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Identity theme in literature
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In the novel, The Namesake written by Jhumpa Lahiri deals with a Bengali couple and their children who resides in America. The Bengali family had a different intake and view of America. The novel presents variety of transitions that is common in our society today. One of the major themes in the novel is the identity confusion Gogol has between his family’s Indian heritage and a modern American lifestyle and is mostly centered around Gogol. ADD MORE & INTRODUCE THE BODY PARAGRAPHS. Gogol’s name is one of the things that made him feel alienated. When Gogol started his schooling, his parents gave him a new name ‘Nikhil’ so he does not feel isolated. At first, Gogol did not respond to ‘Nikhil’. It was his first attempt to refuse a dual identity which left him with the name, Gogol. After a while, he realizes how unusual his name is. Gogol did not understand the …show more content…
His name brings further complications to his identity. For example, "He is afraid to be Nikhil, someone he doesn't know. Who doesn't know him" (Lahiri 57), which is important for several reasons. Gogol felt like he was an outsider, due to his culture. As well as, when Gogol starts school his father, Ashoke, tries to convince him to go by the name Nikhil, which Gogol refuses. Gogol changed his name to ‘Nikhil’ when he started his freshman year at Yale, also his name was a big change to him. For example, “It is as Nikhil that he loses his virginity at a party at Ezra Stile, with a girl wearing a plaid woolen skirt and combat boots and mustard tights"(105), this is important for several reasons we begin to see and understand how Gogol is having identity problems throughout his life. At the university, nobody knew his earlier name so he felt more confident and assured. His transformation started there
In the conversation between Gogol, his kindergarten teacher, and Gogol's father, Gogol is confused and refuses his name as Nikhil. "She bends down so that her face is level with his, and extends a hand to his shoulder:
The fact that this character is the main protagonist, the long timespan throughout the book, the different meanings impounded in the book, and mainly the plot the book is anchored on, obviously states that the main character, Gogol is a round character. Beginning off, Gogol is an oblivious and stubborn youngster because he constantly refuses the names (Gogol and Nikhil) his parents cast upon him. The reason for this is because he simply doesn’t understand the point/meaning behind his names. As time advances to his future years, not only does his character worsen from just being childlike, it goes downhill to culturally and socially unacceptable actions like losing his virginity (early) and partying in secret. In addition, he goes
There he makes this identity of himself to try to totally forget his parents’ cultural identity. He changes his name to Nikhil and later ends up moving to New York with a girl by the name of Maxine. “He is overly aware that they are not used to passing things around the table, or to chewing food with their mouths completely closed. They avert their eyes when Maxine accidentally leans over to run her hand through her hair” (Lahiri 277). This quote is describing Maxine and Gogol having a meal with his parents. This whole scene is very awkward for both because Gogol’s parents aren’t used to doing things the American way. When the two are leaving his parents’ house Gogol’s father says to him “Drive safely, Gogol” (Lahiri 279). This confuses Maxine because she is not familiar with his real name. He doesn’t want to be reminded of who he was before. By chapter 8 Maxine and Gogol are no longer together due to
When I found out I qualified to be a candidate for the NJHS, I knew I had to take this chance. This group is made up of people who depict leadership, character, citizenship, academic success, and service and I would love to join. These characteristics wouldn't just be valuable for a candidate to have, but for everyone to have to exceed in life. If I were to be in the National Junior Honor Society, it would give me an opportunity to ameliorate my future and motivate me to do better.
All parties to the debate are supportive of the Scottish Government’s aim of all Scotland’s children being protected. Instead, the debate is focuses around if the Named Person is the most effective way to achieve that aim. According to the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, the Named Person Scheme is an essential part of the Government and the public sector’s responsibility to enhance and support children’s rights. He continues to argues that the origins of the Named Person Scheme, ‘came from families themselves’. This statement would lead to the assumption that the Scheme was grounded in evidence and research. However Maggie Mellon contends the Named Person Scheme for every child is not grounded in any research evidence. Those in favour
It’s pretty clear that film and literature are very different mediums and when you try to make one into the other, such as an adaptation, you’re going to have some things that are lost in translation and seen in a different light. When an original work is made into a movie, I think they’re kind of at a disadvantage because they only have a few hours to get the whole story across while also keeping the viewer intrigued by what is taking place on the screen right in front of their eyes. Movies are able to contain special effects, visuals, and music though which can impact a viewer and make a scene stay in their mind longer which is a plus side to being able to view something. Literature on the other hand, has a greater advantage. They can keep the reader entertained for a considerably long time and you’re able to get more information about people and events such as what a character is thinking or what is happening behind the scenes during a specific event. I understand that people are going to have different opinions when it comes to whether a book or film adaptation of a work is the best and it is not always going to be the same for each and every piece of work. One thing I think though, is that The Namesake in both the film and the movie, they’re both accurate and concise in the way that they relate to one another.
