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Literature on culture and diversity
Literature on culture and diversity
Literature on culture and diversity
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Gogol/ Nikhil develops two separate identities as he uses the name Nikhil to isolate himself from reminders of its uniqueness and reminisce of his Bengali culture as Gogol moves throughout his college life. For example, the text states, “...he goes home every other weekend..Somewhere along the two-and-a-half hour journey, Nikhil evaporates and Gogol claims him again,” (106) . This illustrates how Gogol/ Nikhil alternates as he comes in contact with either his family or friends, where it is a way for him to safely blend in depending on the various people. In addition, his girlfriend Ruth contributes to his identity as Nikhil because it pushes him further into playing off as this persona in which “Nikhil” dedicates himself to her.
"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...
The fact that this character is the main protagonist, the long timespan throughout the book, the different meanings impounded in the book, and mainly the plot the book is anchored on, obviously states that the main character, Gogol is a round character. Beginning off, Gogol is an oblivious and stubborn youngster because he constantly refuses the names (Gogol and Nikhil) his parents cast upon him. The reason for this is because he simply doesn’t understand the point/meaning behind his names. As time advances to his future years, not only does his character worsen from just being childlike, it goes downhill to culturally and socially unacceptable actions like losing his virginity (early) and partying in secret. In addition, he goes
The inherent desire to belong to a group is one that is fundamental to human nature. In his article “Evolution and Our Inner Conflict,” Edward O. Wilson writes, “A person’s membership in his group – his tribe – is a large part of his identity.” Wilson explores multilevel group selection and the proclivity for people to define themselves based on their belonging to the group. He goes on to say that people often form these groups with those who look like them and belong to the same culture or ethnic group. In the novels Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko and The Puttermesser Papers by Cynthia Ozick, the identities of the protagonist are predominantly shaped by the ethnicities and heritages that they identify with. The identity of Tayo, the protagonist of the novel Ceremony is largely shaped by his ethnicity as both a Native American and part white. Tayo’s background leads directly to his own identity as an outsider and is central to the storyline. In the novel The Puttermesser Papers by Cynthia Ozick, the title character Puttermesser’s identity and subsequently her story is also influenced by her Jewish heritage.
In order to better understand the different kinds of identity or how it is modified over time, it is important to analyze some texts. “The Myth of the Latin Woman” by Cofer and the two episodes of In treatment Season One, Week one: “Alex” and “Sophie” are going to provide a base to discuss identity problems or diffusions in this essay. When the characters are deeply analyzed, readers will notice how various social frameworks have influenced them. Culture, education and interaction with different social groups are factors that induce the formation of these people’s personalities. All these characters are seen from different per...
Rachel Dolezal was head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) division in Spokane, Washington, from 2014 until June 15, 2015, when she stepped down because of claims that she had told lies about her racial identity and additional details of her life. She drew the press’s scrutiny when her caucasian mother and father said publicly that Dolezal was a caucasian female being taken as black. Dolezal’s situation brings to light issues regarding the social construction of race, racial hierarchy, racialization, and the creation of ethnic identity.
There he makes this identity of himself to try to totally forget his parents’ cultural identity. He changes his name to Nikhil and later ends up moving to New York with a girl by the name of Maxine. “He is overly aware that they are not used to passing things around the table, or to chewing food with their mouths completely closed. They avert their eyes when Maxine accidentally leans over to run her hand through her hair” (Lahiri 277). This quote is describing Maxine and Gogol having a meal with his parents. This whole scene is very awkward for both because Gogol’s parents aren’t used to doing things the American way. When the two are leaving his parents’ house Gogol’s father says to him “Drive safely, Gogol” (Lahiri 279). This confuses Maxine because she is not familiar with his real name. He doesn’t want to be reminded of who he was before. By chapter 8 Maxine and Gogol are no longer together due to
The narrative causes questions to arise about whether or not an identity is represented by a name or something more emotional-a trait tha...
The sense of belongings shapes an individual sense of identity in the world by their experiences. This process, in which an individual understanding of belonging is tested to determine their identity. Skrzynecki's 10 Mary St explores his connection with places, acknowledgement in the Postcard. Comparison to Winston Neighbours in which, explores a wider range of individual that has a strong bond of connection to place. Throughout, the texts we explore the relationship of an individual over time as this determine their sense of identity to the world.
