Gogol's Identity In The Book 'Namesake'

albeit with masterful exaggeration – the dining table groaning under comestibles to the road connecting Konotop and Baturyn, which is about 15 miles.

It is not because those people did not have identities, but the fact that modern societies have been shifted to multicultural, and one’s recognition becomes more competitive than the previous time and should be acknowledged. It is Nelson Foote who has used the term first in the academic arena and the word has become popular in the second half of 20th century. During this period, the concept of identity has been deployed in numerous ways in the field of psychology, social sciences, anthropology, humanities and literature. Several academic debates have been used as platforms for refining this concept and contributed to this field. Erikson, Stanly Hall, and James Marcia are the main proponents and their contributions in negotiating identity formation theory are appreciated. Later, the cultural critic Stuart Hall has opined about the changing nature of identity. He says that there is no fixed identity that can be attributed to an individual for his life period; it evolves through several changes in each phase of life. So it can be understood that formation of identity involves several steps: construction, reconstruction and deconstruction. The politics behind this formation may depend on the nature of identity that an individual tries to hold. Indeed, the cultural critic Kobena Mercer reminds us: “One thing at least is clear - identity only becomes an issue when it is in crisis, when something

The purpose of Nikita Mikhalkov’s Urga is the importance of respect. When Sergi drives his truck into a body of water, Sergi strands himself in the steppes of Mongolia. Gombo follows Sergi’s screams for help and invites him back to his yurt. Gombo and his family appear kind towards Sergi and his wife prepares Sergi a meal. This meal demonstrates Gombo and his family’s respect for Sergi. When Gombo is in a city, he stops by a local pharmacy to purchase condoms because his wife fears the child policies in China. Gombo cannot purchase them due to his hesitancy and visits a temple to consult with a lama. Mikhalkov uses this scene to demonstrate Gombo’s respect for his religion. Before Gombo returns to his yurt, he purchases a television set for his family after his wife requests a television set. He brings one home for his family. This demonstrates Gombo’s respect for his wife because he honors her request.

Gogol’s lack of an ordinary cultural background shapes his view of the word “home” throughout the entire novel, The Namesake. From America to India and all around, he’s never quite sure where he belongs. In one part of his mind, he knows his family ties in India play an important role in his personal and family life. On the other hand, he spent much of his childhood learning and growing accustomed to American traditions. Through internal conflicts and multiple relationships, his definition of ‘home’ can be seen changing with each chapter.

Identity can reveal itself through life experiences, and certain circumstances. When someone is facing hardships it can reveal a person’s identity. The way someone faces adversity can determine his or her identity. A person can overcome adversity and be known as resilient or they can give up and be known as a quitter. In the same way, triumphs can also reveal someone’s identity. For example, many of the times people may display an identity to gain someone’s trust, in order to gain more power, money, or a relationship. After they have become triumphant in this endeavor they might reveal a different identity. Similarly, one’s identity changes throughout his or her life. As a person progress through he or she encounters triumphs, tragedies, and other life experiences, which shape and change a person’s identity. A

The book “The First Stone” by Don Aker demonstrates the importance of Identity. Your identity is sculpted by their interactions you have with your environment. Depending on where and how you were raised makes your unique identity. Firstly, in the book Reef began as a tough and not caring individual who was involved with drugs and criminal acts. The reason for his identity and personality to be like this was because of his family life, his grandfather abused him and he was also very poor. This is evidence that describes how living in a bad environment is what can make a person have a negative identity or to act a certain way. Furthermore, your personal identity is very important and at times may not be up to you to create, but your life and your success heavily relies on it. Whether or not you will have a good job and life ahead can depend on your identity because your perspective and views are what guide you to do things. An example of identity leading to success in a person’s life is Bill Gates who is the richest man in the world. Bill Gates did not grow up in a bad environment, he didn’t do drugs and illegal things and was instead very determined. His identity helped him get to where he is now, compared to other people who got nowhere do their negative identity which led them to not

Amir’s experience in America differs greatly from that of Gogol’s. Amir moved to America when he was around ten years old due to the conflict that broke out in his home country, Afghanistan. Although he was not born in America, he can still be considered a full fledged first generation American. Living in Fremont, California with his father, Amir takes advantage of all that America has to offer him. This move to America is a lot difficult for his father since he had lived in Afghanistan his whole life and was widely known and praised throughout his community. Not only was the move hard on him emotionally, but it was also hard on him physically, as mentioned early on in the novel when they first arrived in California. “But the Bay Area’s smog stung his eyes, the traffic noise gave him headaches, and the pollen made him cough. The fruit

Imagine yourself caught between two vastly different cultures in America- one you only see at home with your family and the other you see at school and in most other aspects of your life. Would you be able to pick just one culture? You know that choosing one would turn your back against your family, but the other would make you stand out in a crowd. How would you handle this dilemma? Jhumpha Lahiri, author of The Namesake, describes the journey of a Bengali family- mainly focusing on Gogol- who recently moved to America. Gogol, the son of Ashima and Ashoke, was born in America and spends the first half of his life trying to run away from his Bengali roots. Although Gogol does not feel as lost and detached as his parents in America, he has a difficult time trying to balance the Bengali culture he was born into as well as the American culture he sees and experiences all around him as he is growing up. Throughout the novel, The Namesake, Gogol struggles to develop his identity due to the clashing of Bengali and American culture in his life.