“After eighteen years of Gogol, two months of Nikhil feels scant, inconsequential.” (Lahiri, 105) He hates everything that reminds him of his past and heritage. The loss of the old name was not so easy to forget and when alternate weekends, he visits his home “Nikhil evaporates and Gogol claims him again.” (Lahiri, 106).
[… The] only person who didn’t take Gogol seriously… who tormented him, the only person chronically aware of and afflicted by the embarrassment of his name, the only person who constantly questioned it and wished it were otherwise, was Gogol. (99-100)
Over the course of the novel, The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, Gogol is constantly moving, and by the time he is in his late twenties, he has already lived in five different homes, while his mother, Ashima has lived in only five houses her entire life. Each time Gogol moves, he travels farther away from his childhood home on Pemberton Road, symbolizing his search for identity and his desire to further himself from his family and Bengali culture. Alternatively, Ashima’s change of homes happens in order to become closer to family, representing her kinship with Bengali culture. Ashima has always had difficulty with doing things on her own, but by the end of the story she ultimately decides to travel around both India and the States without a real home as a result of the evolution of her independence and the breaking of her boundaries; in contrast, Gogol finally realizes that he has always stayed close to home, despite his yearning for escape, and settles into his newly discovered identity - the one that he possessed all along.
Like most second generation children, assimilation was a much easier process for Gogal. He has always had difficulty understanding the bengali culture. As his father once told himhe was unique because of the meaning behind his name “Gogal”. At the end of the book, Gogal has a special moment and comes upon the book he was named after. A connection grows with his fathers as he realizes, “Nikhil will live on, publicly celebrated, unlike Gogal, purposely hidden, legally diminished, now all but lost,(290).” Gogal’s moment of realization makes him find his identity, self-discovery and re-connect to his father. His name is what makes him, Gogal. The novel ends with this as it demostrates finding himself and worth of his
Gogol and Richard both have an intense bond with each of their families. Gogol doesn’t really bond with his family at first but he starts to bond with his family when his father dies and he learns the true meaning of his name. Richard and his family are from the Hispanic culture. Normally when you are from a Hispanic culture, you spend a lot of time with your family doing different activities.
Firstly, Jhumpa Lahiri explores the concept of discovery being exploratory and provocative in the novel ‘the Namesake’ through Gogol’s journey of self-discovery. Gogol’s annaprasanam, his rice ceremony, foreshadows his rejection towards his culture, as he metaphorically ‘touched nothing’. Gogol’s
He does this in order for him to hide his culture and in order to show he is more American. As the story progresses, Nikhil begins living the life that he thought was meant for him. This name changed helped Gogol get through college. He felt Nikhil was the person he wanted to be while hiding Gogol from the world. Nikhil now felt no connections with Gogol, he just wanted to enjoy being American. Now that he is Nikhil, “it 's easier to ignore his parents... [to] type his name at the top of his freshman papers (105).” He no longer feels that he needs to be Bengali. This new freedom that he got by changing his name changed Gogol completely. He now lives his life hiding his past self, a life where he is eccedentesiast without
There are stories within the stories depicted in numerous vignettes. Set in 1980s, the novel gives a graphic account of a cross section of Indian society in characters like Jemubhai Patel, a former judge, his teenaged granddaughter Sai and their cook, Panna Lal who live in a house in the north East Indian town Kalimpong, Biju, the cook's son, Gyan, Saeed, Haresh- Harvy and the two sisters, Lolita and Nonita. All these figures are the inheritors of loss, in terms of dislocation of place, wealth and progress. They are all transformed from their 'native' identity into something quite different, a " Westernized native". Rather, they are negotiating with a state of non-identity. Caught between two worlds, the characters negotiate a new social space; caught between two cultures and often languages the writer also negotiates a new literary space. They are all haunted by questions often asked by an immigrant: Who am I? Where do I
He avoids telling them for as long as he can, even if it keeps him from seeing Ruth “But such a trip would require telling his parents about Ruth, something he has no desire to do” (Lahiri 115). To him, his parents represent Bengali culture, something he is not sure he wants to be a part of. He tries to live entirely without their opinion, driving them out of his personal life almost entirely. Although he is trying to separate himself from Bengali culture, he still remains only a few hours away from home, still visits every other weekend. At the end of the day, Gogol is still connected to his home and culture in a way Ruth is not. Ruth seeks adventure in Europe choosing to study abroad in Oxford, London. “Instead of coming back from Oxford after those twelve weeks, she’d stayed on to do a summer course” (Lahiri 119). In fact Ruth wants to go back to England for graduate school, something Gogol has no real interest in doing. His connection, even if subconscious ends up being the driving force in Ruth and Gogol’s break up. He fails to learn from his mistakes with Ruth, however, and the next girl he dates is even more different than