V Jhumpa Lahri.

the second book of the author

It was originally a novella published in The
New Yorker and was later expanded to a full
length novel. It explores many of the same
emotional and cultural themes as her Pulitzer
Prize-winning short story collection Interpreter
of Maladies. Moving between events in
Calcutta, Boston, and New York City, the novel
examines the nuances involved with being
caught between two conflicting cultures with
their highly distinct religious, social, and
ideological differences.
V he Namesake is a novel by Pulitzer Prize winning
author Jhumpa Lahiri. he novel follows the life of Gogol
Ganguli from birth until middle age, chronicling his
struggle to discover who he is as a second-generation
immigrant. Gogol struggles, first with his unusual name
and later with the traditions his parents insist on
upholding that embarrass Gogol in front of his American
friends. However, as Gogol grows older, he comes to
appreciate what his parents went through when moving
to this country and how hard it was for them to adapt to
their adopted country. Gogol eventually finds some solid
ground between his parents and the world they live in,
bringing him some peace. he Namesake is a novel of
self-discovery that is an emotional journey its readers will
not soon forget.
À
 x
V he baby is born early the next morning. A name must
be chosen for the child, but Ashoke and Ashima have
decided to give this honor to Ashima's grandmother who
has named all the children in her family. hey are not
concerned that they have not received the letter the
grandmother mailed a month ago because in the
tradition of Calcutta, they believe they have several
months to wait. However, they soon learn that the child
must have a name for his birth certificate before he
leaves the hospital. In their tradition, they decide to give
the child a nickname that will work for the birth certificate
and then change his legal name when the letter arrives
from the grandmother. Ashoke decides the nickname
should be Gogol, after the author of the story
À

V ½
½. After Ashoke finishes his studies at MI and is
offered a professorship at a college outside Boston, the
Ganguli family moves. At first, they live in university
housing, but soon decide to buy a home of their own.
Ashima and Ashoke decide on a two-story colonial in a
new subdivision. Gogol will have great memories of
playing in the mud of the unfinished yard and chasing
salamanders around the rocks. When Gogol is five, it is
time to enroll him in kindergarten. Gogol is sick the first
week because he does not want to go to school. Gogol's
father has told him that he will be called by a new name at
school. Since the grandmother's letter was lost, Ashoke
finally took it upon himself to pick a name for his son
À

V ½ . It is Gogol's fourteenth birthday and his parents are
throwing a large party for him that includes all their Indian
friends. Gogol does not enjoy the party because he does
not know most of the kids invited. Gogol does not like most
of his presents, either, and sets them aside for his mother
to regift them to family members on their next trip to
Calcutta. After the party, Gogol is in his room when his
father brings him one last gift. Gogol is surprised since his
father has never given him a gift without his mother's help
before. However, Gogol is disappointed to find it is a book
of short stories by Nikolai Gogol, his namesake. Gogol
does not know why his father named him Gogol except
that he liked his writings
V

  Gogol's father who has a
near death experience while he is a young man.
Prior to embarking for the United States in the
½
s, he is involved in a horrific train crash.
V

 Ashoke's wife who arrives in
Boston after an arranged marriage (Born
Ashima Bhaduri).
V 
 he main character
who struggles with his Indo-American identity
and rebels against his parents only to find that
his values and emotions are not much different
than theirs.
V  Gogol's younger sister.
Ashoke and Ashima specifically gave her only
one name which would serve as both an official
and pet name, in order to avoid the confusion
which arose with giving Gogol two names but
pet names are hard to avoid, especially in
Bengali families.Sonaliµs name ends up being
Sonia
V 
 Gogol's college sweetheart is a
white American to whom Gogol is
deeply attached. hey soon separate
after Ruth spends both spring and
summer terms in England studying
literature. Shortly after Ruth's return to
the United States, they begin fighting
and decide it is best that they stop
seeing each other.
V ©  Gogol's first "real" love,
Maxine, is of white American ethnicity
and a member of a liberal and very
wealthy Manhattan family. Although
the two love each other, they
evenutally break up due to Gogol's
struggles regarding the emotional
complications of his father's death.
Maxine later gets engaged to another
man.
V ©
©
Gogol's wife is a childhood friend
from another Bengali family. After
his breakup with Maxine, Ashima
talks Gogol into starting a
relationship with Moushumi,
particularly due to their shared
culture and background. Although
she grew up in England,
Moushumi shares a great deal in
common with Gogol and the two
eventually marry. However, their
marriage breaks up when
Moushumi starts having a sexual
affair with her old love interest (a
German man named Dimitri in the
novel). Gogol and Moushumi
realize that a shared culture is not
enough for them to find
happiness together
J




 


It's amazing How you can speak right to my heart without saying a word,
You can light up the dark
ry as I may I could never explain What I hear when You don't say a thing

À

he smile on your face Lets me know hat you need me here's a truth In
your eyes Saying you'll never leave me he touch of your hand says You'll
catch me Whenever I fall You say it best When you say Nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud but when you hold me near you
drown out the crowd
ry as they may hey could never define
What's been said Between your Heart and mine

epeat chorus twice]