Gogol The Namesake

From the origin to his first name to the unforeseen consequences in his past romantic relationships, Gogol Ganguli’s identity is formed over the course of the novel, The Namesake. Gogol’s name derives from his father’s near death experience in a train accident and how his parents legally named him with his pet name, a name that alienates him from the rest of his American environment. Aside from his name, Gogol is unable to connect his love life with his Bengali culture; he often finds himself being separated from his Bengali family or his Western family, and he struggles to find a middle ground to bind them together without leaving another entirely.

After recently changing his name to Nikhil, Gogol is reborn, feeling that he can choose between

However, when he discovers the origin of his birth name, Gogol starts regretting changing his name. When his father dies from a heart attack, Gogol’s life reevaluated his view on his identity, expressing regret and shame, as he loathes his birth name throughout his life. By the end of the novel, Gogol’s remorse is shown in the Christmas party, where “without people in the world to call him Gogol, no matter how long he himself lives, Gogol Ganguli will, once and for all, vanish from the lips of loved ones, and so, cease to exist. Yet the thought of this eventual demise provides no sense of victory, no solace. It provides no solace at all” (289). It seems that Gogol’s mistake of fighting for a new name results with nothing he wants, nor any sense of satisfying closure. Gogol’s captivating love life can also relate to this quote. Gogol’s relationship with Maxine causes him to move into her house and be separated by his own family. To Gogol, Maxine is an escape from his own family, but he faces a dilemma: choose to stay with his family or Maxine. When Ashoke’s unforeseen death occurs, Gogol’s heart aches with

Throughout Gogol’s story, there is a sense of pattern to the agony suffered from Gogol; whether it’s the origins of Gogol’s namesake or it’s his past relationships, the novel shows a recurring theme of mishaps. The outlash in Gogol’s name is the basis his loss of identity and inability to connect with his heritage, which itself is an oversight. These “string of accidents” shape Gogol’s growth. In a way, these incidents are a blessing in disguise because of their lasting effect on the character, and Gogol has reacted them help establish his morals and values as he