Identity

Well, I've gotten through 4 more chapters of The Namesake and I am now at chapter 6. A lot has happened. Gogol (I guess now Nikhil) has grown a lot and is now in college! Lots of years have gone by in only 6 chapters, but one main theme I've noticed in searching for identity. The Ganguli family as a whole cannot seem to figure out how which culture to associate themselves with and how much. They seem lost. I could really feel them being tugged and pulled by the different cultures and traditions.

Gogol seems to really be stuck between two cultures. His roots are in India with his family, yet he lives in America and was raised there. I know if I were in his position, it would feel weird and odd knowing that you and you're sister are the only ones who were born and grew up somewhere different from India. It seems hard for him to figure out which traditions to celebrate and which to not. It must be tough not celebrating some common American traditions while in America and instead celebrating the Indian ones that few people know about. 

The one thing that doesn't seem to help him through this is his name. His name provides no clarity on who he is and provides no help to find his identity as more of an Indian or an American. For most of the book, he believes he was named Gogol only because it's his dad's favorite author. He cannot figure out why they would not name him under an Indian name or even an American name (seeing they live in the US). It bothers him SO much and he cannot stand his name whether it's writing it, hearing it, or even just seeing it. He explains "What dismays him most is the irrelevance of it all" (76). He's not russian, and it's not HIS favorite author.

The result of all this identity searching is rebelliousness. As he grows into a teenager and starts to go to college, we see Gogol start to rebel a little bit. He goes to parties, drinks, etc. The search for his identity and the struggle between Indian culture and American must be tough and put a load on his shoulders. The way he "lets off steam" you could say is to rebel. I sure hope this doesn't continue and he stays on the right path the rest of the book.