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what is the namesake about

by Cleo Haley Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The Namesake depicts the struggles of Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli (Irrfan Khan and Tabu), first-generation immigrants from the East Indian state of West Bengal to the United States, and their American-born children Gogol (Kal Penn) and Sonia (Sahira Nair).

What is the setting of the namesake?

The Namesake is the story of two generations of the Gangulis, a family of Indian immigrants to the United States. When we first meet Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli they are living in a small apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about to welcome their first child into the world.

What is the meaning of namesake?

Kids Definition of namesake : a person who has the same name as someone else and especially one named for another

What is the movie the namesake about?

The Namesake follows a Bengali couple, who move to the USA in the 60s. Ashoke is a trained engineer, who quickly adapts to his new lifestyle. His wife Ashima deeply misses her family and struggles to adapt. Following the birth of her children, she pines for home even more.

What is the namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri about?

The Namesake (2003) is the debut novel by American author Jhumpa Lahiri. It was originally published in The New Yorker and was later expanded to a full-length novel. It explores many of the same emotional and cultural themes as Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize -winning short story collection Interpreter of Maladies.

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What is the story namesake about?

“The Namesake” is Mira Nair's ninth feature, and I suspect the one closest to her heart. It tells the story of a young couple who have an arranged marriage in Calcutta and move to New York, where they discover each other and their new country, and have two children.

What is the main idea of The Namesake?

Hence, the major theme portrayed in the novel is one of identity. This them is illustrated vividly by examining the importance of one's culture and background, gender, and name as the definition of patriarchal lineage and destiny in life.

What is the meaning of The Namesake the novel?

Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Namesake deftly demonstrates how the familiar struggles between new and old, assimilation and cultural preservation, striving toward the future and longing for the past, play out in one particular set of foreign-born parents and their American- born children.

Is The Namesake Based on a true story?

The Namesake is not a true story. It is classified as a novel which makes it, by definition, fictional.

Which statement best summarizes a central idea in The Namesake?

Which statement best summarizes a central idea in The Namesake? Globalization is leading people to redefine their cultural identities.

Why does Gogol change his name in The Namesake?

“Gogol” makes Gogol feel like a child. Thus Gogol changes his name, officially, not to change how the world sees him, but to help change how he sees himself. He changes his name as part of a larger process of personal transformation and growth.

What happens at the end of The Namesake?

The story ends with Gogol, Sonia, Sonia's fiance (Ben), Ashima and their extended Bengali family at her mother's Christmas party. We learn that Moushumi and Gogol are divorced and Sonia is about to marry Ben. Ashima has sold the house and will soon go to Calcutta.

What are some themes in The Namesake?

The Namesake ThemesThe Indian Immigrant Experience. ... Family, Tradition, and Ritual. ... Independence, Rebellion, and Growing Up. ... Identity and Naming. ... Love and Marriage.

How old was Gogol at the end of The Namesake?

Gogol is now eighteen and about to attend Yale University, a prestigious school in New Haven, Connecticut. Before doing so, he goes to the courthouse alone and has his name legally changed to Nikhil. His parents begrudgingly accept their son's decision.

Who does Gogol end up with in The Namesake?

MoushumiMoushumi and Gogol are attracted to one another and eventually are married.

How do you pronounce jhumpa?

0:250:47How to Pronounce Jhumpa (Real Life Examples!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI think you know.MoreI think you know.

What does Ashoke mean?

he who transcends grief"Ashoke" means "he who transcends grief," fitting for a man who survived a devastating accident and appreciates both his survival and the birth of his son as miracles (2.21).

How is Gogol's name tied to his identity?

First, his name. Gogol is Gogol, of course, because his father and mother needed a name for him before leaving the hospital. The name “Gogol” was an important one to Ashoke, who adored Nikolai Gogol's work. Ashoke also has traumatic connection to the train-wreck during which he was reading Gogol.

What happens at the end of The Namesake?

The story ends with Gogol, Sonia, Sonia's fiance (Ben), Ashima and their extended Bengali family at her mother's Christmas party. We learn that Moushumi and Gogol are divorced and Sonia is about to marry Ben. Ashima has sold the house and will soon go to Calcutta.

What is the setting of The Namesake?

This novel takes place in two very different parts of the world, at times Gogol is either in his home in Boston, U.S.A or Calcutta, India. Where he visits his extended family. Later in the book the setting shifts to his different apartments in New York depending on the time period.

What conflict is revealed through Ashoke's conversation with Mrs Lapidus?

