The Namesake Ch. 4-7

Welcome to the 2nd installment in The Flycatcher’s Nest! I will be going over chapters 5 through 7. This part of the book was much more interesting, in my opinion, than the first one.

Chapter 5 picks up right where the fourth one ended, with Gogol legalising his name change to Nikhil. Ashima and Ashoke’s reactions to this is what I would expect from conservative immigrant parents. While they are reluctant at first, they finally agree and decide to let Gogol follow his own path. This cycle of events is pretty common among my family, whenever I refuse to participate in, or attend a cultural activity. However, I do not understand the desire to change one’s name. Gogol changes his name in order to change his identity, but it is perfectly possible to do so without changing one’s name. Another reason Gogol’s name change does not make sense to me, is that his new name, Nikhil, connects him with his Indian heritage, although he is actively trying to disassociate himself with it. I feel that your name is a part of your identity, and is more than just a word.

I also want to talk about Gogol's decision to go to Yale. In his teen rebellion spirit, Gogol decides he wants to distance himself from his family, and thus chooses to go somewhere far. On top of that, he decides to study architecture despite knowing that his parents would want him to probably study engineering or medicine. I can totally understand why Gogol would do this. My father has often tried to drop not-so-subtle hints that he is not approving of my choice to go into environmental engineering, and would prefer if I chose something more computer-related. He also wants me to go to an elite school like Waterloo or UofT, whereas I would prefer staying in Ottawa. I do not want to move away mostly because Ottawa is a familiar environment for me, and a smaller university such as Carleton or OttawaU will be easier and give me much more time for extracurriculars.

Gogol also discovers that changing his identity isn’t as simple as changing his name. Since everyone in his past life knows him as Gogol, he ends up living two different lives in a way. Gogol’s two identities are separated not only by name, but also by personality. Many people who have lived in two different cultures will relate to this. I have often noticed behavioural differences between when I’m with my family compared to when I’m at school, for example. Gogol (or should I say Nikhil?) also gets into his first serious relationship with Ruth, whom he meets on a train ride back home from University. The old Gogol would not have the courage to talk to her on the train, and ask for her number. But as Nikhil, he is perfectly capable of doing so.

Gogol’s parents are disapproving of his and Ruth's relationship, wanting him to marry a Bengali girl. I don’t agree with them, and believe they should be accepting of an American like Ruth, especially since they are the ones who have immigrated to America. Gogol and Ruth’s relationship is short-lived. Gogol soon gets into a new relationship with Maxine, whom he meets at a party. This further emphasises how much Gogol has strayed from his parents’ traditional values. Gogol and Maxine immediately hit it off, with Gogol essentially moving in with Maxine and her parents, Lydia and Gerald. Their relationship felt rushed (just like my blog posts). What stood out in their relationship for me, is the role of Gerald and Lydia. The book focuses a lot on Gerald and Lydia, and their interactions with Gogol. They seem like the parents Gogol wishes he had. Gogol is incorporated into their American lifestyle, which is the lifestyle he has been trying to attain. Gogol’s new lifestyle occasionally causes conflicts with his connection to an Indian life. When Maxine asks Gogol if “his parents want him to marry an Indian girl (Lahiri, 139)”, he harbors anger towards his parents. I would be pretty angry if I was in Gogol's shoes.

The description of Gogol’s mailbox as a "nameless metal box" (Lahiri, 139) was a nice touch. Earlier in the book, Gogol gets mad when his family’s name on their mailbox is vandalized, because he felt connected to his family and the culture. However, the fact that the box is nameless signifies he has lost his identity. Gogol’s acceptance into the Ratcliff family is also in contrast to how Maxine is treated by the Gangulis. In this part, Gogol is finally told the story of Ashoke’s train accident, and the significance of his name. As a reader, it felt like Gogol was being guilt-tripped for changing his name, although that was not Ashoke’s intention. This could have easily been avoided if Gogol was told about this earlier.

The major event in these chapters is definitely Ashoke’s death. This is a turning point for the story, and Gogol and Ashima’s personalities. Gogol’s pain due to his father’s death is compounded by the fact that their bond was very weak before Ashoke’s death, and they were not on good terms. This is a pretty common cliche, and I think it was very predictable that one of Gogol's parents were going to die. However, I can’t seem to remember any particular movie or literature where this happens.

I guess that’s it for my second blog post. I hope you guys enjoyed the read!

Works cited:

Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. Mariner Books, 2004.

Change my name. http://baldocomics.com/blog/change-my-name/comment-page-1/ Accessed on March 12, 2018.