Transformation Of Indian Culture In The Namesake By Nikolai Gogul

1007 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How movies sterortypes ethnic groups

The Namesake is a multi-perspective framed narrative clearly dividing one’s struggle to identify when multiple cultural dimensions come into scene. Nikolai Gogul is referenced on account of “Gogul” the second-generation son of Ashoke and Ashima. Ashoke and Ashima immigrated to America after a traditional arranged marriage. Nikolai Gogul is a Ukrainian author that deeply engraves values from Ashoke and Ashima’s home culture (India) to their American host culture. Cultural hegemony is a main concern as Ashoke and Ashima see their children turning to American culture to fit in and leave their Indian heritage behind. The concern of maintaining their culture is not the only issue Ashoke and Ashima meet along their journey. Cultural adaption, culture shock, integration, segregation and separation are noticed and critiqued between scenes as Ashoke and Ashima intercept these hardships.
As the movie, The Namesake assimilates the transition between the two generations. For instance, when son, Gogul wants to change his name after visiting the Taj Mahal, the family system becomes disrupted as Gogul’s symbolic name is changed to Nick. In Indian culture, there is value in the name. In the birth scene of Gogul, Ashoke and Ashima do not understand the rush when the administrator asks what Gogul’s name is. Ashoke and Ashima both do no understand this concept since in Indian culture it takes much longer, with the name initialed by the grandmother. The Namesake focus for symbolic meanings is most notable during and after the name scene. Rushing the naming sequence seems to rush all aspects of the immigration integration. Without references to Nikolai Gogul, the movie simply becomes another account of an Asian American family trying to find thems...

... middle of paper ...

...ng love all the same. This culture is a culture many could learn from. The Namesake has a message to send to the masses, the message is to respect all cultures and to dive into them if it appeals to you. It is important to respect all cultures and stay pure away from ethnocentrism. Accents and clothing do not depict who you are as a person. The Namesake performs as a bridge to close the gaps and perceptions placed on immigrants and immigrants transitioning in this culture. This movie, if anything moves me to dive into this culture head first and exist and learn from this ethic group for a period of time. It is important to have a lack of identity in a foreign place to become familiar with what immigrants may feel. Spend time wandering and learning appropriate dress and actions and you too will find it difficult in transitioning into a culture other than your own.

Show More
Related

  • Film Analysis Of The Movie 'Sapphires'

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    This film represents our indigenous culture and regardless of what happens we can find good in a situation. Together the black and white community can come together and achieve more than they could ever do by themselves.

    Read More

  • The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

    1230 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

    1084 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri Living in America, the Ganguli’s have the difficult choice of choosing between two dramatically different cultures. As a second generation Indian American, Gogol Ganguli is expected to preserve the ideals of his traditionally Indian parents while still successfully assimilating into mainstream American culture. In “The Namesake,” Jhumpa Lahiri reveals the stark contrasts between the perceptions of Ashima, Ashoke and Gogol in relation to their Indian and American views of relationships.

    Read More

  • How Does Gogol Deal With A Cultural Collision

    296 Words  | 1 Pages

    The conflict of cultural collision is the struggle of weather Gogol should stay with his Indian roots or move on to the american one. For example when it comes to Ashima and Ashoke to pick a name, Ashoke “leaning over his son’s haugthy face, his tightly bundled body ‘Gogol’”(Chapter 2 Page 28). And this name is what cause most of his issues in life. From changing it to trying

    Read More

  • The Last of the Mohicans and Fort

    2974 Words  | 6 Pages

    This film also shows that people of different backgrounds can too be in love. This movie illustrates that even though there are differences between two people, doesn’t mean they cannot be together. In the world today, people of all different types are falling in love. This used to be unheard of, but is now becoming a way of life. I feel that this movie did a wonderful job of showing many aspects of love and the difficulties that people may come upon.

    Read More

  • Asian American Stereotypes in Film

    1357 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...en in this film have any strong masculine qualities. They cannot take charge, they are easily intimidated, and they are never assertive with their beliefs and restrictions giving the impression to the movie viewers that Asian Americans are docile beings and Asian Americans are obstacles easily overcame.

