Jhumpa Lahiri (1967)

1. Context
Lahiri was born in London. Daughter of Indian immigrants from the state of West Bengal. Her family moved to the United States when she was two. Lahiri considers herself an American, stating, "I wasn't born here, but I might as well have been." Lahiri grew up in Kingston, Rhode Island, where her father Amar Lahiri works as a librarian at the University of Rhode Island Lahiri's mother wanted her children to grow up knowing their Bengali heritage, and her family often visited relatives in Calcutta.

"I always felt so embarrassed by my name.... You feel like you're causing someone pain just by being who you are.

First book: Intepreter of maladies (1999)

"When I first started writing I was not conscious that my subject was the Indian-American experience. What drew me to my craft was the desire to force the two worlds I occupied to mingle on the page as I was not brave enough, or mature enough, to allow in life. She won the Pulitzer Prize.

In 2003, Lahiri published The Namesake, her first novel.

The novel describes the struggles and hardships of a Bengali couple who immigrate to the United States to form a life outside of everything they are accustomed to.

The namesake and The overcoat

The Overcoat (1842) by Nikolai Gogol. The importance of the NAME. The most important allusion to the story is the way that Gogol Ganguli changes his name just as Akaky Akakievich changes his overcoat. And the wearing of both of these things greatly change these two characters in very similar ways.

 With a slight quiver of recognition, as if hed known it all along, the perfect pet name for his son occurs to Ashoke Gogol, he repeats, satisfied (Namesake, 28). Its evidently his fate. If so, better let him be named after his father. His father was Akaky, so let the son also be Akaky (Overcoat, 395). In both cases of naming the authors suggest that the names were fated. As Nikolai Gogol writes in his story and as Lahiri quotes in her book, in both cases the reader should realize himself that it could not have happened otherwise, and that to give [them] any other names was quite out of the question.

3. PLOT Gogols Father Doctoral Candidate

Beginning: gave birth to Gogol and how Gogol was adapted Amusing yet sad story about first-generation Indian immigrants: farewell to parents, struggling in an unfamiliar environment, limited salary

Assistant Professor
Ashoke had a decent job; Gogol went to school picking Gogol as his name and enjoying early happy school life; Sonia was born. Smooth and good

After Gogols 14 birthday

Got to know that Nikolai Gogol is a weird writer, Gogol felt ashamed about his name and hated to go to school. Intensity between Gogol and his parents began to grow.

Struggling

Upon entering college

Gogol changed his name and start a brand new college life; he fell in love with Ruth, which ended with Ruths return from Oxford. Gogol hardly communicated with his parents.

The train accident

Gogol began to know the real meaning of his pet name and cherish it. Improve the relation between father and son;

Graduation
Gogol fell in love with Maxine, and began to live with her. They enjoyed a great time together. However,Gogol hardly communicated with his parents.

Death of Ashoke
Gogol was very sad and broke up with Maxine. He then spent most of the time with her mother.

Marrying Moushumi
Moushumi had an affair with Demitri, an old acquaintance, leading to the end of her marriage with Gogol. Gogol lived with his mother again

Round Table
How would you deal with the conflict between first (Ashoke and Ashima) and second generation (Gogol) immigrants showed in the novel? If you were Gogol, would you choose Maxine or Moushumi?

Panel Discussion
How do you feel after staying in the United States for a month? Can you imagine your life if you become a first-generation immigrant?