The Namesake
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For the film of the same name, see The Namesake (film)
 First edition cover |
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| Author | Jhumpa Lahiri |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Philippe Lardy |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fiction |
| Publisher | Mariner Books |
| Released | September 1, 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) and audio-CD |
| Pages | 291 (paperback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-618-48522-8 (paperback edition) |
The Namesake (2003) is the second book by author Jhumpa Lahiri. It was originally a novella published in The New Yorker and was later expanded to a full length novel. It explores many of the same emotional and cultural themes as her Pulitzer Prize-winning short story collection Interpreter of Maladies. Moving between events in Calcutta, Boston, and New York City, the novel examines the nuances involved with being caught between two conflicting cultures with their highly distinct religious, social, and ideological differences.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
The novel describes the struggles between first-generation Bengali immigrants to the United States, and their children, particularly their son, Gogol.
The story begins as Ashoke and Ashima leave Calcutta, India and settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Through a series of errors, their son's nickname, Gogol, becomes his official birth name, an event which will shape many aspects of his life.
[edit] Characters
[edit] The Gangulis
- Ashoke Ganguli: Gogol's father who has a near death experience while he is a young man. Prior to embarking for the United States in the 1970s, he is involved in a devastating train accident; he survives only by holding up the tattered remains of a short-story collection by Russian author Nikolai Gogol.
- Ashima Ganguli: Gogol's mother who is initially plagued by insecurities involved with moving to America. Unlike Ashoke, Ashima finds that she cannot acclimatize to American society.
- Nikhil "Gogol" Ganguli: Ashoke and Ashima's son, who is born and grows up in the United States. He is tormented by an identity crisis which stems in part from a mistake which is made when his family pet name, Gogol, (having two names is a common practice in Bengali families) becomes mistaken for his real name.
- Sonia Ganguli: Gogol's younger sister. Ashoke and Ashima specifically gave her only one name which would serve as both an official and pet name, in order to avoid the confusion which arose with giving Gogol two names but pet names are hard to avoid, especially in Bengali families thus Sonali's name ends up being Sonia.
[edit] Gogol's love interests
- Ruth - Gogol's college sweetheart is a white woman to whom Gogol is deeply attached. They soon separate after Ruth spends both spring and summer terms in England studying literature. Shortly after Ruth's return to the United States, they begin fighting and decide it is best if they stop seeing each other.
- Maxine - Gogol's first real love is a white woman and a member of a liberal and very wealthy Manhattan family. Although the two love each other, their differences in background and culture inevitably become a factor in their breakup.
- Moushumi - Gogol's wife is a childhood friend from another Bengali family. After his breakup with Maxine, Gogol decides to explore romantic possibilities with Moushumi due to their shared culture and background, and due to the influence of his mother and sister. Although she grew up in England, Gogol and Moushumi share a great deal in common and eventually marry. However, their marriage, becomes troubled when they realize that a shared culture is not enough for them to find happiness together, and Moushumi has an affair with an old love interest.
[edit] Film
- The film The Namesake was released in the United States, United Kingdom and India in March 2007. It is directed by Mira Nair and is based upon an adapted screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala.
[edit] Bengali version
The Namesake has been published in Bengali from Kolkata, India by Ananda Publishers by the name Samanami.
[edit] See also
- ABCD, a term Gogol encounters in the book that applies to himself