In the other two stories the duality of a person becomes intertwined with the dual image of the city. In "The Nose" and "The Overcoat" the duality reflected both in microcosm of a person and the macrocosm of the city serve as a source of characters ' madness. The duality of the city develops through the Hoffman tradition of grotesque and surrealism. Gogolian Petersburg is the city of a "struggle between the dream and materiality" . In this city the real intertwines with imaginary to such an extent that it is no longer possible to detect the borderline. This dual atmosphere is created through an artistic space, where the fantastic essence hides under a seemingly ordinary facade. The artistic space Gogol creates "is achieved through the extreme concreteness, the materiality of the space, which at the same time appears to be completely imaginary" . Thereby, in "The Nose" a fantastically disappeared part of the body is cut during such a mundane procedure as shaving and is found in such an ordinary object as a loaf of bread. In the same way, in "The Overcoat" a mundane piece of clothing becomes a center of the fantastic events. In addition an ordinary barber and a tailor play the roles of antagonists, who personify the devil.

Many of the works of Jhumpa Lahiri focus on. The three stories build around the development of relationships is “The Namesake,” “The Third and Final Continent” and “This Blessed House.” In these stories, Lahiri not only connects these stories under one theme: relationships, but also cleverly uses motifs and word choice to fully seize the reader’s mind.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows how Jay Gatsby tries to fulfill the ideals of the American Dream. When Gatsby was young, he set goals and worked hard to improve. He pursued the typical American dream of gaining wealth, finding a companion, and being admired by others. Gatsby thought it was best to try and change everything about himself. He wears a thick mask of lies throughout the story, hiding his past, changing his name, suppressing his emotions, and even adapting his word choice. Gatsby represents the American Dream throughout the story, he works hard towards rewarding achievements but is let down, because others would rather have money, power, and society’s approval.

According to Shahram Heshmat, author of “Basics of Identity”, “Identity is concerned largely with the question: “Who are you?” What does it mean to be who you are? Identity relates to our basic values that dictate the choices we make…”. But sometime within every human being’s life, a situation arises where someone is not able to identify themselves, and because of this they can act strangely and sometimes hostile. In the book, A Separate Peace, four characters who are instrumental to the plot, Gene, Finny, Leper, and Brinker all face what most laymen would identify as an “identity crisis”. But in order to truly evaluate the identity struggle of each of these four characters, one must first identify what an overlying

In the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri there are many relationships portrayed throughout the story. Ashoke and Ashima’s relationship doesn’t show their affection for each other. Gogol had three serious relationships with Ruth, Maxine and Moushumi one of which he ended up marrying. His relationship with Maxine was strong because he was very close with her and her family. Gogol’s relationship with Moushumi was based on secrets and their way of not being more open with each other. Gogol’s serious relationships began after he legally changed his name to Nikhil. The significance of relationships and marriage in the novel is purely based on intimacy and defining one’s identity.

One of the first acts of rebellion that Gogol preforms occurs right before he enters college. “In spite of his parents ' sanction he feels that he is overstepping them, correcting a mistake they’ve made” (101). Gogol makes his own decision to officially change his name to Nikhil. Ashima and Ashoke do not necessarily agree with this decision, but they let it slide since Gogol is old enough to make his own life choices. This action of Gogol 's represents Gogol distancing himself from his family and being introduced to independence. This is the moment where his two identities, Gogol and Nikhil, begin to pull apart from each other and more major differences between the two show more intensely. Later on, Gogol develops a serious relationship with an all-American woman named Maxine who leads him ever further from his family. “He tells her he has a deadline at work, but it’s not true-- that’s the day that he and Maxine are leaving for New Hampshire, for two weeks” (144). Since Gogol is spending all this time with Maxine and her family, he barely has any time for his own family and he’d rather be with Maxine. Gogol starts lying to his parents and making up excuses to avoid them which causes him to drift from his family even more than he already has. Not only does this make him drift from his family, but drift from his Indian Culture. “At times, as the laughter at Gerald and Lydia’s table swells, and another bottle of wine is opened, and Gogol raises his glass to be filled yet again, he is conscious of the fact that his immersion in Maxine’s family is a betrayal of his own” (141). Gogol has been following the “American” ways with Maxine’s family and he has become aware of the disconnection between him and his culture. It seems as if he is starting to feel quite guilty because of this and he feels as if he is being

The Namesake, published in 2003, is Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel. The novel explores characters caught between two conflicting cultures; two worlds, India and America.This novel is based upon the author’s own experiences growing up in America as the child of Indian immigrants. Ashima and Ashoke Ganguli, the parents of protagonist Gogol Ganguli, her fictional counterpart, are based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s real parents. Gogol Ganguli is particularly torn between these two cultures. Born in America, immersed in mainstream American culture, but raised by parents who retain strong Indian traditions; in result, he struggles with his identity. As he grows up he questions who he truly is, and where he truly belongs. His past struggles all have an effect on his romantic relationships throughout the novel. Gogol’s three key relationships are animated by themes of belonging and alienation.