog Millionaire

Director Danny Boyle has created a film that should resonate with slumdogs and upperclass, easterners and westerners alike. It is one of the most exciting, entertaining, funny, moving and best films of 2008. The film is about the Indian version of the hit TV show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” I n this film, Dev Patel plays Jamal Malik, a former Mumbai street-kid who has a job making tea at a call centre. He astonishes all of India by entering the show as a contestant and triumphantly getting question after question right. Is he a fraud, a savant genius? Or is something weird going on? His amazing winning streak means he has to come back the next evening for the final big-money question and overnight he is brutally interrogated by Mumbai cops convinced he is a cheat. They take him through each of the questions he got right, and Jamal's life story unfolds in flashback as our hero reveals that each question. Besides, various characters determine his fate: his gangster brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), the love of his life Latika (Freida Pinto) and Prem (Anil Kapoor), the creepy quizmaster himself, who has his own interest in Jamal's staggering success.

Despite the extravagant drama and some demonstrations of the savagery meted out to India's street children, this is a cheerfully undemanding and unreflective film with a vision of India that, if not touristy exactly, is certainly an outsider's view; it depends for its full enjoyment on not being taken too seriously.

2.3 Foreign and domestic study on Slumdog Millionaire

On the study of the film Slumdog Millionaire, some researchers, such as Huang Jiafeng (2009) and Gao Mingzhen, and Li Qingqing (2010), have engaged in generalizing that the film's success lies in the perfect cooperation of writer and director, the ingenious narrative style and the impressive characterization. Furthermore, the study of Wang Liping and Yang Baohua (2010) has found that life is as a "copy" while this film presents us the "mirror image" is like a fairy tale.

In addition, Xing Shuna (2009) has explored the illusive nature of American dream, which indicates this is not only the current financial crisis to batter the dream choice for people but also the American people to pursue the American Dream. Liu Li (2011) analyzes the film is to hit poverty, violence, religion and other sensitive issues in India. Beside, Bernard Beck (2009) and Slawomir Magala (2010) have conducted the analytical study to the movie cultural connotation, mapping out their thought-provoking question: Why reality will always make us feel so

embarrassed? Injustice, inequality, cacophony of sounds has been in bitter pursuit. Fareed Zakaria (2009) has pointed out the Indian people discontent the portrait from India slum-life in the film by interviewing the movie director Boyle.

Judging from the above literature materials, many scholars have made the fruitful studies on the interpretation of the film, but most of these studies focus on the linguistic features, shooting techniques, the interpretation of the film's theme and successes, which are permeating the identity of the author and the impact of production processes. This paper attempts to analyze the social problems experienced in Slumdog Millionaire, explore how people value a correct view of human nature and moral equality, and pursue a truly beautiful world.

3. The Causes of Fatalistic Colors in Slumdog Millionaire

In this chapter, the causes of fatalistic colors in Slumdog Millionaire used in the study will be described in terms of family environment, collective education, and social culture.

3.1 Family environment

Human are the mutual influence that create the environment while the environment affects them. Children, in particular, are not mature to discern things whether it is good for themselves or not. Meanwhile, they are vulnerable to outside influences. Any uncivilized words and deeds or backwardness thought can let them be imperceptibly influenced by constantly seeing and hearing. Finally they might form the ingrained habits of a lifetime.

Family is a cell of society which is small but the structure is very actually complex. Family members, the relationship among family members, housing conditions, economic status, social status, relatives and friends, etc., constitute a complex and lively family environment. Family environment for children's growth is very significant. On strengthening and improving the ideological and moral education of minors, school, family and society play a vital role, especially the role of family.

The film, at the beginning, presents a rather "India color" scene: The wigwam is broken, the children are in rags and run in flanerie. The host Jamal Malik is a poor guy who just has a few days at school and comes from the slum. Though he dose not have a good education background, and plays in the streets and lanes in the slum all day, he never ever lack for innocence and persistence. In order to meet with the idol Amitabh Bachchan and obtain his genuine signature, Jamal frantically jumps into the pit. This has manifested the faith that the host holds and simultaneously is suggesting his destiny.

Jamal’s mother is a poor but noble and graceful lady. To save her children in a religious conflict, she is killed by those invaders in the laundry pool. Salim and Jamal finally escape from the clutches of the enemy, but she never left the dirty pool. How shocking the selfless love it is! This has also affected Jamal on the interpretation of human nature and love. Mother’s death seems to tell Jamal that this is her destiny and nobody can change it.

