Cultural Identity in “The Namesake” , Essay Example,Essay on The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
WebThe Namesake is a novel by Jhumpa Lahiri that was first published in Summary Read one-minute Sparklet summaries, the detailed chapter-by-chapter Summary & WebThe Namesake A man lives his life and evolves over time; he embodies a synthesis of all his experiences with those he meets over his lifetime. What he sees when he finally WebJun 15, · The evidence from the novel “ The Namesake ” suggests that, there was a change in Gogol, when he later realizes his Indian culture. In this essay, we will try to WebIn the novel “The Namesake” the author, Jhumpa Lahiri, tells the story of a young married couple from India who move to America in the s and raise a child. The title of the WebJun 30, · The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, tells the story of a Bengali-Indian family who tries their best to fit into the American culture. The mother and father, Ashima and ... read more
It was unusual for them to have chosen a non-Indian name, but it also had deep meaning for the father. When Gogol learns to embrace his name at the end of the story, it brings him closer to his traditional family roots and also gives him a personal connection to his father that transcends those traditions. The story begins with an introduction to the character of Ashima as she stands in her kitchen in a small apartment in America. She is making a snack that is a combination of rice krispies, peanuts, and spices, and is based on treats she used to eat at home in Calcutta. It immediately is clear to readers that she is close to giving birth to her first child and that she is in a situation and country that is still unfamiliar and strange to her.
Ashima still feels a deep connection to her family and her cultural traditions back home in India. She is making a home for herself, her husband, and her new baby in America, but it is clear that she is doing her best to maintain her cultural traditions. She does not seem to have much interest in American culture, at least not at first, and the live she builds is like a small bubble where things are as much like they are in India as she can make them. Ashoke is shown to be an intelligent young man who has always enjoyed reading, from the time he was very young. One of his favorite writers is Russian author Nikolai Gogol. Ashoke was involved in a serious train accident in which everyone but him was killed.
He dropped the piece of paper, and the movement was seen by one of the workers who ended up rescuing him. In this manner, the name Gogol became very important to Ashoke, even more than it had already been when Gogol was one of his favorite writers. It may be difficult for some Americans, or just for anyone with a different cultural background, to understand why Ashima and Ashoke were waiting to name their new baby until they heard from their family. But for them there was never any question that her grandmother would name the baby. That was just how things were done in their cultural tradition. As the days go by, however, and it is almost time for Ashima to be discharged from the hospital, they are told that they will have to choose a name soon so that it can be printed on the birth certificate.
They keep checking the mail to see if the grandmother has written to give the bay a name, but no letter arrives. Because they are living in America, thousands of miles from their home in India, they are literally cut off from many of their traditions. If they had been in India they would have simply asked the grandmother to give the boy a name, but because they are in America they have to wait for a letter which takes too long to arrive. So they have to make a decision without relying on their cultural tradition, and they end up choosing a name that had deep meaning to the husband. America is a country that is known for being the home of people from many different races and cultures.
Some people, like Ashima and Ashoke, do their best to maintain their cultural traditions when they go to live in America. But for some people the opposite is true, and they do not feel a deep connection to their cultural or national background. Her family tree came from Scotland, England, and Ireland, but she did not feel any particular connection to the cultures of any of the countries. In many ways the white, Anglo-Saxon cultural identity that dominated America was something that other cultures had forced onto them. In her way of seeing things, her family did not need to maintain the cultural traditions of their homelands, they just needed to survive the hardships of life.
For the author, not embracing her cultural roots is, in a roundabout way, an expression of the new cultural identity that her family created over generations of living in America. It may seem at first that Ashima and Ashoke are completely different from Ehrenreich in their views on culture. After all, they did follow Indian custom in getting married, in the way the dress, the way they eat, and other ways. At the same time, though, they had to find a new way to name their child when they could not count on Indian cultural tradition.
It is possible that over many generations of living in America their future great grandchildren will not feel any connection to the culture of India. From the beginning of their lives in America, their son, Gogol, is like a symbol of the new tradition they are making for themselves and their family. As Gogol grows up in America, he is raised in a way that combines the Indian traditions that Ashima and Ashoke brought with them and the new and different cultural rules of living in America. In India, large families of several generations all crowded into a single house, and life was always busy with the members of families coming and going, sharing meals together, and simply being around each at all times.
