Naming the Namesake

Asian American Studies R1A

October 9, 2005

Naming the namesake

Jhumpa Lahiri in The Namesake illustrates the assimilation of Gogol as a second generation American immigrant, where Gogol faces the assimilation of becoming an American. Throughout the novel, Gogol has been struggling with his name. From kindergarten to college, Gogol has questioned the reason why he was called Nikhil when he was a child, to the reason why he was called Gogol when he was in college. Having a Russian name, Gogol often encounters questions from people around him, asking the reason of his name. Gogol was not given an Indian name from his Indian family or an American name from the fact that he was born in America, to emphasize that how hard an individual try to assimilate into a different culture, he is still bonded to his roots as the person he ethnically is.

In the conversation between Gogol, his kindergarten teacher, and Gogol’s father, Gogol is confused and refuses his name as Nikhil. “She bends down so that her face is level with his, and extends a hand to his shoulder:

“Can you tell me how old you are, Nikhil?” When the question is repeated and there is no response,… “According to these documents, your son’s legal name is Gogol,”… “that you want us to call him Nikhil?” “That is correct.”…“Are you happy to be entering elementary school, Gogol?” “my parents want me to have another name in school,” “and how about you, Gogol? Do you want to be called by another name?” after a pause he shakes his head. “is that a no?” he nodes. ”Yes.” ”(p.58-59). During his childhood, Gogol’s parents want him to assimilate into the society faster, through requesting his name in school to be Nikhil. By changing his name to Nikhil, people can easily refer him as “Nik” or “Nick”, a name easier for him to be used in America. But the fact that Gogol doesn’t understand why he has to own two names, cause him to refuse the name Nikhil.

As Gogol grows, he begins to hate his name as Gogol, and requests to change his name to Nikhil. ““What is the reason you want to change your name, Mr. Ganguli?” the judge asks. … “I hate the name Gogol,” he says. “I always hated it.”” (p.101-102) as Gogol brings up this topic to discuss during dinner befor he changes his name in the summer, Gogol claims that because he is an Indian with a Russian name in America, nobody is taking him seriously, thrust requesting to change his name into Nikhil, even if it makes a huge hassle to change his legal documents. With out the question of his rare name and confusion of the choice, Gogol accepts himself more easier and believes that he has become more Americanized. Gogol sees himself more Americanized as people do while he attends parties and other group activities in his social circle.

As he moved into college, he has changed every document that contains his name into containing the name Nikhil. As he starts to meet new people, he tried to hide his old name and uses Nikhil:

““is Gogol your first name or your last?” Brandon wants to know…. “actually, that’s my middle name,” Gogol says by way of explanation, sitting with them in the common room to their suite. “Nikhil is my first name. It got left out for some reason.” (p.103)

As Brandon received a letter notifying that his roommate’s name is Gogol, but instead found Nilhil. Brandon questions the reason, but Nikhil hides the truth by claming that Gogol is his middle name. Erasing his Russian name, Gogole makes his roommates view him more as an American and easier for them to accept him. But this also show that Gogole chooses to break away from the past, as if he was breaking away from his origin and assimilate into the American society.

After a while, Nikhil got on s train. That ran into an accident. Because of this accident, his father then believes that it is time for him to understand the reason why he chose Gogol as his name among the others. “he tells Gogol the story of the train he’d ridden twenty-eight years ago, in October 1961, on his way to visit his grandfather in Jamshedpur. He tells him about the night theat had nearly taken his