Saturday, 25 September 2010
I completed Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake today. I started it very casually, with no intension to complete it, but its storyline and lively style took hold of me throughout and I couldn't put it down. I usually avoid reading novels full of concrete narration and least dialogues. This novel is an exception. Despite its narrative feature, the novel is readable for an average reader like me.
The story starts in 1968 when Ashima, who is married to Ashoke Ganguly, is pregnant with a son. After their marriage they have moved toCambridge , massachusetts
A son is born to them. The child is named Gogol after Nikolai Gogol, the great Russian writer. The name was given in a hurry, as it was necessary procedure for the birth certificate. The idea was to change it later, but the name sticks to him. Gogol, in his teens, starts hating his name because he finds it totally alien and meaningless, being neither Indian not American. Ms Lahiri has filled pages describing his uneasiness with the names. Gogol fights with his parents and changes it to Nikhil.
Gogol, born and brought up in US, possesses completely different mindset. He doesn't share his parents' eagerness to visitIndia India India
This part of the novel was the most problematic for me. Ms Lahiri's narration lacks psychological aspect which creates problem for the reader. And because of that all these three characters look like lifeless puppets. Gogol looks more human after Ashoke, his father, dies of heart-attack. That comes as an emotional shock for Gogol which revives his filial duties which had remained latent so far. (In fact that is the pity in life, when we realise our father was right, it is too late, perhaps the father is no more, and our own son is old enough to think that his father is wrong)
The novel describes Gogol intimate relations with American ladies, but ultimately he meets Moushumi, a Bengali girl, on her mother's insistence. Mousami doesn't hide any of her past sexual escapades during her first meeting with Gogol. Despite this they keep meeting each other regularly and after some time decide to marry. Unfortunately this marriage doesn't last much as Moushumi indulges in extramarital relation with one of her earlier boyfriends. Gogol can't tolerate this and decides to be separated.
The novel ends after one year of his divorce. Ashima decides to pass rest of her life betweenIndia
The story starts in 1968 when Ashima, who is married to Ashoke Ganguly, is pregnant with a son. After their marriage they have moved to
A son is born to them. The child is named Gogol after Nikolai Gogol, the great Russian writer. The name was given in a hurry, as it was necessary procedure for the birth certificate. The idea was to change it later, but the name sticks to him. Gogol, in his teens, starts hating his name because he finds it totally alien and meaningless, being neither Indian not American. Ms Lahiri has filled pages describing his uneasiness with the names. Gogol fights with his parents and changes it to Nikhil.
Gogol, born and brought up in US, possesses completely different mindset. He doesn't share his parents' eagerness to visit
This part of the novel was the most problematic for me. Ms Lahiri's narration lacks psychological aspect which creates problem for the reader. And because of that all these three characters look like lifeless puppets. Gogol looks more human after Ashoke, his father, dies of heart-attack. That comes as an emotional shock for Gogol which revives his filial duties which had remained latent so far. (In fact that is the pity in life, when we realise our father was right, it is too late, perhaps the father is no more, and our own son is old enough to think that his father is wrong)
The novel describes Gogol intimate relations with American ladies, but ultimately he meets Moushumi, a Bengali girl, on her mother's insistence. Mousami doesn't hide any of her past sexual escapades during her first meeting with Gogol. Despite this they keep meeting each other regularly and after some time decide to marry. Unfortunately this marriage doesn't last much as Moushumi indulges in extramarital relation with one of her earlier boyfriends. Gogol can't tolerate this and decides to be separated.
The novel ends after one year of his divorce. Ashima decides to pass rest of her life between
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