English Literature 9695

The Namesake: Gogol

Q. Role and Presentation of Gogol.

Lahiri's first novel examines nuances involved with being caught between two conflicting cultures, Since she was a child growing up in America while living with Indian parents who migrated to America, much like Gogol, her novel reflects the realities of a migrant's life. Lahiri perhaps draws from her experiences of living among clashing cultures and presents the story of Indians living in American society in form of 'The Namesake'.

Lahiri is able to make the story relatable for young readers by introducing Gogol, a young Bengali born in America, as her protagonist. Lahiri has presented Gogol at varying stages of his life, from the moment he is born to the moment he is an adult helping his mother clear out their house. She has shown him to be a good-looking man and has depicted him to have a taste for fine arts as not only is he a good artist at a young age but also grows up to pursue a career in architecture. Lahiri has presented Gogol in the middle of cultural conflict, he is seen to embrace the culture he is born in but Lahiri has made it notable that he feels as if that culture will not embrace him back due to the different origin of his name. Gogol is exhibited to be unable to accept his Indians roots either, he does not feel comfortable when he is taken to India by his parents and again, he is followed by the complexity of his name in India as well. People ask him if it is a 'good name' or a 'pet name' and he is not able to answer neither is he able to play the games his cousins grow up playing as they do not exist in America. Thus Lahiri presents his role in the novel as a prominent one that allows the story to be put in motion.

Lahiri has displayed Gogol as the first born of Ashima and Ashoke, although he has affection for them he is often shown to be baffled by his parents Indian perception, such as when his mother refuses to put his graveyard tracing up on the fridge with his other works of art. He is also depicted to avoid telling them about some things he does as a teenager and an adult such as when he goes to a college party and tells them it is an orientation or when he decides to change his name without consulting them first. Nonetheless his parents seem to support most of his decisions, they do not make a fuss when he tells them he has a girlfriend, which is considered a taboo in the society they were raised in, and instead ask him to bring her over for lunch, they do not stop him when he changes his name they do not stop him when he moves out of the house either. It can be said that Gogol's parents are shown to support him as much as they can yet Gogol feels the need to be distant from them as a way of avoiding his problems such as the fact that they still call him by Gogol even after he changes his name. Perhaps his feelings change after Ashoke's death and he starts understanding and cherishing his parents as it is illustrated that he feels nervous to meet his mother after the death and he does not want to leave his father's apartment alone once he cleared it out. Therefore Lahiri has allowed the readers to perceive Gogol's relationship with his parents and how it effects the following events in his life.

It can be said that Gogol's relationships with other women in the novel are complicated. He is shown to enjoy his life with Maxine but is also displayed to have become dependent of her as he is presented to be living in her house, spending his holiday with her family at the Hampshire. Lahiri has emphasised how he almost left his father's apartment alone after his death because she told him to get himself a hotel room as he had become 'accustomed to obeying her'. Furthermore, he keeps his real name a secret from her and when he goes to his parent's house he is embarrassed of their formality and embarrassed when they call him by his real name. Gogol is shown to be happy in Moushumi's company but they are not presented to have much in common for the relationship to last. Gogol's name is displayed to be neither American nor Indian and he perhaps loathes that it is connected to a different country, meanwhile Moushumi finds her solace in France which has no connection to her Indian heritage or her birth place, America. Gogol is perhaps ashamed of his old name and how he has to change it meanwhile Moushumi is casual about the topic as she is shown to mention to her friends how Gogol has changed his name and does not understand why he is so sensitive about it. Perhaps the one thing in common between Gogol and Moushumi is how they are not content with their realities, Moushumi leaves Gogol for Dimitri because she is perhaps not content with their marriage, Gogol is perhaps not content with the broken relationships with not only the women in his life but perhaps also with his name and its origins. Thus by presenting Gogol alongside people with characteristics and lifestyles contrasting with his Lahiri has succeeded to give her readers an in-depth visual of Gogol's character and how his personality develops as the novel progresses.

Lahiri's intent by presenting Gogol is perhaps to shed light on the issues dealt by young migrants that are often intensified by identity crisis brought upon by perhaps racial differences. We are shown that Gogol is perhaps confused by his name. When his parents try to change it he, being a child, is not able to accept it as he feels 'Nikhil' is someone else, someone he is expected to be and this is where his identity crises begins. Although his parents' intentions are pure they perhaps take this step at the wrong time and through this Lahiri emphasises on how parents' decisions can effect a child. Perhaps the mix of cultures confused Gogol further, although his American friends are presented not to care about his name as much as he thinks as in his literature class when Nickolai Gogol is discussed no one connects the author with Gogol but he feels embarrassed and horrified after learning that the author died of suicide after losing his sanity. Meanwhile in India his name is heavily discussed by his relatives putting emphasises on whether it is a formal name or a pet name. This perhaps creates an insecurity within him that continues to haunt him even after he has changed his name. Thus Lahiri has presented how perhaps such minor matters should not be made so big that they effect a person's perception of the world and themselves. Lahiri has also emphasised the importance of family through Gogol as his parents are shown to welcome him home when he needs them even when he neglects them and after his father's death his relatives and Bengali group of friends are shown to be the ones mourning by his side while Maxine tries to persuade him to move on.