The Namesake is a novel written by British American writer, Jhumpa Lahiri. The novel was originally published in September 2003. The story of novel centers around a life of Bengali family who lives in abroad far away from their motherland.
Synopsis of The Namesake By Jhumpa Lahiri
Summary of The Namesake By Jhumpa Lahiri
The story of novel revolves around a life of Ashoke Ganguli who is living in abroad along with his wife, Ashima Ganguli. Ashok and Ashima are living in small apartment of Cambridge and soon they are going to welcome one baby in their family.
They both met in Calcutta when they had a arrange marriage. Ashok was doing engineering at that time from MIT College. They used to live in India only. Ashoke came to America for his work.
When Ashoke was living in India, he met with an horror accident where a train he was travelling got off from its track and he survived by luck. He was saved because he had a book in his hands which pages were flying and someone saw him and saved his life.The Book which was Ashoke handling was “The Collected Stories of Nikolai Gogol”.
The book which was Ashoke’s hand was “The Collected Stories of Nikolai Gogol”. After that incident, Ashoke with his wife, Ashima came to America but he still haven’t forgot that incident. Ashoke’s wife, Ashika was not able to adjust herself in new enviroment of America. She was alone and missing her home a lot. Ashima belongs to joint family so she was not able to live alone in America.
She used to make Indian recipes for herself. After some time, Ashoke’s wife, Ashima gave birth to one boy in American hospital. When Ashoke’s son was born, he thought how lucky he is to born in America. Ashoke’s has adjusted herself to American life while his wife, Ashima is thinking how unlucky his son as he born in American and now he is going to live alone.
Ashima is thinking that his son will not receive the love of joint family as they are in foreign country. Ashima decides that her grandmother will give name to his son. But the thing is they are in American hospital where there is rule that parents must give one temporary name to their children in hospital only. Ashoke and Ashima ends up naming, “Gogol ( Nikhil ) Ganguli ” to their son.
Gogol’s complete family knows him by name Gogol only because Ashima’s grandmother not able to give name to their son. The story now shift focus to Ashoke’s son, Gogol.
As Gogol grows, he became support of his mother, Ashima. She used to feel lone in America but not anymore as she has Gogol with her. Ashok and Ashima gave birth to one daughter as well and they named her Sonia ( Sonali ). Gogol and Sonali are growing in American enviroment, they speak fluent American English, study in American school and eats American food. They celebrate Christmas like we celebrate Diwali in India.
Ashok and Ashima are from Calcutta and they often take their children to meet their Begali friends. There were many Indian immigrants in America. Ashoke and Ashima decides to go back at their motherland, India.
But India is motherland to Ashoke and Ashima only not their children as they are born and grown up in America only. How they are going to adjust in India. Gogol and Sonia are not comfortable in India as they feel like an outsider there while their parents are very happy in India because it is their motherland.
As the story progresses, we get to know more about Gogol, he is not happy with his name and want to change it to Nikhil. Gogo’s first girlfriend was Ruth to whom he met in Boston train. They dated for one year and they broke up after 1 year as Ruth went to Oxford for studies. Ruth never met Gogol’s parent but they spend 2 years together.Gogol is still upset with his name and want to change it to Nikhil anyhow.
When Gogol completes his Architecture engineering from Columbia, he met a girl named, Maxine Ratliff, a young sophisticated Art student. Gogol ends up falling in love with Maxine who lives with her super rich parents. Gogol spends some time with Maxine’s family and get fascinated by their rich lifestyle.
Maxine are so rich they have their own vacation home and they also own their own Kabristan which is for their family only. Nikhil was settling with Maxine but then he receieved a news that his father had a heart attack and died. This was a big shock for Nikhil as his father died suddenly. Nikhil returns to his family and find peace in his Bengali culture.
Once upon a time, Nikhil was opposed to his Bengali culture but now he finds peace in it. Nikhil goes to America again and meet a girl, Moushumi in New York. Moshumi is a Bengali girl to whom Nikhil’s mother ask him to meet her. He has met Moushami before when he used to meet his parent’s Bengali friends.
As compare to Ruth and Maxine, Nihil is more attached to Moushumi as she is from Bengali background. Nikhil and Moushumi have one similarity which is they both are running from their past. Moushumi had one English boyfriend, Graham, who broke up with her just before their marriage. After some time, Moushumi and Nikhil ends up marrying each other. They divorced each other after spending few years together.
The story of novel ends with Gogol who is alone and celebrating Christmas with his Bengali family. Ashima has decided that she will spend 6 months a year in Calcutta only no matter what. Gogol is alone and there is no one to call him by name Gogol. He finds a his father’s book by Nikolai Gogol and learned why his father named him Gogol. Gogol wants to go back in past and want to read his father favorite story with his father.