An external conflict related to Mrs. Lapidus's use of English instead of Bengali causes Gogol to fear school. An internal conflict related to Gogol's silence changes Ashoke's mind about his son using a new name in school.

What is the name of the family in Chapter 1?

Chapter 1. The Namesake is the story of two generations of the Gangulis, a family of Indian immigrants to the United States. When we first meet Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli they are living in a small apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about to welcome their first child into the world. The young couple met through an arranged marriage in Calcutta, ...

What is the name of the book that saved Ashoke's life?

The couple waits for their son’s “good name” to come in a letter from Ashima’s grandmother in India, but in the meantime they must give the hospital a temporary “pet name,” and so they settle on “Gogol, ” the writer whose book saved Ashoke’s life and made possible this new one.

Where did Ashoke and Ashima meet?

The young couple met through an arranged marriage in Calcutta, India, where Ashima had lived her whole life before leaving to accompany Ashoke as he studies engineering at M.I.T. Ashoke has been set on traveling abroad ever since a terrible train accident a few years previous, which he barely survived.

What is Nikhil's first love?

It is as Nikhil that he meets his first love, Ruth , an English major who never meets his parents, even though the two are together for more than two years.

Who is Ashoke's sister?

His sister Sonali (Sonia) is born, and the two siblings begin to bond as the carriers of American influence in the house. The two children, with their natural, unaccented English and socialization in the American school system, are the reason for Ashoke and Ashima’s adoption of Christmas and of certain American food items.

Where does Ashima live in the book?

Ashima has decided to live for six months of every year in Calcutta.

When was the namesake made?from en.wikipedia.org

The film was produced by Indian, American and Japanese studios. The film was released in the United States on 9 March 2007, following screenings at film festivals in Toronto and New York City. The Namesake received positive reviews from American critics.

Where did the namesake take place?from sparknotes.com

The Namesake. The novel begins in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1968. Ashima Ganguli, expecting a child, makes a snack for herself in the kitchen of her apartment, which she shares with her husband, Ashoke. The two met in Calcutta, where their marriage was arranged by their parents.

How did Ashoke die?from sparknotes.com

When Ashima calls back, she finds out that Ashoke has died of a heart attack. The family is stunned. Gogol flies to Cleveland and cleans out his father’s apartment.

What is the name of the family in Chapter 1?from litcharts.com

Chapter 1. The Namesake is the story of two generations of the Gangulis, a family of Indian immigrants to the United States. When we first meet Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli they are living in a small apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about to welcome their first child into the world. The young couple met through an arranged marriage in Calcutta, ...

Where did Ashoke and Ashima meet?from litcharts.com

The young couple met through an arranged marriage in Calcutta, India, where Ashima had lived her whole life before leaving to accompany Ashoke as he studies engineering at M.I.T. Ashoke has been set on traveling abroad ever since a terrible train accident a few years previous, which he barely survived.

What is Gogol's good name?from en.wikipedia.org

After college, Gogol uses his "good name" Nikhil (later shortened to Nick).

What is the name of the book that saved Ashoke's life?from litcharts.com

The couple waits for their son’s “good name” to come in a letter from Ashima’s grandmother in India, but in the meantime they must give the hospital a temporary “pet name,” and so they settle on “Gogol, ” the writer whose book saved Ashoke’s life and made possible this new one.

What does it mean to be a namesake?from thefreedictionary.com

namesake- a person with the same name as another

What does "the same name" mean?from dictionary.com

a person having the same name as another.

What is the significance of the NOMA exhibit?from myneworleans.com

With that historical note said, NOMA’s exhibit also will demonstrate how the duke’s collection contributed to the formation of public museums such as the National Gallery in London. Prior to the sale of the collection in London in the 1790s, an enterprising Englishman put the collection up for public view in his gallery and charged admission to see the paintings. According to Schmid, this was the first time ordinary people got to see what was locked away in palaces. Many of the same people who purchased the paintings later formed art museums in England.

What did Massachusetts name itself after?from dictionary.com

A lucky Massachusetts town in the 18th century decided to name itself after Benjamin Franklin and then ask its namesake for a gift.

Who turned his stern look from the outlet of the cavern?from thefreedictionary.com

Cora bestowed an approving smile on the pious efforts of the namesakeof the Jewish prince, and Heyward soon turned his steady, stern look from the outlet of the cavern, to fasten it, with a milder character, on the face of David, or to meet the wandering beams which at moments strayed from the humid eyes of Alice.

Where does the word "infant" come from?from dictionary.com

The word "infant" comes from the Latin word "infans" which literally means "unable to speak; speechless."

