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Identity In The Namesake

1475 Words6 Pages

Confusion. Distress. Frustration. All of these feelings were present and prevalent throughout Gogol’s life story as he had a difficult time identifying himself due to conflicting cultures. This is best represented by the people he chooses to maintain relationships with and his actions within the relationships with those closest to him. His parents, specifically his mother, are more in touch with the Bengali culture and want him to be as well, while his American friends want him to be more in touch with the American culture. Accordingly, his reaction to these relationships and their expectations shows his confusion regarding his identity. By ending the relationship with the woman who was enforcing an American culture, he was showing a new affinity …show more content…

In the novel, The Namesake, by Jumpa Lahiri there is the prevalent theme of confusion involving self-identity, this can be seen by the actions of the main character, Gogol, and his relationships. Bengali culture is unique and involves drastically different practices and expectations in contrast to the practices and expectations of American culture. Gogol’s parents are from Calcutta and place their beliefs in Bengali culture. (Through Gogol 's quest for self, Lahiri investigates not so much the generational divide between first and second-generation members of migrant communities as the difficulties faced by "desis" eager to forge a coherent sense of self while struggling with divided loyalties and conflicting identifications.) His parents follow the same expectations of Bengali culture in America as they would in Calcutta, to the utmost extent. Gogol’s father, Ashoke, was involved in and rescued from a train wreck at a young age that was (the first miracle of his life) and gave him the desire to explore the world. Due to this tragic event he is more open to embracing other cultures and respects some of

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