In America, Ashima and Ashoke did not have their family members around. Instead of a small house with a lot of people, they had a large house with only a few people. So Gogol grew up being raised by parents who still felt a strong sense of pride and connection with their cultural heritage, but were also raising their children in an environment that was completely different from the environment they knew in their home in India. This presented an enormous challenge for Gogol, who in many ways felt torn between the culture of his parents and the culture of the country he was living in. It was difficult for Gogol to develop a sense of personal identity, because he did not feel completely at home in either Indian or American culture.
She is from America, but when she goes off to college at Stanford, her economic background makes her feel out of place, and makes it clear that she is not from the same social class as many of the other students. Hooks, n. Her essay also demonstrates how significant money and economic status is in America, and how class distinctions are based more on income and money than on cultural differences. As Gogol begins to grow up, he starts to dislike his name. He fits in with American culture in most ways. His family is financially comfortable, and he grows up in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. But he always feels out of place because of his name. It is interesting that his name is not Indian, so the feeling of being out of place is not based on his cultural background, or at least not entirely.
It is just that his name just calls attention to the ways that he is different, or at least the ways that he feels different. He eventually petitions a judge to have his name changed to something that he likes better, and he thinks that will solve the problems he has in terms of how he feels about himself and his place in the world. This connection is different from the connection he or his parents have to Indian culture or tradition, because it is so personal. For the first time, Gogol is becoming comfortable with his identity, and recognizes that it is a mix of things. He is not completely Indian, he is not completely American. Sign up for the free PLUS newsletter. Choose Your Plan.
Continue to Payment. Payment Details. Card Number. Security Code. Country United States Australia Canada Hong Kong India Pakistan Philippines South Africa United States My country is not listed. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Name on Card. Billing Address. Save Card and Continue. Payment Summary. Start 7-Day Free Trial. Your Free Trial Starts Now! Go to My PLUS Dashboard Launch SparkNotes PLUS. Thank You! Redeem a Code Now Manage Your Purchase. Start free trial of SparkNotes Plus. My Account Icon My Account white. My PLUS Activity.
Notes Bookmarks Test Prep PLUS No Fear Translations Mastery Quizzes Flashcards Infographics No Fear Graphic Novels. No Fear Literature Translations Literature Study Guides Glossary of Literary Terms How to Write Literary Analysis. Biography Biology Chemistry Computer Science Drama Economics Film Health History Math Philosophy Physics Poetry Psychology Short Stories Sociology US Government and Politics. Test Prep Lessons AP® English Literature AP® English Language. SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Your PLUS subscription has expired. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Renew your subscription. Use Code: SparkPLUS Start your 7-day FREE trial now! Sparklet Chapter Summaries.
Full Book Full Book Summary Key Facts. Characters See a complete list of the characters in The Namesake and in-depth analyses of Gogol Nikhil Ganguli, Ashima Ganguli, Ashoke Ganguli, and Moushumi. Character List Gogol Nikhil Ganguli Ashima Ganguli Ashoke Ganguli Moushumi. Literary Devices Here's where you'll find analysis of the main themes, symbols, and motifs in The Namesake. Themes Motifs Symbols. Quotes Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of The Namesake. Important Quotes Explained. Quick Quizzes Test your knowledge of The Namesake with these quiz questions. Book Full Book Quiz. Essays Learn more about The Namesake by reading these mini essays and suggested essay topics. Mini Essays Suggested Essay Topics. Further Study Go further in your study of The Namesake with background information about Jhumpa Lahiri and the novel, as well as suggestions for further reading.
Jhumpa Lahiri and The Namesake Background Suggestions for Further Reading. Purchase Go to BN. com to get your copy of these helpful resources. The Namesake. Take a Study Break.
Paper Types. You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work. The title of the book refers to the fact that they give their son an unusual name, Gogol, inspired by the Russian writer Nikolai Gogol. The reason this is unusual is because it is not a traditional Indian name, and because it was not the name that was selected by the maternal grandmother, which was the expected and traditional way for this couple to name their child. As the boy grows up, the name Gogol eventually becomes embarrassing to him , and he ignores it and pretends it does not exist, and asks people to call him Nikhil instead.
Over time, however, he does learn to appreciate the named his father gave him, and he returns to using it. In this way, his name comes to represent the new cultural traditions his family was creating as they made their lives in America. It was unusual for them to have chosen a non-Indian name, but it also had deep meaning for the father. When Gogol learns to embrace his name at the end of the story, it brings him closer to his traditional family roots and also gives him a personal connection to his father that transcends those traditions. The story begins with an introduction to the character of Ashima as she stands in her kitchen in a small apartment in America.