What is the climax of the namesake?

Climax: Debatably, in a novel whose scope spans three decades, the climax comes when Gogol’s father, Ashoke, dies unexpectedly, causing Gogol to return toward his family, leave Maxine, and ultimately marry Moushumi.

Why is Lahiri called a pet?

Pet Names Lahiri herself goes by her Indian ‘pet name’ after feeling embarrassed in kindergarten when her teacher had difficulty pronouncing her true name – she has said that this was one inspiration for the story of Gogol/Nikhil.

Who plays Gogol Ganguli in The Namesake?

Film Version There is a popular movie adaptation of The Namesake starring Kal Penn as Gogol Ganguli.

When was the namesake published?

The Namesake was published in Bengali by Ananda Publishers on 2005 under the title Samanamiie ( বাংলা: সমনামী) translated by Paulami Sengupta .

Who wrote the children's book of the same name?

For the children's novel of the same name, see C. Walter Hodges.

Why does Ashoke resent Gogol?

As Gogol progresses through school, he resents his name more and more for its oddness and the strange genius for whom he was named . Ashoke senses that Gogol is not old enough to understand its significance. When he informs his parents that he wishes to change his name, his father reluctantly agrees.

Where does Ashoke live?

The story begins as Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli, a young Bengali couple, leave Calcutta, India, and settle in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ashoke is an engineering student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Ashima struggles through language and cultural barriers as well as her own fears as she delivers her first child ...

What is the name of the book Unaccustomed Earth?

Unaccustomed Earth. The Namesake (2003) is the debut novel by American author Jhumpa Lahiri. It was originally published in The New Yorker and was later expanded to a full-length novel. It explores many of the same emotional and cultural themes as Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize -winning short story collection Interpreter of Maladies.

Is Nikhil a good name?

Though the pet name has deep significance for the baby's parents, it is never intended to be used by anyone other than family. They decide on Nikhil to be his good name. Gogol grows up perplexed by his pet name. Entering kindergarten, the Gangulis inform their son that he will be known as Nikhil at school.

What is a namesake?

Namesake is another person or thing that has the same name as someone or something else. Simply put, a person or thing that has the same name as another person or thing is referred to as the person or thing’s namesake and vice versa.

What does "namesake" mean?

While the term namesake simply means one that has the same name as another , sometimes there can be a little bit of confusion when it comes to the usage of the term. The confusion comes when answering the question “who is the namesake?” when for example, a person has been named after another person. An example is a child who has been named after his grandfather. Is the grandfather the child’s namesake or is the child the grandfather’s namesake? The answer to this question is what normally brings about the confusion.

What is a name that shares the same name with another person?

A namesake is a person or thing that shares the same name with another person or thing.

Do you have to be named after someone?

You do not necessarily have to be named after somebody in order to be that person’s namesake; so far as you share a name with the person you are the person’s namesake and vice versa.

Who encounters Dimitri's name?

foreshadowing Moushumi encounters Dimitri’s name among a stack of letters at NYU; Gogol realizes that, on her trip to Palm Beach, Moushumi has not taken her bathing suit

What is Jhumpa Lahiri's genre?

author Jhumpa Lahiri. type of work Novel. genre Realism. language English. time and place written Rome, early 2000s. date of first publication 2003. publisher Houghton Mifflin.

Who is the author of The Namesake?

Pulitzer prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri adds to this conversation with "The Namesake" (her first novel which was a follow up to her short story collection "Interpreter of Maladies" which won the Pulitzer): the epic story of the Ganguli family's arrival and assimilation into the world of the United States.

What is the theme of the namesake?

In The Namesake, Lahiri enriches the themes that made her collection an international bestseller: the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the conflicts of assimilation, and, most poignantly, the tangled ties between generations. Here again Lahiri displays her deft touch for the perfect detail — the fleeting moment, the turn of phrase — that opens whole worlds of emotion.

Why did Jhumpa Lahiri remake herself?

Lahiri and her character sought to remake themselves in order to distance themselves from the Bengali culture that their parents forced upon them as children. As in Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri paints a rich picture of the Indian immigrant experience in the United States.

Why is Gogol Ganguli named after a Russian writer?

Named for a Russian writer by his Indian parents in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name.

What is the name of the book that is about the nuances of being caught between two conflicting cultures with high?

The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri. The Namesake (2003) is the first novel by American author Jhumpa Lahiri.

Who is the name of the interpreter of maladies?

