History Literature / TheNamesake

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Every single Indian in the book is Bengali (from the state of West Bengal or UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}}). ''Every single one''. It's pretty unlikely given that there are about twenty-two UsefulNotes/IndianLanguages recognized by the Indian government; while it may be true that Bengalis have immigrated more than any other Indian subgroup, you are much more likely to meet an Indian who speaks Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, or any language but Bengali.

* [[spoiler: YourCheatingHeart: Moushimi]].
** Even Gogol, who [[spoiler: has an affair with a married woman while studying for his architectural license in Manhattan. He feels guilty about it and breaks it off before meeting Moushimi, but the experience allows him to somewhat understand Moushimi's discontent]].

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Every single South Indian in the book is Bengali (from the state of West Bengal or UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}}). ''Every single one''. It's pretty unlikely given that there are about twenty-two UsefulNotes/IndianLanguages recognized by the Indian government; while it may be true that Bengalis have immigrated more than any other Indian subgroup, you are much more likely to meet an Indian who speaks Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, or any language but Bengali.

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Every single South Indian in the book is Bengali (from the state of West Bengal or UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}}). ''Every single one''. It's pretty unlikely given that there are about twenty-two IndianLanguages recognized by the Indian government; while it may be true that Bengalis have immigrated more than any other Indian subgroup, you are much more likely to meet an Indian who speaks Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, or any language but Bengali.

The Namesake is the second book by Creator/JhumpaLahiri, who had previously won the PulitzerPrize for her debut collection of stories, Literature/InterpreterOfMaladies. While not as well-received as her debut, Lahiri's novel still garnered positive reviews from critics, who lauded its universal theme of cultural dissonance.

"The Namesake" is the second book by Creator/JhumpaLahiri, who had previously won the PulitzerPrize for her debut collection of stories, "Interpreter of Maladies".

While not as well-received as her debut, Lahiri's novel still garnered positive reviews from critics, who lauded the universal theme of cultural dissonance. It was adapted into a film of the same name, which has its own trope page [[Film/TheNamesake here]].

* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: Inverted by [[spoiler: Dmitri Desjardins. His last name, with a French accent, would sound like Day-zhar-dahn. He pronounces it instead in typical American fashion. Despite the fact that Moushimi is a French student, she feels much more attracted to his incorrect way of pronouncing it since, in his doing so, Dmitri defies conventionality]].
* FirstKiss: Gogol has his with an MIT student named Kim while he's still a junior in high school. This directly leads to him eventually changing his name to Nikhil.

* RiteOfPassage: The ''annaprasan'' both Sonia and Gogol have as infants. While Gogol is wavering and unsure during his, Sonia instead plays with the items without anxiety. This foreshadows their roles as adults.

* FirstKiss: Gogol has his with an MIT student named Kim while he's still a junior in high school. This directly leads to him [[spoiler: eventually changing his name to Nikhil]].

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Every single South Indian in the book is Bengali (from the state of West Bengal or UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}}). ''Every single one''. It's pretty unlikely given that there are twenty-two [[IndianLanguages languages recognized by the Indian government]]. While it may be true that Bengalis have immigrated more than any other Indian sub-group, you are much more likely to meet a Gujju (from the state of Gujarat) or a Tamil (from the state of Tamil Nadu) or a Marathi (from the state of Maharashtra) than a Bengali.

* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Gogol, who becomes 'Nick' at university.

* [[WhamEpisode Wham Chapter]] : When it finally seems as though Gogol has settled into a routine in his surroundings and relationship, [[spoiler: Ashoke dies]].

** Even Gogol, who [[spoiler: has an affair with a married woman while studying for his architectural license in Manhattan. The guilt he felt from facilitating this adultery prepared him for dealing with Moushimi's infidelity]].

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Every single South Indian in the book is Bengali (from the state of West Bengal or UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}}). ''Every single one''. It's pretty unlikely given that there are twenty-two [[IndianLanguages languages recognized by the Indian government]]. While it may be true Bengalis have immigrated more than any other Indian sub-group, you are much more likely to meet a Gujju (from the state of Gujarat) or a Tamil (from the state of Tamil Nadu) or a Marathi (from the state of Maharashtra) than a Bengali.

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Every single South Indian in the book is Bengali (from the state of West Bengal or UsefulNotes/Bangladesh). ''Every single one''. It's pretty unlikely given that there are twenty-two [[IndianLanguages languages recognized by the Indian government]]. While it may be true Bengalis have immigrated more than any other Indian sub-group, you are much more likely to meet a Gujju (from the state of Gujarat) or a Tamil (from the state of Tamil Nadu) or a Marathi (from the state of Maharashtra) than a Bengali.