3.2 Collective education

Human's education is a systematic education project. It includes family education, social education, collective (nurseries and kindergartens, schools) education, which are interrelated and organic combination, mutual influence, interaction and restraint. This education project is impossible to live without each other. And in the troubled slum, education is a luxury thing, not to mention the topflight hardware facilities.

The Three Musketeers is a story about love, adultery, friendship, loyalty and betrayal. Their primary school textbooks are The Three Musketeers, but the religious conflict hit and destroys

their families before Salim and Jamal have time to read. Latika, “the third m usketeers” has joined. Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Three Musketeers spreads throughout the film. It is very vivid setting, and also for this cruel movie endows with the legendary temperament. Salim, Latika and Jamal call themselve s "The Three Musketeers” in their childhood, however, in fact, they never know what the three Musketeers are. They are not in a simmer of distress without any advantages of education. Perhaps in this place, to pursue survival is their fate.

3.3 Social culture

I think that, for a country or nation, one of the most important things is cultural, and then the following are the system, and the quality of people. As a person, the culture refinement is his soul, who without that is as good as dead.

In a religious conflict, Jamal looks helpless at the moment when his mother has become the innocent victim. However police turn their blind eyes to these evil doers and evil deeds. Director outlines the reality of India in alarmed way. In exile, Jamal comes across one child playing God Rama who is famous for holding a bow and arrow in his right hand. This shatters him most and henceforth he and his brother become orphan. Religious conflict in this scene also reflects the collision in culture and ideology.

Next, the host Jamal encounters the partner Arvind who is kidnapped in the street corner. At that time, Jamal is lucky enough to escape but we all know that Gods do not bless everyone, including Arvind. Arvind’s eyes are being blinded and now he still lives on singing and begging in the streets. Facing the different fates between them, Arvind only lightly says: “So you’re a big guy now, Jamal. I am happy for you. You got save my friend. I wasn’t so lucky. That’s the only difference.” T he deep-rooted fatalism in Indian culture has been demonstrated incisively and vividly in this film.

The cultural environment mainly contains the following factors: social class, family structure, manners and customs, religious belief, values, esthetic and so on. The social culture environment is the most important factor which affects people’s desire and behavior.Different country and nationality have different manners and customs result from their own culture.In addition, the culture not only reflects in the values and consumption habits but also in the religion.The religious traditional succession is strong, moreover it is not easy to change, and so is fatalism.

4. Fatalism in Marriage Decisions

In this chapter, detailed information obtained from the study will be presented in terms of marriage decisions, and all the results in the study will be discussed in detail.

4.1 The encouragement in love attitude towards actor

Everyone's fate is already doomed, while love is no exception. Everything has two sides, and different subjects have different effects. In the face of fatalism, not everyone is passively bowed to fate, such as the hero in the film, Jamal. The thought is destined to give him positive energy, and vigorously defend his love with Latika. Jamal believes that love can conquer all. No matter how the time and the environment do change, love will last forever.

The idea of fatalism is constantly being mentioned in the film. The fatalism in Slumdog Millionaire takes the master line by a touching love story. On one hand, the film is through Jamal in love with Latika to demonstrate the honesty, persistence and sincerity. On the other hand, there is also a valuable quality of love -- tolerance and humility. He beyond reality with love, and has accomplished the impossible things. Growing up in the slum, the poor boy survives the religious disputes in the years of back and forth to participate in the television program and wins the 20 million rupee prize. Jamal expresses to us his understanding of love and hope for life, which manifests the fatalism of encouragement.

The TV show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” attracts many telephone service center staff to dream of being the overnight riches. So the crowds are scrambling to dial to participate in the quiz, it is a pity that they try in vain. On the contrary, though Jamal knows the dial tips, he keeps out of it and not yields an inch. Finally the reason why he takes part in the show is not for the prizes but has a chance to let his lover Latika see him on the television, even when he wins the grand prize of 20 million rupee, he still feels depressed because he can not get Latika out of his head.

