The Relationship Between Ashma And Ashima And American's Culture

The two even find that they are forced from their own culture as the hospital insists Ashima wear a short smock, and name their first born son before he leaves the hospital, traditionally against their culture’s formalities. The couple temporarily names their son, Gogol, while they wait for their family to decide on a formal name years later. When the time finally comes for Gogol’s name to be changed to Nikhil, he tells his elementary school principal that he prefers Gogol, beginning an inner struggle to find his identity. Because Ashima and Ashoke followed their culture’s customs in receiving an arranged marriage, they did not receive the opportunity to love one another first. However they learn to love each other throughout their union, especially because they share a cultural understanding and feel as if they are home in one another’s arms. In private, they are able to express their love to one another, saying “I love you” for the first time, “as the American’s do.” But in the fashion of their culture, and the way love is grown through companionship, the first time they tell one another their true feelings, is when their first child has graduated from High School. Its interesting to see the parallel in the two cultures, as American’s typically say “I love you” before they are married. But many American

Ashima’s name means limitless, life without borders, and she finally finds her way back home to where she had left her life off, finally following her passion of singing, where she feels most happy and free. Gogol follow’s directly in his father’s footsteps, getting on a train, and traveling as he once did. Gogol reads from the book, that perhaps “it is not a new overcoat, but an old one,” tying together the idea that modern culture is only built upon tradition. This is where Gogol is at peace, reading the words that sparked his creation, a place to finally