While not as well-received as her debut, the book received positive reviews from critics. It was adapted into [[Film/TheNamesake a film of the same name]].

* FirstKiss: Gogol has his with a college girl while he's still a junior in high school. This directly leads to him [[spoiler: eventually changing his name to Nikhil]].

** Even Gogol, who [[spoiler: has an affair with a married woman while studying architecture in Manhattan. The guilt he felt from facilitating this adultery prepared him for dealing with Moushimi's infidelity]].

"The Namesake" is the second book by Creator/JhumpaLahiri, who had previously won the PulitzerPrize for her debut collection of stories, "Interpreter of Maladies". Released in 2004, it focuses on Gogol Ganguli, the son of Ashoke and Ashima, who are Indian immigrants to America. Gogol, throughout the novel, struggles to navigate his own distance from his cultural heritage as well as his parents' difficulties with cultural alienation. He becomes disillusioned with his first name (named after Creator/NikolaiGogol), and keeps himself independent from his parents and his heritage by changing it. After a crisis of faith, he reconciles with his culture, only to find out that his relationships and his identity are far more complex than he would wish.

* IvyLeagueForEverybody: Gogol goes to Yale and Columbia, Ashoke teaches at MIT, and Sonia goes to Stanford (which is technically not an Ivy, but still a very prestigious school).

''The Namesake'' tells the story of Gogol, an Indian-American attempting to come to terms with his identity as a bi-national child of Indian immigrant parents. His parents' difficulties with cultural alienation, as well as his own distance from his cultural heritage, forces him to try and understand his place in two seemingly conflicting cultural identity. Determined to distance himself from his parents, and the values they represent, he sets out to live an independent life, only to find out that his relationships and his identity are far complex than he would wish.

Contains Examples Of:

* GoodParents: Both Ashima and Ashoke clearly love Gogol and Sonia, and try their best to help them integrate into a completely foreign culture; often at the expense of maintaining their own comforting/familiar cultural traditions

* MeaningfulName: Gogol was not named according to Bengali tradition, but after his father's favourite author, whose writing saved his father's life. Significant because it symbolises Gogol's feeling of distance from both cultures, and from his father. Ashima, meaning 'she who is without borders', is also rife with symbolism: she bridges the cultural gap for her family, constructs a Bengali community in Boston, and in the end [[spoiler: chooses to spend her time between Calcutta and America, not fixed in any one place]]

* SheIsAllGrownUp: Moushimi, whom Gogol used to play with (or not) when they were both small
* [[WhamEpisode Wham Chapter]] : Gogol's settled into a routine in his surroundings and relationship when [[spoiler: Ashoke dies]]

* GoodParent: Both Ashima and Ashoke clearly love Gogol and Sonia, and try their best to help them integrate into a completely foreign culture.

AsLongAsItSoundsForeign: Averted, all the names of people and things in the novel are culturally appropriate, and chosen with great care.
Coming of Age Story: Sort of. It chronicles 30 years of Gogol's life, but it is the story of him coming to terms with himself as an independent adult and his place in the world.
GoodParent: Both Ashima and Ashoke clearly love Gogol and Sonia, and try their best to help them integrate into a completely foreign culture.
IHaveNoSon: Averted; even though Gogol tries to reject his background and distance himself from his parents, they still are as much a part of his life as he will let them be, and make an effort not to be an embarrassment or call him by the wrong name
MeaningfulName: Gogol was not named according to Bengali tradition, but after his father's favourite author, whose writing saved his father's life. Significant because it symbolises Gogol's feeling of distance from both cultures, and from his father.
Ashima, meaning 'she who is without borders', is also rife with symbolism: she bridges the cultural gap for her family, constructs a Bengali community in Boston, and in the end [[spoiler: chooses to spend her time between Calcutta and America, not fixed in any one place]]
One Steve Limit: Gogol feels like this applies to him, in contrast to every other person he meets, because his name isn't either American or Indian. Averted, as he is named after Nikolai Gogol, a Russian writer who is fairly prominent in the novel.
OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Gogol, who becomes 'Nick' at university
SheIsAllGrownUp: Moushimi, whom Gogol used to play with (or not) when they were both small
[[WhamEpisode Wham Chapter]] : [[spoiler: Ashoke dies]]

Jhumpa Lahiri's second novel