culture. Many of those involved in diasporic situations feel that adapting to the social norms of their new surroundings is an act of betraying their roots in which their heritage and all preexisting traditions will be lost. Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake highlights this struggle through the eyes of the Ganguli family. The novel ultimately shows us that one can simultaneously belong to two cultures‚ in this case Indian and American culture. Many scholars are hung up on the fact that protagonist Gogol
Premium The Namesake Nikolai Gogol Jhumpa Lahiri
reference to your prescribed text and one other text of your own choosing. An individual’s connection to their family‚ a culture or place can develop a greater understanding of themselves or can act as a barrier to truly belonging. In the novel‚ The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and Whale Rider‚ a film directed by Niki Caro‚ the barriers to belonging are ---- whether it be self-inflicted alienation or alienation based on gender‚ race or language‚ whilst showing that belonging to oneself can enrich their
Premium The Namesake
her relationship with David is similar to the plunge that a circus performer makes off a platform. In the same passage‚ she writes “I clung to David for escape from marriage as if he were the last helicopter pulling out of Saignon" (18). In this quote‚ Elizabeth is trying to say that David is a last hope to escape her marriage. In the first and the second chapter of the book she doesn’t focus on the desperation that she had in her relationship with David. She doesn’t reveal her personal issues with
Premium Family Marriage Love
There are many factors that affected people to be what they are now. In The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri‚ Gogol‚ the main character‚ developed from a child attached to his family to a teenager that often rejects his parents and their Bengali culture. As a young boy‚ he was very close to his parents‚ especially his mother‚ and would listen to them‚ but as he grew up‚ it eventually changed. He wasn’t as close to his parents as he was when he was at a young age. He rejected his family and his culture because
Premium Nikolai Gogol The Namesake Short story
BELONGING The concept of Belonging is a multi-layered concept‚ particularly in the novel "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri‚ the news article "Burqas and Fries" by Erika Hayasaki and the play "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare. A person’s sense of belonging is determined by the relationships they share with themselves and other people. Whether it’s family‚ friends or society in general‚ humans have a desire to belong and be an important part of something greater than themselves. The ideology
Free Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare Jhumpa Lahiri
ENG 101 Professor Fisher 04/26/12 Space & Identity The story The Namesake‚ which was quickly made into a movie‚ consists of challenges that every character faces through their surroundings and their ability to adapt unto change. Each character in The Namesake obtains challenges from inhabiting or the desire to inhabit spaces‚ which define them by how they react to these situations. This paper will describe the characters actions and identities and their surroundings unto change as
Premium Jhumpa Lahiri The Namesake Nikolai Gogol
How would you respond to a collision in culture‚ would you completely change your original culture‚ modify it to a certain extent‚ or not make a single altercation to your identity? In The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri‚ Gogol is caught in the midst of colliding cultures and responds by adapting to the host culture‚ the American culture. Throughout Gogol’s life‚ he faces an identification crisis and a crisis in balancing between the Bengali and American culture. Gogol slowly moves to the American culture
Premium United States World War II Race
Knowledge and perception are key factors in how things are interpreted. They can be the difference between understanding and being perplexed. In the novel‚ The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri‚ Gogol seems to go through identity issues with his name. He struggles to find meaning in his name but as the years pass‚ he starts to understand his namesake through being able to accept his name himself. Although Ashima and Ashoke move to America‚ they seem to try to raise Gogal in their Indian culture unaware that
Premium United States Family The Namesake
The Namesake showcases a boy named Gogol who culturally different from the rest of society‚ and undergoes numerous life changing situations. A namesake is a person named after another. The namesake in this novel being Gogol and the author of the Overcoat‚ Nikolai Gogol but to why his father chose this name and this namesake is a mystery to Gogol Ganguli. Symbolism‚ something used quite commonly throughout the novel‚ in which it shows two major symbols. These being the name “Gogol” and trains‚ all
Premium Family The Catcher in the Rye Mother
The title The Namesake reflects the struggle of Gogol Ganguli‚ son of Ashoke and Ashima‚ Indian immigrants to the U.S.A. to get identity in the culture where he is born and brought up with his unusual name. Names do have some meaning in India. A lot of practice is done when a child is named in India. An Indian child generally carries two names‚ a pet name and an official one. Pet names are for the family and neighbours and acquaintances. They carry or may not carry meaning. But official names are
Premium