The Namesake.

          The Namesake

                            Jhampa Lahiri
                               

 

Introduction:-

                This magnificent novel is written by Jhampa Lahiri.This title of “The Namesake” is very suggestive regard to the main character Gogol Ganguli whose good name is Nikhil and he swing between both names he does not between two cultures American and Indian. He is sandwiched between his dual identities and still has not specific one. The Journey of Gogol starts with  this name and at the middle of this journey he finds many obstacle in his path the struggle for the changing the name suggest his struggle for the identity and that is why the title is very apt and meaningful.

Significance of the Title:-

                 The novel is starts with the Ashima’s grandmother is give two name one for the girl and one name of the boy but unfortunately  they did not receive the letter from her. at the time Ashima give the birth of the baby boy name was Gogol Ganguli. Ashima take admission of the Gogol in the school where his classmate is doing fun of his name .he starts hating his name of the gogol.He ask his parents to change his name. He finally changes his name to Nikhil but it talks time to ‘ Feel’ LIKE Nikhil whomever he meets  anyone he introduce himself as a Nikhil for example his girlfriends name is KIM, Ruth,Maxine,Maushomi,  he introduced himself as a Nikhil front of her.

                 No doubt, Ashima and Ashoke also face the problems of the identity in America as they are also called Americanized Indians. Here we see that clash between Two Culture .The Asoka and Ashima belong to the Indian Culture and His children like Gogol and Sonia belongs to American Culture. So here we can see that the conflict between Two Generation.Inthis novel we see the generation gap of the characters. in the middle of the novel Gogol spent some day in the Maxine’s house. Ashima want that Gogol wife come from the Indian Bengali Culture. she emphasis his Bengali Tradition and Bengali Culture.

             The Gogol realizes the importance of his name of Gogol when he read the Nikholai Gogol. He face many problem in his life but he come out from the situation and he saved his own life. Ashoke believes that his life saved the Nikholai Gogol. This side no looking of the Gogol but the Gogol see the opposite side of the life. The Ashima is going to the Library because his husband has very much love of the reading of the books. So she preserve his reading of the book.

                    The Ashoke death after they less the attachment between the Ashima and Gogol and Sonia.

Conclusion:-

              At the Rise ceremony of Gogol he does not choose any thing that’s why he cannot settle throughout of his life and another interpretation given that his classmate said that you should being sufferers like Nikholai Gogol and at the end you spent lonely life .