The Namesake

Today I finished The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri. Although this was not a book I felt compelled to sit and read through in one setting, I still really enjoyed it. It reminds me a lot of what I learned about in my Anthropology classes in college, and I wished at the end I could have discussed it in a classroom setting.

This novel was a about a couple who immigrated from Calcutta to the United States. The couple was kind of in this state of perpetual quasi-assimilation. Meanwhile their children were too assimilated for their parents to be comfortable. When they were younger the children resented their parents and their Indian cultural responsibilities, but as they grew older they came to depend on them. The main character, Gogol/Nikhil struggled with how his name related to his identity and tried changing it to feel more comfortable in America. I think it worked temporarily for him but towards the end he really grew into his old name and was stuck with the new one.

At first I was frustrated with Gogol for resenting his roots, although I'm sure I would have done the same thing. Towards the end of the book I felt like he had been betrayed by his roots and I just felt bad for him. Nevertheless I really felt for the family and I think I have a better understanding of how assimilation impacts immigrants. I have mixed feelings about assimilation, and this book helped me understand the situation better.

If you are interested in any of these themes, Indian culture, or are just looking for an interesting read, I recommend this one! If you are looking for something you absolutely cannot put down until you have read the last page and then feel disappointed that it's over, you may want to look elsewhere.