The dreamlike opera evokes Junior Jamal awakening of love and the Taj Mahal, as symbol of love, becomes an important hub to reverse the direction of Jamal life. Hope, love and optimism in the film are given consciously will contribute to further deepening the theme. The purpose of appropriate expatiates the social background of the characters in this film is to convince the audience to trust and sympathize with the fate of the hero.Jamal and Latika meet again, and they embrace at the station. Jamal stresses that this is "our" fate. Now, looking back, the answer is crystal-clear to us: It is written.

4.2 The conditioning in love attitude towards actress

Character is always in conflict with the external environment and the destiny. Character is in a subordinate position all the while during the conflict. The formidable force which determines the tragic plot is unable to resist, and it is this strength that causes the tragedy, namely

fatalism. Manifestation of fatalism in Latika this role is self- escape and her attitude is to surrender to fate.

The train track symbolizes the choice and future direction. Obviously, this train track is a symbol of different lives of the three musketeers. The ubiquitous dust not only makes people feel suffocated, simultaneously it also alludes to the fate of mankind. The road of frustrations means what the misery human being may suffer in the world, and its bleak and desolation implies that people’s pallid and poor spirit.

Three homeless children are seducing, tricking, and forcing into begging by an illegal orphanage. But the person in charge of the orphanage actually wants to keep their eyes blind so that they can increase their income, therefore they flee. However when they climb the train, Salim intentionally does not pull Latika’s hand so that Latika is caught once more by the orphanage. This is the first time Jamal lost Latika, also it is a watershed plot in their love story.

The image of the red-light district is full of mystical color. In Latika’s lifetime, it seems there is always a force so powerful that she could not get rid of, despite she is doing everything diligently. Her fate is full of contradictions and struggles.

After several times wandering, Jamal returns to Mumbai ultimately in order to seek for a missing girl in the millions of population city. The two brothers have found the girl in the red-light district. In order to escape, Salim kills the ruthless head of orphanage. During the time they are chased down, Salim carries off Latika and offers Javed her body. Meanwhile he points a gun at Jamal and forces him to leave. This is the second time Jamal lost Latika. Although Latika dose not love Javed at all, she is so powerless to rebel against it that finally she has submitted to fate. She firmly thought she never ever could escape from such a pitiful fate. This enables her to have a more pessimistic view to her future life. She thinks that all sorrow things are destined.

By chance, Jamal tracks Salim, even ventures into Javed’s villa to see Latika, and finds her to escape from reality by looking at the program “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire". Despite her heart is full of misgivings, she agrees to the train station to meet up with Jamal. Unfortunately, they are discovered and Salim is so cruel to draw a knife on her face. This is the third time Jamal lost Latika.

The misfortune of her love and whole life, to a certain degree, it depends on her own. Her tragic attitude to knuckle down the destiny has buried the shadow. Somewhere there is a more formidable strength to dominate the crowd, people has not been choosing the destiny and freedom, but controlled by the coincidental arrangement. In Latika’s mind, no matter ho w diligently she works, the tragedy of fate could not be better off, particularly the sacred love.

5. The Manifestation of Fatalism in Plot Arrangement

In this chapter, the manifestation of fatalism in plot arrangement will be analyzed in terms of the living conditions in the slum, an unattainable dream, the unequal status and the loyalty and betrayal of Salim.

5.1 The living conditions in the slum

It is the scene that religion conflict breaks out in the slum has been arranged in the film with the purpose of indicating even the personal safety could not be guaranteed there. On the one hand, the local police are so weak as to be almost nonexistent. The film has broken through the traditional form of separately displaying the scene. It puts two scenes together. In this plot, the poor guys in slum are suffering killing, plundering and burning, while the police just shut their eyes and leisurely play cards. Surrounding the security booths, there is a scene of chaos. Only a few feet away, there is in sharp contrast between with stillness and movement, leisure and riots, some are idle wildly to kill the time while others race against time to flee the death. Such contrast has brought the greatly strengthened visual impact and spiritual shock to the audience. This more underlines fatalism in Indian culture.

5.2An unattainable dream

Dream, what a wonderful and fantasy word it is. Each one is full of hope. Every one has his own dream, and does his best to pursue it. For example, fish always in the pursuit of vast sea, the eagles are eager for broad sky, the sun aspires after magnificent brightness, and the meteor feathers up to a brilliant moment. Our life could not be permanent, have you do persevere to pursue your childhood dream? When looking back upon, will you feel the pangs of remorse at the thought of that? Insisting to the pursuit of dreams, I believe, all of us can make them come true.

