Chapters 5-7 Gogol & Maxine..

This section of The Namesake focuses mainly on Gogol, from changing his name (and in his own mind his identity) to "Nikhil", to living away from his family in university, through 2 relationships and eventually his fathers death. 

What stood out to me most in this section of the novel was the relationship between Gogol and Maxine, who have such contrasting lives it's hard to imagine they have enough in common to form a relationship. Maxine is from a well-off American family. They have fancy dinners every night accompanied by multiple bottles of wine, they discuss art and musuem exhibits as dinner conversation, they shop casually in the most expensive stores on 5th Ave. and they escape this stressful life of theirs by retreating to their cottage each summer. Gogol eventually moves into the house with Maxine and her parents, fascinated by this lifestyle and by Maxine's effortless and willing relationship with her parents. I questioned whether Gogol really loved Maxine as much as her lifestyle "Quickly, simultaneously, he falls in love with Maxine, the house, and Gerald and Lydia's manner of living, for to know her and love her is to know and love all of these things" (Lahiri, 137). I also questioned if Maxine loved Gogol at all. Was she even capable of loving and caring for anyone more than herself? Even Gogol seems to realize that any interest she shows in his life is shallow. The differences between Gogol and Maxine are made even more apparent by the tragic event of his father's death. 

This photo from The Namesake movie clearly depicts Maxine and Gogol's cultural differences.

Ashoke Ganguli's death is very tragic to Gogol, although he had not spoken or seen his fatner very often in the months before. This event brings him closer to his family but distances him from Maxine. Even when Maxine offers Ashima her condolences, Gogol realizes that they are not sincere "'I'm so sorry,' he hears her say to his mother, aware that his fathers death does not affect Maxine in the least" (Lahiri, 182). Maxine is more concerned with their New Years plans then with how Gogol is feeling. I feel like one of the sources of this conflict between Gogol and Maxine, besides Maxine's self-importance and indulgence, is a cultural difference. Many Bengali traditions are practised following the death and both Sonia and Gogol find importance in staying with their mother. I can relate to this because in my own culture (Greek) we have many customs that are strictly followed after a death. Like in Gogol's cuture, there is a fasting period after a death. Black is worn and parties and most social events are not attended for at least 40 days along with many other customs. I understand that Gogol wanted to stay close to his family at this time and was no longer interested in celebrating New Year's as they had planned. Ashoke's death created tension between Gogol and Maxine, but with their many differences, conflicts were bound to arise sometime. Will Gogol and Maxine's relationship survive this tragic event?

Chapters 1-4 Culture, Names & Identity

The novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri begins with a newly married couple, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli, moving from their hometown of Calcutta, India to America. While America has the appeal of new opportunities, they find themselves immersed in a completely foreign culture. They both struggle to figure out their new culture without losing their old one and they long for their family back home. Ashima feels about living and raising children in America "...she is terrified to raise a child in a country where she is related to know one, where she knows so little, where life seems so tentative and spare" (Lahiri, 6).  Ashoke and Ashima are able to find balance between American and Indian culture by making subtle adjustments to their daily life and building a community of Indian friends. Their two children, Gogol and Sonia, who have lived their whole life in America, fail to appreciate their Indian culture and grow to be much more "Americanized" then their parents.




Orchomenos, Greece (My grandfathers village) [left] and Ottawa, Canada [right]

You may notice some small differences!



Although I, aswell as my parents, have lived my whole life in Canada, my grandparents immigrated here from Greece and their story reminds me much of Ashoke and Ashima's. Like Ashoke, my grandfather came to Canada to pursue and education he would not have had in Greece. Although my grandfather is able to appreciate Canada for it's freedom and opportunities, it must have been difficult for him to adjust to a new lifestyle that is far different from that of the small village he comes from in Greece. When I ask my grandfather how life is different in Greece, he always speaks of the pace of life, saying that life is much slower in Greece. My grandfather also immigrated to Canada alone and like Ashima, must have missed his family back home. I can connect with Ashima not from my own experiences, but from the experiences my grandfather speaks of; how a 2 minute phone call was the only communication he had with his family, how it was years until he saw his family again. Like the Ganguli's, finding friends of the same culture was very important to my grandparents. They have been involved in the Greek community throughout their lives in Canada and have made close family friends that have played an important role in their lives. My grandfather proudly speaks of Greek traditions his group of friends brought to the Greek community in Canada that we still practise today. I found it heartbreaking how lonely and depressed Ashima felt in America, and constantly wondered if it was as difficult for my grandparents coming to Canada.

In some ways, I can connect to Gogol as he is faced with growing up with two different cultures. Like Gogol, I am much more "Americanized" then my grandparents. For one, I speak very little Greek which makes it difficult to communicate to my relatives when visiting them in Greece. I feel that the main difference between me and Gogol is that he makes an effort to distance himself from his Indian culture while I make an effort to be more connected to my Greek culture. Gogol has very little interest in having Indian friends or participating in cultural events with his family. My Greek friends and family are very important to me as is practising Greek culture. I understand Gogol's desire to fit in with his American friends, but I feel that he should appreciate his Indian culture that is an important part of his identity.