Over the course of the novel, The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, Gogol is constantly moving, and by the time he is in his late twenties, he has already lived in five different homes, while his mother, Ashima has lived in only five houses her entire life. Each time Gogol moves, he travels farther away from his childhood home on Pemberton Road, symbolizing his search for identity and his desire to further himself from his family and Bengali culture. Alternatively, Ashima’s change of homes happens in order to become closer to family, representing her kinship with Bengali culture. Ashima has always had difficulty with doing things on her own, but by the end of the story she ultimately decides to travel around both India and the States without a real home as a result of the evolution of her independence and the breaking of her boundaries; in contrast, Gogol finally realizes that he has always stayed close to home, despite his yearning for escape, and settles into his newly discovered identity - the one that he possessed all along.
This essay is based on the reading of two literary plays, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and Willy Russell’s Educating Rita. Language and identity are two expressions that need to be explained. English is the official language in several countries; Chinese is the language spoken by Chinese people and Danish is how Danes speak. But languages could also be described as different ways of talking due to social background, education, profession, age and sex. A person’s language is connected to his social situation. Eliza, the cockney flower girl from the gutter does not speak the same language as professor Higgins, even if English is their common mother tongue. They speak differently because they belong to different social worlds. Identity can signify the very special characteristic of a person, something that makes him differ from others.
Gimpel is a man who is subjected to human cruelty everyday of his life dealt by the people who surround him. The cruelty is not in the form of physical abuse, yet just as harsh. The people of the only town Gimpel has ever known treat him as if he was a child. And in many ways, Gimpel is a child, for a child is a person who is learning the ways of the world. Gimpel mirrors a child with his naivete and goodness. The people of the town played jokes on him throughout his childhood and his life as an adult. According to Gimpel, “they stuffed my hand full of goat turds” instead “of the raisins they give when a woman’s lying in” (Singer 411). Whereas most people would see aggression as a normal reaction to this sort of trickery, Gimpel chooses to let every trick and every comment go without a word being said. His philosophy is to “Let it pass. So they take advantage of me” (411). This type of action demonstrates that Gimpel chooses to remain s...
Rant’s oral biography is a study in personas. Palahniuk took the different versions of people in society and stretched them, making them so exaggerated that they became different people with different names. Yet, this jumbled, complicated mess all comes together to teach the same lesson: no one will ever truly know a person for who they are. After all, as Rant used to say, “You’re a different human being to everybody you meet” (18).
Throughout the novel Gogol is affected by American values in many different ways. When Gogol came to America he changed in a big way. He became a very individual person. He didn’t act the same with his parents anymore because of this. It all began when he found out that his parents named him after their favorite Russian author Nikolai Gogol. He was very angered by this because as he got older he didn’t like that name. In class his teacher was talking about the Russian writer and how he was a Genius but had some problems. Nikolai was very paranoid and he didn’t have any friends. He never got married and finally committed suicide by starvation. “Did you know about [Nikolai Gogol] when you named me? That he was paranoid, suicidal, friendless, and depressed?” (Lahiri). All of Gogol’s classmates started to tease him because of his name. This is when Gogol really started to get mad at his parents. “Of all the freaking Russian writers in the universe why did they have to choose the weirdest? What the hell’s wrong with Leo or Anton?” (Lahiri). Gogol eventually lived on his own in New York. When he was living there he got with this girl Maxine. That was his love interest at the time. Ashima’s wish was to have a Bengali daughter-in-law and Gogol...
Like most second generation children, assimilation was a much easier process for Gogal. He has always had difficulty understanding the bengali culture. As his father once told himhe was unique because of the meaning behind his name “Gogal”. At the end of the book, Gogal has a special moment and comes upon the book he was named after. A connection grows with his fathers as he realizes, “Nikhil will live on, publicly celebrated, unlike Gogal, purposely hidden, legally diminished, now all but lost,(290).” Gogal’s moment of realization makes him find his identity, self-discovery and re-connect to his father. His name is what makes him, Gogal. The novel ends with this as it demostrates finding himself and worth of his
His confusion stems from the fact that his name is neither Bengali or American but Russian. Named after Nikhil Gogol a Russian author, he will soon find himself taking the first name of the author. The name Nikhil gave him a temporary sense of identity in which is used to start an American relationship. The relationship with Ruth was a relationship based on their vast difference of being a “Yankee” American in contracts to him being a first-generation Bengali-American. However, he does identify as being a Bengali but a typical “suburban” American. The love he has with Ruth was a taste of what an American relationship would look like. Her parents are divorces and are hippies who accepts Nikhil for who he is. Compared to his own family who questions his love with her. The falling of the relationships is when Ruth left for Oxford and when she comes back Gogol tries to rekindle the fire between them but realizes that there was nothing to rekindle. Their love was just a fling, and a way to express his love for American