The Namesake. Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies established this young writer as one the most brilliant of her generation. Her stories are one of the very few debut works -- and only a handful of collections -- to have won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Is the namesake relatable?

Each character is flawed just as every human being is imperfect. I don’t think that one needs to understand the immigrant experience to connect with this book. The Namesake is completely relatable to anyone that has ever strived to fit in, to find an identity, to accept those around us for what they are, not what we think they should be.

Why did Ashoke give his son the name Gogol?

Ashoke is also deeply affected by the train accident that nearly killed him in his youth. He gives his son the name Gogol as an acknowledgment of what that writer means to him. Nikolai Gogol and the other Russian writers are also emblems of “foreignness,” of a life lived in exile.

Who is Ashoke Ganguli?

Ashoke Ganguli. The third of the novel’s protagonists. Ashoke is a quiet, sensitive man, and although the narrator does not have access to many of his thoughts, he is nevertheless devoted to his wife and children. Ashoke is also deeply affected by the train accident that nearly killed him in his youth.

Where does Sonia live after Ashoke's death?

She goes to school and lives for a time in California, but after Ashoke’s death, Sonia returns to the Boston area, where she practices law and becomes engaged to a man named Ben. Sonia is a steadying presence for Ashima after Ashoke’s passing.

What does Ashima do in the beginning of the novel?

Ashima, at the beginning of the novel, does not make choices so much as she accepts the choices of others. Her parents arrange her marriage to Ashoke, and out of duty she follows him to cold, desolate-seeming Boston. She grows to love her husband, and, later, her son Gogol and daughter Sonia.

What is the book Gogol about?

The novel tracks Gogol’s growth from child into young man. This growth includes changing his name, to Nikhil, and the gradual discovery of architecture as a career. Gogol navigates, over time, his relationship to his parents’ identity, as Bengalis in America. He also tries to forge his own identity, as a Bengali-American child born in the US.

What does Ghost tell Ashoke about living abroad?

a businessman Ashoke meets on his ill-fated train ride. Ghost tells Ashoke that living abroad is important for any young man. Ghosh himself lived in England until his wife made him return to India. Ghosh tells Ashoke to visit him at his home during the train ride, but Ashoke never has the chance, as Ghosh is killed in the wreck.

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1.The Namesake: Full Book Summary | SparkNotes

Url:https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-namesake/summary/

27 hours ago The Namesake. The novel begins in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1968. Ashima Ganguli, expecting a child, makes a snack for herself in the kitchen of her apartment, which she shares …

2.The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri Plot Summary | LitCharts

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-namesake/summary

15 hours ago The Namesake is the story of two generations of the Gangulis, a family of Indian immigrants to the United States. When we first meet Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli they are living in a small …

3.Videos of What Is The Namesake About

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17 hours ago Summaries. American-born Gogol, the son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways. While …

4.The Namesake (2006) - Plot Summary - IMDb

Url:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433416/plotsummary

7 hours ago The meaning of NAMESAKE is one that has the same name as another; especially : one who is named after another or for whom another is named. How to use namesake in a sentence.

5.Namesake Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Url:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/namesake

14 hours ago Key Facts about The Namesake. Climax: Debatably, in a novel whose scope spans three decades, the climax comes when Gogol’s father, Ashoke, dies unexpectedly, causing Gogol to return …

6.The Namesake Study Guide | Literature Guide | LitCharts

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-namesake

15 hours ago The Namesake (2003) is the debut novel by American author Jhumpa Lahiri. It was originally published in The New Yorker and was later expanded to a full-length novel. It explores many of …

7.The Namesake (novel) - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Namesake_(novel)

12 hours ago Namesake is another person or thing that has the same name as someone or something else. Simply put, a person or thing that has the same name as another person or thing is referred to …

8.What Is Namesake? - Hosbeg.com

Url:https://hosbeg.com/namesake/

2 hours ago setting (time) 1968-2000. setting (place) In and around New England and the Northeast: notably the Boston area, New Haven, and New York City. protagonist Gogol, with Ashima and Ashoke …

9.The Namesake: Key Facts | SparkNotes

Url:https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-namesake/facts/

6 hours ago  · The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of their arranged wedding, …

10.The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri | Goodreads

Url:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33917.The_Namesake

27 hours ago Gogol (Nikhil) Ganguli. The novel’s primary protagonist. Gogol is an obedient, inquisitive, and sensitive child, close to his parents and sister. The novel tracks Gogol’s growth from child into …

11.The Namesake: Character List | SparkNotes

Url:https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-namesake/characters/

36 hours ago

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