The Impact of a Traumatic Event

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Regardless of how a child acts towards their parents, all that matters in the end is their unconditional love for them. However, the time it takes for them to express their gratitude will depend on each child. In the novel The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri demonstrates this, describing the life of a young boy named Gogol and his continually progressing relationship with his mother. It demonstrates that a child is unable to view his or her parents as a human being until the parent figure experiences a traumatic event that allows the child to empathize with their parents. Although parents play an immense role in a child’s life, their support is often underappreciated. They are viewed merely as a beneficial object that can either help or hinder the child. Gogol often feels annoyed when his parents call to see how things are going: “’Oh, Nick [Gogol’s nickname]. Your mother called.’ Gerald [girlfriend’s father] had said, glancing up from the screen. ‘Twice,’ Lydia [girlfriend’s mother] added. He felt a sting of embarrassment” (Lahiri 170). A call from his mother is an act of love towards her son. Not only does Gogol not see this, but feels that this unnecessary phone call is an embarrassment on his part. Oftentimes, I feel this way about my mother as well. As she stays at home full time, I am used to being dropped off and picked up by car, rather than finding my own means of transportation. Since I am so accustomed to this lifestyle, I always assume that she will drive me to and from different places on time. However, when I find myself waiting for longer than usual for my mom to pick me up, I feel agitated. Nonetheless, I should still feel thankful that I have a ride to begin with. Both Gogol and I habituate the love from our parents to a... ... middle of paper ... ...pport that they require. These events force us to encounter a leap of maturity, in order for us to finally realize our mothers’ need for love. By experiencing these crises, we can see our parents not as helpful objects, but rather as human beings like ourselves. The novel The Namesake is clearly able to reflect my life, both showing that children are unable to view their parents as a human being unless the parent is triggered by a traumatic event. This causes the child to feel empathy for the parent figure and suddenly be able to mature so that they can humanize their parents. In this way, traumatic events to the family can often be healthy and necessary for the maturity of the child. After all, if he or she is unable to see their parents at their weakest, the child may take a considerably longer time to discover their gratitude and express the love that is owed.

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