Go Gogol Go

Gogol, that poor fellow. After reading through Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake," a little bit further than last time, I have discovered that Gogol Ganguli is trying so desperately to find his identity. What a ride he has been on so far from being confronted with a new name, going to college, searching for his passion, meeting challenges with his past and present, and finally working through his relationships.

First, Gogol from the beginning is given from his parents his good name. But is as a kindergardener Gogol doesn't understand the custom of Bengali pet names and good names. "He is afraid to be Nikhil, someone he doesn't know. Who doesn't know him." (Lahiri 57) Gogol wants to be what he knows, what his parents know him as, and this idea of not "being" Gogol is unheard of and what he doesn't know.

Second, Gogol goes to Yale. His proud parents are excited for his bright future that will include success and plenty of stability. But that is not what Gogol, now wanting to be called Nikhil after claiming he hates the name Gogol, wants to be. Nikhil wants to take courses in drawing, and look into architecture. As Nikhil he wants to go to parties and be more adventurous than Gogol. "But now that he's Nikhil it's easier to ignore his parents, to tune out their concerns and pleas." (Lahiri 105) He wants to be nothing that Gogol was, including obedient to his parents, putting respecting of his culture than his desires, and other submissive attributes of Gogol. He wants to be outgoing, charming, fun, and the guy that you want to be around. But is that really what he wants or what he wants to become.

Another point, Gogol has to face difficult challenges. Such as, his father's sudden death. Throughout the book we see as Gogol grows up. Progressing through the stages of being a teenager, hating his parents, and as a young adult, wanting his own life away from his parents. He learns about the train accident that his father was in, and finds a connection to his father he never had before. And his father shows his emotion for him saying, "You remind me of everything that followed (the accident)." (Lahiri 124) Gogol experiences emotion from his father, a rare sign, which he never sees. And connects with his name as he has never done before. With that in mind, this moment of father and son, I think helps Gogol continue on after his father's death. He moves on, but still keeps the good memories of his dad.