The Importance Of Identity In The Namesake's Gogol

Due to his indecisiveness and lack of a cemented identity, The Namesake’s Gogol takes on Moushumi 's more clearly defined way of life, ultimately resulting in Gogol being left lonely and hopeless following the divorce. Building itself heavily on the concepts of giving Gogol a sense of identity and a shared need for security, their marriage lacks a mutual input of care and connection. Time after time in his romantic life, from Ruth to Maxine, Gogol has stolen everything about their culture to grant him a sense of meaning. Jhumpa Lahiri shows the very one sided nature of the marriage by providing proof that Moushumi and Gogol focus on filling one another’s emptiness, rather than creating a true connection. Unlike both of their previous relationships,

Though she knows it 's not his fault, she can 't help but associate him, at times, with a sense of resignation, with the very life she has resisted, has struggled so mightily to leave behind.” (Lahiri 250). Starting to become honest with the readers as to the basis of their marriage and her resulting emotions, Moushumi expresses her feeling of being held back from her old lifestyle and choices. Together they attempt to live the life similar to the one their Bengali parents always imagined for them, despite both of them long resenting such a culture. Accordingly, a sense of disappointment by Gogol derives from them conforming to the Indian family culture which he had always rejected. After some time, Gogol comes to a realization that he lacks a strong connection to Moushumi and while she fills the void that is his lack of identity, he is not able to appease her desires of adventures. Lahiri displays Gogol’s new-found consciousness when sharing, “he looked at Moushumi and wondered what was wrong. They didn 't argue, they still had sex, and her he

The first would be his inability comfortably leave the Northeastern US, seeing as his trips to France and other regions lead to him being quite awkward. Aside from his regional preferences, his mental dwelling the events which have occured exhibits Gogol’s humiliation and remorse. Approximately a year after his Gogol’s divorce once all the sudden shock had worn off “a sense of failure and shame persists, deep and abiding […] as if a building he 'd been responsible for designing has collapsed for all to see.” (Lahiri 283). Through this comparison to Gogol’s career as an architect through a falling building, it becomes quite visible that his mental state hits a low without a decision maker, like Moushumi, to guide the way. The rapid development of Gogol’s isolation results directly from his identity being dependent on others, making it truly undetermined. Without a partner that contains the trait he lacks the most, willpower, Gogol cannot maintain a healthy or joyful life. Continuously, it is demonstrated how he relies on others to form an identity for him, rather than doing so on himself, which leads to his utter downfall when breaking up with a