The film takes Jamal to compare with other people in fame and gain so that it enhances the image of this good but poor youth. Even though the hero grows up in a society that polarized towards gaining money, his noble quality of pouring scorn on money has not only deeply touched the hearts of the audience but also attracted their notices on this kind of character.

They flee that night, the criminal gang leader who tries to blind Jamal’s eyes to begging, Salim worries about Jamal’s safety but Jamal entirely is not aware of the danger which threatens them and even believes that these "saints" would give them an age of paradisiacal happiness. Jamal says to Latika, “We’ll live in a big house on Harbour Road. You, me and Salim. The 3 Musketeers…in the moonlight, you and me. You’ll dance with me, won’t you?” How idealistic Jamal he is! In his pleasant dream, he remains with brother and friends. However this dream is attractive but unrealistic. This episode carries a foreshadowing of what is to follow later on in the story, suggesting that the three of them are destined not to get eternal happiness.

5.3The unequal status

5.3.1 The conceited, self-satisfied white

In this film, India is full of rampant violence, and the following fragment is worth mentioning: while Jamal is leading the white couple to visit the slum, their car are to be disassembled into parts. And it is only taken for granted that Jamal is violently assaulted by the local police. Another minute, his complaint is thought-provoking: “you wanted to see a bit of real in India, here it is.” In a blaze of fury, the couple shouts at the police and adds thoughtfully, “All right! Well, here is a bit of the real America, son.” What a good slogan! They claim themselves to be the savior of this world! Needless to say, this is also a side view that the slum people could not disengage their fate themselves without the help of white people.

5.3.2 The destitute Jamal

As a chai wallah, Jamal he is treated as comparative object to educate others by teacher when getting tea for people. And she says “T he chai wallah knows more than you.”Is that a commendatory epithet, or a derogatory one? All Jamal has is entirely due to the practical activities. Textbooks are no use for him because he is barely educated.

It is no doubt that all the evidence obtained under torture is worthless, whereas Jamal still suffers such pains from the police who are on firm ground that though professors, doctors, lawyers and general knowledge wallahs never get beyond 16, 000 rupees, he’s on 10 million. The police say with sarcasm, “What the hell can a slumdog possibly know?” Jamal has a withering reply to them and claims, “Who stole Constable Vermaa’s bicycle outside Santa Cruz station last Thursday? Everyone in Juhu knows that. Even five-year-olds.” Jamal Malik, an uneducated young man from the Juhu slum in Mumbai, is being questioned on account of his lowly origins. The world, unjust as it is, but that's the way it goes. People who grow in the slum perhaps are only through such a program to make their dreams of being the millionaire. These dreams are less-than-perfect because the classes would not allow the masses to realize their dreams easily!

5.4The loyalty and betrayal of Salim

The imperfection of human being is another reason for fatalism. Everyone feel guilty about the sin which is due to the imperfection is also a form of it. Salim always feels his life can not get free of tragedy. How weak he is in his misery! People in the slum are doomed to fight against the heartless and unpredictable fate forever.

Salim appears to be a pitiless character. From a stubborn child to underworld gang, he is up to his neck in crime. But we are unable to deny that in the face of money and power Salim never ever forgets love. When the brothers still are kidnapped, Salim sees the traffickers how to put the child to blind. Punnoose rolls his eyes at Salim and smiles seductively, “Listen ki d, it’s decision time. You want the life of a slumdog or the life of a man, huh? A real man. A gunfighter. Your

destiny is in your hands, brother. You can be like me. Go. Get Jamal.” Admittedly, money, fame and social position have interests for most people, especially for a boy who lives on the knife's edge of survival at that moment. It really sounds like a wonderful thing to lord over others. Nevertheless, Salim betrays Punnoose and climbs up on a train to escape with Jamal. The love eventually has defeated the lust for material needs and power. Diving for life, Salim and Jamal have lost track of each other. As an old saying goes, "Blood is thicker than water." A long period of separation does not cut off their loving memories of the past. When Jamal again asks Salim Latika her whereabouts, Salim knows that perhaps it’s time to expiate his sins, so he let go of Latika in exchange for their happiness by means of sacrificing his own life.

His character and way of life can not escape the shadow of fate, and also lead him a pretty dance. As most of us know, doing so will only end in tragedy and possibly loneliness.