The Namesake Chapters 1-4 (Starting out Strong)

Ok, ya I get it, baseball isn't for everyone so I guess you wanna hear my opinion on the book huh, well here goes.

Our favorite time of the week. The weekly recap of the Namesake (if it's not your favorite time of the week something is severely wrong with you, can you not see how great of a time this is for you to get to read gre.... anyway.) The book gets off to a slow start, but slowly ramps up and gets more interesting as the story progresses. It begins by introducing us to Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli. A couple that has moved from Calcutta to the large country of America, specifically Massachusetts (is that not insanely fun to say). Part 1 of the book explains the Ganguli's and their ability to adapt (or not) to American culture. As part 1 continues we are introduced to Gogol and Sonia, who play a very crucial role in the integration of America into the Ganguli household.

Chapters one to four of the Namesake are spent mainly between the perspectives of Ashima and her now grown up new born son Gogol (they grow up so fast :( ).

extremely realistic representation of how fast Gogol is growing up

The part of the novel that follows Ashima's perspective, mainly focuses on her many struggles of new life in America. Ashima's actions and emotions often describe her being homesick in a sense, or simply wishing they had never left Calcutta (which is completely understandable having to move to a new country). Although I have struggled to relate to Ashima's character so far throughout the novel her homesick feeling is one I can truly feel myself. I am almost exclusively away from home during the summer. I sometimes even find myself wondering why I don't simply stay home or why I've ventured so far from the comfort of my home. Much like Ashima in this section of the novel. I've found myself feeling homesick simply when I travel to America (let alone move from a foreign country). So in this sense I can relate to Ashima and her overwhelmed state (a state that I wish upon not even my greatest enemy -plato, wait that wasn't pla... nevermind).

Ashima's head while in America

As the early chapters come to a close we are introduced to Gogol Ganguli first off, then his younger sister Sonia Ganguli. As the narrative switches to Gogol's perspective Ashima is faced with the challenge of integrating American culture into the lives of her American born babies. This becomes blatantly apparent when the author writes "For the sake of Gogol and Sonia they celebrate, with progressively increasing fanfare, the birth of Christ, an event the children look forward too far more than the worship of Durga and Saraswati" (Lahiri 64). This shows that the children have become more accustomed to the American culture/celebrations they are surrounded by as oppose to their traditional cultural celebrations. It also shows that Ashima is disapointed in a sense due to the children being more excited for Christmas (a holiday they wouldn't normally celebrate) rather than the Worship of Durga and Saraswati (a much more cultural celebration).

This weeks reading winds down in the perspective of Gogol Ganguli. Gogol's section focuses on his struggle to find an identity. This is due to Gogol not believing his name has any meaning and believing it does not represent the person he is. Although this is a tough section for Gogol, I found it very interesting as I too do not wish to go by my true first name. When Gogol meets Kim he uses his good name Nikhil to introduce himself. This is similar to the way in which I choose to identify as Angus instead of my first name Robert. After Gogol kisses Kim the author goes on to write "'It wasn't me,' he nearly says. But he doesn't tell them it hadn't been Gogol, who'd kissed Kim. That Gogol had nothing to do with it" (Lahiri 96). This shows that the simple change in name choice gave Gogol a sense of identity and even confidence. This is exactly the same feeling I receive when I go by Angus as oppose to Robert (Robert being my Gogol type name in this case). When I identify as Angus I am easy going, funny and relaxed but when I identify as Robert, I feel like a different person, almost as if my name is not me and has no true meaning. This is the same feeling Gogol feels towards his pet name (Gogol). It is for this similarity that I understand why Gogol switched names. He switched them in order to feel free in a sense. To be someone else. To not be associated with a Russian novel. To be someone he wishes to be.

How I felt when Gogol kissed Kim

Well, that's all folks. Hope some of you are still awake. Till next time. Yours Truly.

#namesake