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One thing that was a minor annoyance was that there was no warning the end of the disk was coming up, so my car CD player would just quickly go to the next disk on rotation, giving me no time to eject quickly. In contrast to his parents, Gongoli goes on to live an American life, sometimes finding his Bengali heritage an imposition, and at other times finding it holds him close to his family. Having lived most of his life as his "pet name" Gongoli, given while awaiting his proper name from his great grandmother- a name which will never come, he remains uncomfortable with being names after the Russian literary scholar his father admires. His younger sister is only a small character in the book, which was okay, but I would have liked to know more about Sonya.In regards to the reader on the audiodisks, her voice was smooth and switched to an authentic accent when reading the parents narration. I have recently taken to audiobooks, and The Namesake was a great read/listen. Starting with the newlyweds Ashima and Ashook, an arrainged Bengali couple new to Cambridge MA, and the story of their new life in the USA, their children, with a particular focus on their first born. The book weaves through all the major stages of his life, alternating with his parents.
He wants to break out from this mold and chooses to be an architect when his parents want him to be something more distinguished like an engineer or a doctor. How does he immerse himself in one culture while hanging onto another. Gogol does learn how to appreciate who he is and am so glad I was along for the ride.The movie was really well-done.it didn't quite have the impact of the novel, but that's to be expected. The story focuses on Gogol named after his father's favorite author. I recommend reading the book first and you'll better enjoy the movie. We follow Gogol through his life and struggles.he hates being Indian and is embarrassed by his parents.
They did throw some details into the movie that made it a bit more personal than the book did so that was a nice change. I actually read the book and then watched the movie so I will be mentioning both.This was a wonderful novel.it follows an Indian family from the time they are married (arranged) till their son Gogol is all grown up. Gogol grows up first-generation American and takes on all the struggles that that entails. He refuses to date Indian women, he even changes his name to Nikhil and people begin to call him Nick.As a reader along for the ride I wanted Gogol to be proud of who he is and to be proud of the struggles and sacrifices his parents have and are going through and to be appreciative and loyal.but that's life and it's all about the journey.
He does not want to be a part of the Bengali traditions and parties and arranged marriages. He is Gogol Ganguli, child of Indian immigrants, and one who wishes to be as American as his birth certificate. Rebellion. The Namesake, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri, is ultimately about family themes. It showcases the struggles of a family seeking to find where they belong and trying to adapt to the new culture around them, and it also displays the trying times that are a part of any family and will resonate with any reader. Heritage. The Ganguli family must learn to relate to each other, to overcome challenges, to accept each other's choices.
The book provokes discussions and realizations about the difficulties faced by immigrants; it draws the reader into the heartache of living in two worlds and being a part of none of them. And yet, after all his trouble to disengage himself from the life he has grown up with, he begins to return to it after his father's death. It's a starkly realistic book, which perhaps is not my taste anyway, but it does open the reader's eyes to cultural complexities.([.].) Ultimately, however, I found this to be a depressing book. Their shared heritage is his only link to his father, and he returns to some of the Bengali ways and customs. He does not want to be the quiet, obedient boy he's always been. He seizes control of his own life at eighteen: he changes his name to Nikhil, and attempts to reinvent himself through college.
He wants to be near his family again, and he starts dating a Bengali girl. The search for an identity. Despite how hard he tries, Gogol seems to be running in the wrong direction, and by thirty he has made somewhat of a mess of his life. He does not want his name. He parties, he drinks, he has a few long-term and disastrous love affairs. Love.
The Namesake is beautifully written and flows perfectly. This is one of my favorite books because Lahiri is so gifted with the written word which makes the story so heartbreakingly perfect. Jhumpa Lahiri is an amazingly talented writer. She does not draw out every little detail and yet every little detail is there.
This is a thought provoking book on many levels and would be an excellent choice for a book club discussion. They have a son Gogol, whom they name after the Russian writer. The immigrant experiences, clash of cultures, conflicts of assimilation and then the tangle tof ties betwen generations are strong themes. His father feels a connection to Gogol, the author as he feels reading the book saved his life. The author writes prose that are lyrical and the words touch your heart.
I related to this book in many ways as a daughter of a foreign born mother, not of Indian descent but there are similarities when a parent is of a different culture. The most deeply felt theme is of identity. The main characters, Ashoke and Ashima and the beginnings of an arranged marriage are fascinating. The Namesake is one of my favorite books. They come to America so the husband can finish his doctorate degree.
Gogol dislikes his name and changes as soon as he can.
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