She is making a snack that is a combination of rice krispies, peanuts, and spices, and is based on treats she used to eat at home in Calcutta. It immediately is clear to readers that she is close to giving birth to her first child and that she is in a situation and country that is still unfamiliar and strange to her. Ashima still feels a deep connection to her family and her cultural traditions back home in India. She is making a home for herself, her husband, and her new baby in America, but it is clear that she is doing her best to maintain her cultural traditions. She does not seem to have much interest in American culture, at least not at first, and the live she builds is like a small bubble where things are as much like they are in India as she can make them. Ashoke is shown to be an intelligent young man who has always enjoyed reading, from the time he was very young.
One of his favorite writers is Russian author Nikolai Gogol. Ashoke was involved in a serious train accident in which everyone but him was killed. He dropped the piece of paper, and the movement was seen by one of the workers who ended up rescuing him. In this manner, the name Gogol became very important to Ashoke, even more than it had already been when Gogol was one of his favorite writers. It may be difficult for some Americans, or just for anyone with a different cultural background, to understand why Ashima and Ashoke were waiting to name their new baby until they heard from their family. But for them there was never any question that her grandmother would name the baby.
That was just how things were done in their cultural tradition. As the days go by, however, and it is almost time for Ashima to be discharged from the hospital, they are told that they will have to choose a name soon so that it can be printed on the birth certificate. They keep checking the mail to see if the grandmother has written to give the bay a name, but no letter arrives. Because they are living in America, thousands of miles from their home in India, they are literally cut off from many of their traditions. If they had been in India they would have simply asked the grandmother to give the boy a name, but because they are in America they have to wait for a letter which takes too long to arrive.
So they have to make a decision without relying on their cultural tradition, and they end up choosing a name that had deep meaning to the husband. America is a country that is known for being the home of people from many different races and cultures. Some people, like Ashima and Ashoke, do their best to maintain their cultural traditions when they go to live in America. But for some people the opposite is true, and they do not feel a deep connection to their cultural or national background. Her family tree came from Scotland, England, and Ireland, but she did not feel any particular connection to the cultures of any of the countries. In many ways the white, Anglo-Saxon cultural identity that dominated America was something that other cultures had forced onto them. In her way of seeing things, her family did not need to maintain the cultural traditions of their homelands, they just needed to survive the hardships of life.
For the author, not embracing her cultural roots is, in a roundabout way, an expression of the new cultural identity that her family created over generations of living in America. It may seem at first that Ashima and Ashoke are completely different from Ehrenreich in their views on culture. After all, they did follow Indian custom in getting married, in the way the dress, the way they eat, and other ways. At the same time, though, they had to find a new way to name their child when they could not count on Indian cultural tradition.
It is possible that over many generations of living in America their future great grandchildren will not feel any connection to the culture of India. From the beginning of their lives in America, their son, Gogol, is like a symbol of the new tradition they are making for themselves and their family. As Gogol grows up in America, he is raised in a way that combines the Indian traditions that Ashima and Ashoke brought with them and the new and different cultural rules of living in America. In India, large families of several generations all crowded into a single house, and life was always busy with the members of families coming and going, sharing meals together, and simply being around each at all times. In America, Ashima and Ashoke did not have their family members around.
Instead of a small house with a lot of people, they had a large house with only a few people. So Gogol grew up being raised by parents who still felt a strong sense of pride and connection with their cultural heritage, but were also raising their children in an environment that was completely different from the environment they knew in their home in India. This presented an enormous challenge for Gogol, who in many ways felt torn between the culture of his parents and the culture of the country he was living in. It was difficult for Gogol to develop a sense of personal identity, because he did not feel completely at home in either Indian or American culture. She is from America, but when she goes off to college at Stanford, her economic background makes her feel out of place, and makes it clear that she is not from the same social class as many of the other students.
Hooks, n. Her essay also demonstrates how significant money and economic status is in America, and how class distinctions are based more on income and money than on cultural differences. As Gogol begins to grow up, he starts to dislike his name. He fits in with American culture in most ways. His family is financially comfortable, and he grows up in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. But he always feels out of place because of his name. It is interesting that his name is not Indian, so the feeling of being out of place is not based on his cultural background, or at least not entirely. It is just that his name just calls attention to the ways that he is different, or at least the ways that he feels different. He eventually petitions a judge to have his name changed to something that he likes better, and he thinks that will solve the problems he has in terms of how he feels about himself and his place in the world.
