Cooking: Gogol’s mother likes to cook for friends, relates to women’s roles in India
Death: Ashoke dies, grandparents die. Death in the traditional Indian family
Trains: Ashoke and his near death experience on a train, Gogol takes a train for his main form of transportation between his ‘two lives’
Books: Gogol’s name comes from the short story book, it represents ‘identity’ for Gogol.
Names: Everyone’s name is also an identity. Gogol yearns to change his name, does he want to change his identity too?
Gogol (Author): comes up several times in an educational setting. He is Nikhil (Gogol #2)’s father’s favorite author. The author represents identity and namesake. He also connects Gogol to his studies and his professors.
The book is sometimes sad and sometime humorous as we watch Gogul grow up and we see the different relationships that come and go in his life. It's interesting to read about the cultural differences between India and America and the Ganguli family's attempts to adjust. At first we see Gogul try to shake off his Bengali heritage but by the end of the book I think he learns to accept who he is. The Namesake is an impressive story full of emotion by a great author not to be missed!
The Namesake Motifs
ReplyDeleteShoes; Ashima tries on Ashoke’s shoes.
Cooking: Gogol’s mother likes to cook for friends, relates to women’s roles in India
Death: Ashoke dies, grandparents die. Death in the traditional Indian family
Trains: Ashoke and his near death experience on a train, Gogol takes a train for his main form of transportation between his ‘two lives’
Books: Gogol’s name comes from the short story book, it represents ‘identity’ for Gogol.
Names: Everyone’s name is also an identity. Gogol yearns to change his name, does he want to change his identity too?
Gogol (Author): comes up several times in an educational setting. He is Nikhil (Gogol #2)’s father’s favorite author. The author represents identity and namesake. He also connects Gogol to his studies and his professors.
The book is sometimes sad and sometime humorous as we watch Gogul grow up and we see the different relationships that come and go in his life. It's interesting to read about the cultural differences between India and America and the Ganguli family's attempts to adjust. At first we see Gogul try to shake off his Bengali heritage but by the end of the book I think he learns to accept who he is. The Namesake is an impressive story full of emotion by a great author not to be missed!
ReplyDelete