Try Gogoling Your Name
By: Sharon Dang
Published: 9/30/2015
The
Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, New York, 2003. Paperback. 291 pages
The
Namesake by critically acclaimed, Pulitzer prize-winning author,
Jhumpa Lahiri, beautifully captures the realistic story of the Indian-American
Ganguli family and the conflicts they face between two extremely different
cultures. This fiction novel published in 2003 follows the Gangulis, comprised
of parents: Ashima and Ashoke, the sister, Sonali, and the main focus of the
entire novel, Gogol, the eldest son of the household. Gogol, Gogol, Gogol,
Gogol, say it enough times in your head and your throat is sure to feel like it
has been stuck within itself; this is the very “namesake” that the character
cannot help but feel ashamed of. His name, given at birth, linked to his
parents and the very possibility of his conception, develops as a metaphorical
message that many people know to be particularly true. The message behind the
name, and the same message that indiscreetly displays itself throughout the
novel, addresses the complexity of living life in accordance with one’s roots,
deciding which parts of one’s upbringing should carry on, and which parts, like
the name Gogol, need to be thrown away, cast into the sea of conventions that
do not match with everyday life.
Lahiri
succeeds by having the idea present most everywhere in the story. It shows in
the manner Ashoke and Ashima reluctantly allow their children a Christmas tree
in honor of a holiday they have never celebrated, but still maintain parties
for the Hindu holiday, “Durga puja”, every year; it is even represented in the
way Sonia fights her brother to acquire his CD player during their short trip
to Calcutta, India, representing the struggle to possess even a remnant of
their American life. Most importantly though, the idea shows through the way
Gogol constantly refuses his Indian heritage, by becoming extremely sick in and
of Calcutta, by slowly distancing himself from his family through adulthood,
and finally, by never giving a damn about his Indian heritage (a feature so
well-written that it especially infuriates this heritage prideful critic).
Jhumpa
though, not willing to be restricted by a singular message, also throws a
nuance into the matter, that perhaps in the process of this “throwing away”,
our upbringing is never truly lost at all. Using Ashoke’s archetypal, enduring
limp to represent the constant reminder of the past, coupled with a third
person point of view in which Gogol is constantly referred as precisely his
given name, Lahiri expertly crafts another side to the story.
Lahiri
is, undeniably, an expert with words, however a story is not truly one without
its drawbacks, in this case, its effects outweighing the positives for certain
types of readers. The story is written in the third person point of view,
told by a narrator that often plainly states the occurring events. This point
of view, which wouldn’t be as tedious if set in some other situations, becomes
extremely so in this novel. In the story, the author describes Ashima cooking
food, Ashoke working through the hours, and Gogol taking evening walks with his
girlfriends, often in the similarly dull tone used to list them in this same
sentence. Although this day-to-day style of writing may be appealing to some
readers, if you’re looking for a more fast-paced story, it may be better to
move on.
As a
whole, The Namesake is an enchanting novel, whose literary merit and
content matches that exactly of the author herself. Following the trials and
tribulations of the Ganguli family, the novel provides a glimpse into the
difficulties of adapting to different cultures, perfect for readers seeking a
different perspective on American society or just interested in stories with a
“slice of life” kinda feel.
P.S. Sorry if there are any grammar mistakes! My mind does not work well at 1 o'clock.
