The Namesake - Quotations and Analysis PDF

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Summary

Thematic Quotations throughout the novel 'The Namesake' by Jhumpa Lahiri with comprehensive analysis...

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The Namesake: Impor Important tant Quota Quotations tions IDENTITY & CULTURE Quote

Explanation and Analysis

Gogol frowns, and his lower lip trembles. Only then, forced at six months to confront his destiny, does he begin to cry. (40)

At six months, Gogol is already refusing to participate in traditional Indian rituals. He's not ready to confront his destiny, and for much of the book, will he ever be able to?

“Warmth spreads from the back of Gogol’s neck to his cheeks and his ears. Each time the name is uttered, he quietly winces” (91) AND “He hates that his name is both absurd and obscure, that it has nothing to do with who he is, that it is neither Indian nor American, but of all things Russian.”

Hate for the name.

“Pet names aren’t meant to be made public in this way” (59) “’Gogol,’ he repeats, satisfied. The baby turns his head with an expression of extreme consternation and yawns.” (28)

“Most children will grab at one of them, sometimes all of them, but Gogol touches nothing. He shows no interest in the plate, instead turning away.” (40)

Embarrassment for having such a name. Even from a very young age we see the anxiety brought about by the name as we see the baby in ‘consternation’ when it is said. This is an obvious foreshadowing of the troubles to come as a result of the name. At Gogol’s Annaprasan, which is a child’s first rice- ceremony, and also where 3 objects are positioned in front of the baby, in this case a dollar bill, (businessman) dirt (Landowner) and a ballpoint pen. (Scholar) Here, we see that Gogol takes nothing which foreshadows the fact that Gogol will have problems in choosing a career, which yet again adds to his issue of a secure identity.

“Gogol will never meet his grandmother, the giver of his lost name.” (43) AND “Together, they look at pictures of Gogol’s grandparents, and his uncles and aunts and cousin of whom, despite their trip to Calcutta, he has no memory of.” (54)

Family members, especially the older generations, are essential to families as they are the ones who pass a culture on and share tradition through the family. However, we see here that Gogol has lost his grandmother, along with his name, (another part of his identity and culture) and has no memory of his other elder relatives, thus resulting in a loss of culture.

“Not only does Gogol Ganguli have a pet name turned good name, but a last name turned first name. And so it occurs to him

Once again shows how uncomfortable Gogol is with his name. In addition, we can also see that that the name itself is isolated. It is a

that no one he knows in the world, in Russia or India or America or anywhere, shares his name. Not even the source of his namesake.”

“He is afraid to be Nikhil, someone he doesn't know. Who doesn't know him […] It's a part of growing up, they tell him, of being a Bengali.”

“They've learned their lesson after Gogol. They've learned that schools in America will ignore parents' instructions and register a child under his pet name. The only way to avoid such confusion, they have concluded, is to do away with the pet name altogether, as many of their Bengali friends have done.”

“But Gogol sounds ludicrous to his ears, lacking dignity or gravity. What dismays him most is the irrelevance of it all.”

last name made first name, and it originates from Russia, a place neither East, nor West on its continent, which suggest that it too has no specific identity, thus echoing Gogol’s issues in identity. In kindergarten, Gogol tries on a new, more formal name – and doesn't like it one bit, even though having a pet name and a formal name is Bengali custom. What's interesting here is that he thinks changing his name just might change his identity. He'll become a different person. But Gogol and Nikhil are just names… Poor Gogol. As the first born, he's the guinea pig for Ashoke and Ashima. The lessons they learn from raising him prepare them for the challenges of raising their second child, who finds more success in navigating the struggle to find an in America as a Bengali. Shows also loss in culture as a pet name is something given to people in the Bengali culture, yet they now decide to give up that tradition, and thus part of the culture. Gogol thinks that his name is irrelevant but at this stage he doesn’t realise the actual meaning behind it. He doesn’t realise that the page from “the overcoat” was what saved his father and that his father may have named him Gogol as if to say that Gogol would save him and Ashima and secue themselves in their own identity.

"There's no such thing as a perfect name. I think that human beings should be allowed to name themselves when they turn eighteen," he adds. "Until then, pronouns."

Gogol's attitude toward names is even more radical than his parents, who stick with the Bengali custom of pet names until they decide on a formal name. He seems to think that you can't know who you are until you're at least eighteen, so why have a name before then? This implies, of course, that a name has something to do with who you are. Do you put as much stock in names as Gogol does?

Without people in the world to call him Gogol, no matter how long he himself lives, Gogol Ganguli will, once and for all, vanish from the lips

Without people in the world to call him Gogol, no matter how long he himself lives, Gogol Ganguli will, once and for all, vanish from the lips

of loved ones, and so, cease to exist. Yet the thought of this eventual demise provides no sense of victory, no solace. It provides no solace at all.

of loved ones, and so, cease to exist. Yet the thought of this eventual demise provides no sense of victory, no solace. It provides no solace at all. He finally realises that a name doesn’t determine who you are and realises that the name Gogol was something he incorrectly blamed for his Identity issues. He didn’t realise that he had the power, regardless of his name, to determine who he is....