This connection is different from the connection he or his parents have to Indian culture or tradition, because it is so personal. For the first time, Gogol is becoming comfortable with his identity, and recognizes that it is a mix of things. He is not completely Indian, he is not completely American. And having a Russian name give to him by his Indian father is like a symbol of the fact that he is unique. That is his identity, and he finally starts to appreciate it after his farther is gone and he is now a man. Ehrenreich, Barbara. Hooks, Bell. The Perception of Airline Passengers on the Use of Pilotless Aircraft, Dissertation - Literature Example. Change in Communication Methods, Research Paper Example. Need a professionally written Custom Essay?
Right now, you can get a professionally written essay in any discipline with a. We're now sending you a link to download your e-book, please check your e-mail. Thank you! You can receive the notifications now. It's pleasure to stay in touch! Show all. Paper Types Movie Review Essay Admission Essay Annotated Bibliography Application Essay Article Critique Article Review Article Writing Assessment Book Review Business Plan Business Proposal Capstone Project Case Study Coursework Cover Letter Creative Essay Dissertation Dissertation - Abstract Dissertation - Conclusion Dissertation - Discussion Dissertation - Hypothesis Dissertation - Introduction Dissertation - Literature Dissertation - Methodology Dissertation - Results GCSE Coursework Grant Proposal Interview Lab Report Marketing Plan Multiple Choice Quiz Quiz Personal Statement Poem Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes Questionnaire Reaction Paper Research Paper Research Proposal Speech SWOT analysis Term Paper Thesis Paper Online Quiz Resume Outline Literature Review Movie Analysis Statistics problem Math Problem Article.
Get a Free E-Book! Pages: 7 Words: Essay. This Essay was written by one of our professional writers. Need a custom Essay written for you? HIRE A WRITER! Works cited Ehrenreich, Barbara. Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Stuck with your Essay? Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help! Messenger Live chat. Tags: Creative Writing MLA Undergraduate. The Perception of Airline Passengers on the Use of Pilotless Aircraft, Dissertation - Literature Example Dissertation - Literature. Change in Communication Methods, Research Paper Example Research Paper. Get instant essay writing help! It's a Free, No-Obligation Inquiry!
Your Email. Pages: 1 Words: Essay. View full sample. Science and Technology and Nation-Building, Essay Example Science plays a pivotal role in technology. Pages: 3 Words: Essay. However, modern audiences believe that Socrates did not write any of his ideas down [ Pages: 5 Words: Essay. Ambiguity, Essay Example The New Task I am Proposing My proposal is a promotion at work.
The Namesake Essay,Further Study: FAQ
WebJun 15, · The evidence from the novel “ The Namesake ” suggests that, there was a change in Gogol, when he later realizes his Indian culture. In this essay, we will try to WebThe Namesake Identity Essay For many individuals, the obsession for satisfaction and stability regarding identity is an emotional longing that will never fully diminish. However, WebJun 30, · The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, tells the story of a Bengali-Indian family who tries their best to fit into the American culture. The mother and father, Ashima and WebThe Namesake A man lives his life and evolves over time; he embodies a synthesis of all his experiences with those he meets over his lifetime. What he sees when he finally WebIn the novel “The Namesake” the author, Jhumpa Lahiri, tells the story of a young married couple from India who move to America in the s and raise a child. The title of the WebThe Namesake is a novel by Jhumpa Lahiri that was first published in Summary Read one-minute Sparklet summaries, the detailed chapter-by-chapter Summary & ... read more
Order custom essay The Namesake with free plagiarism report. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Not Applicable. to America with grace and compassion. Essay on Lahiri's the Namesake. Indian culture was not something new for Gogol. Mini Essays Suggested Essay Topics.
This food motif emphasise the isolation that Ashima is currently experiencing as a result of her recent migration to a land foreign to her, America. Ashoke was involved in a serious train accident in which everyone but him was killed. Need a professionally written Custom Essay? Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Narratives That Shape Our World, Essay Example The context and the values in the text Othello by William Shakespeare the namesake essay shaped me in perspective through the main character Othello, the namesake essay. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership.
No comments:
Post a Comment