The way the character Gogol is
developed in the novel The Namesake is
directly extended as a causality of him growing up in America. I believe that
if he had grown up in his parent’s heritage country of India, surrounded by
relatives and exposed to the cultural norms that this country entails, he would
act different in regards to his dating life and views on his name. For
instance, for the majority of his young life Gogol dates only American girls. I
believe that this is a causality of him growing up in America, and himself
wanting to hold on to and be part of the paradigms that exist in America. His
dating of Americans is a reflection of this in his view of being with an American
makes him an American. Even the way he
introduces himself later in the novel he uses his “good name”, Nikhil, because he
has a self loathing view towards his name given to him by his parents.
Resenting that Gogol isn't an easy to contract name like Nicholas (shortened to
Nick) he uses his good name to represent himself to others to help him feel
that he fits in as an American.
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| Ashima, Gogol, Maxine an American Girl Gogol Dates |
In contrast, I believe this would be a
different case if he grew up back in India, assuming he were to still be named
Gogol, where names have an important cultural significance. It could be the
case that he would not see his name as being too foreign, seeing as it’s Russian,
but rather embrace it and use it as his good name. Mind you he would also be
forced into arranged marriages and such things that are part of American culture.
Conclusively, the fact he lives in America and has a foreign name and foreign
heritage causes a cultural clash that is seen as a result in how Gogol views himself
(his name included) but also how he views the world around him.