    Read More

  • The Overcoat and The Namesake Comparison

    610 Words  | 2 Pages

    Both Akakiy and Gogol are born without a name. The mothers struggle to think of what to name their child. Later, they are both given a name essentially from their fathers. In “The Overcoat,” Akakiy’s mother decides to name Akakiy after his father. When she decides this she says that “[h]is father’s name was Akakiy, so let his son’s be Akakiy too” (The Overcoat, 2). In The Namesake, Gogol’s father, Ashoke, thinks of a name. “With a slight quiver of recognition, as i...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Two Ways To Belong In America

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mira is the sister that likes celebrates her culture of being Indian. For example, Bharati talked about how her sister felt about being american, she said “She is happier to live in America as an expatriate Indian than as an immigrant American”. She expresses that her sister wouldn’t want to change her culture or who she is. Bharati on the other hand, likes the American way of life better than her Indian culture. In other words, she wants to be more apart of her new culture, she said “I need to feel like a part of the community I have adopted (as I tried to feel in Canada as well)”. This reinforces how she and Mira have different views on how to integrate into America. This relates to the feeling of being introduced to a new culture. How you can still be apart of your original culture, or how you can just become really into this new culture. It expresses how cultural morals would affect just about anything in your

    Read More

  • The Namesake: Book by Jhumpa lahiri

    1014 Words  | 3 Pages

    Even though the book and movie version of The Namesake are different in some instances, they both get the point across and are fairly accurate representations of one another. The movie, like the book, shows the common things that people go through when migrating from a familiar place to the States and how difficult it is to adjust when you want to keep past traditions. I’m still sticking with my original opinion that I tend to think that books are better portrayed than movies, but this one was a close call.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Identity In 'The Namesake In The Namesake'

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    The title The Namesake mirrors the struggle of Gogol Ganguli, child of Ashoke and Ashima, Indian foreigners to the U.S.A. to get personality in the way of life where he is conceived and raised with his strange name. Names do make them mean in India. A considerable measure of practice is done when a youngster is named in India. An Indian tyke for the most part conveys two names, a pet name and an official one. Pet names are for the family and neighbours and colleagues. They convey or may not convey meaning. In any case, official names are kept with a great deal of care and practice.

    Read More

  • Analysis of The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

    1424 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Immigration In Born In East La

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    The film is concentrated on Mexican-American nationalism and immigration. In the beginning of the film, the main character sees himself more of an American rather than Mexican. He speaks fluently in English but does not know how to speak or comprehend proper Spanish. This is an example of involuntary language loss. Rudy, the main character, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, does not see himself as a white man but does not see himself as a pure Mexican either and is stuck in the in-betweens of both ‘Mexican’ and ‘American’ culture. Because of this, he is not of specific origin or descent but rather a Chicano. A mix between both cultures instead of just one.

    Read More

  • The Blind Side

    1121 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the entire film, there are lessons that are being taught. Whether is the central theme of not judging someone by their skin color but by their character or showing the essence of what the meaning of family really is. Through the setting, acting, and relationships shown it all comes together to make the perfect film. I recommend this film be seen by everyone at least once in their lifespan, because the lessons that are depicted in there are valuable. It is the perfect movie to go see with your family and makes you grateful and thankful for everyone that you have in your life. The film brings joy, happiness, tears, laughter and much more. I can truly say that the movie is worth purchasing and viewing.

    Read More

  • Cultural Identity In The Namesake By Jhumpa Lahiri

    1790 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake, the protagonist, Gogol, struggles with his cultural identity. He is an American-born Bengali struggling to define himself. He wants to fit into the typical American-lifestyle, a lifestyle his parents do not understand. This causes him tension through his adolescence and adult life, he has trouble finding a balance between America and Bengali culture. This is exemplified with his romantic relationships. These relationships directly reflect where he is in his life, what he is going through and his relationship with his parents. Each woman indicates a particular moment in time where he is trying to figure out his cultural identity. Ruth represents an initial break away from Bengali culture; Maxine represents

    Read More

  • Essay On Indian Civilization

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    If you were to look on a map of the Eastern world, you would see a distinctly shaped country at the bottom of Asia. This country, known as India, is one whose history goes back almost as far as civilization itself. It started out as many other countries did during the rise of civilization, by tribes inhabiting areas around sources of water, or in the case of India, the Indus River Valley. When the first tribes settled, they chose the area for several reasons. It promoted agriculture development and would allow them to grow. The different characteristics of the land also impacted how the tribes grew into a nation as well as influencing their society.

    Read More

More about Transformation Of Indian Culture In The Namesake By Nikolai Gogul

Open Document