The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, Book Review Example

“For being a foreigner, Ashima is beginning to realize, is a lifelong pregnancy – a perpetual wait, a constant burden, a continuous feeling out of sorts. It is an ongoing responsibility, a parenthesis in what had once been ordinary life, only to discover that the previous life has vanished, replaced by something more complicated and demanding” (Lahiri 49).

Introduction

The passage referenced above, written by Jhumpa Lahiri for the novel The Namesake, addresses culture shock and transformation within the family unit. This is a daunting task that is extremely difficult for any person because it often cripples the spirit and limits the ability of individuals to acclimate to their new surroundings successfully. Ashima Ganguli, a woman who traveled with her husband from India to Massachusetts for her husband’s new job, recognizes early on that her life has changed forever and will never be the same (Lahiri 5-6). With this experience, she faces significant fears and challenges in the early stages in her new surroundings with little comfort from the people with whom she shares space (Lahiri 5-6). Ashima’s transition to her life in Cambridge is riddled with doubt, uncertainty, and a difficult premise that her life is in a constant state of confusion and turmoil (Lahiri 49). This feeling is unsettling and grips Ashima to the core as she attempts to gain a sense of comfort in her surroundings and her life as a transplant to America (Lahiri 50). However, she has mixed emotions as the novel unfolds regarding her life in America and the balance that she has worked hard to achieve with her husband and two children.

Body

Ashima’s experiences in the early part of the book signify her lack of understanding of the American culture and her transition to this unfamiliar environment (Lahiri 49). It appears that her perceptions of the American people are perhaps rooted in the stories that she has been told or the news reports that she has read regarding American traditions and customs (Lahiri 49). She is quite uncomfortable in her surroundings because she is limited in her knowledge of the United States and she is not accustomed to her new life that brings her greater challenges (Lahiri 49). Ashima also recognizes that her fears are not unfounded because during this era, cultural diversity and acceptance of such diversity was difficult (Lahiri 49). She and her husband Ashoke’s return to Calcutta is exciting yes troublesome because of a dilemma they face with their son Gogol and his legal name for his passport application (Lahiri 41). Nonetheless, she appears to be comforted by her upcoming trip and her visit to her homeland (Lahiri 41).

The issues presented in this passage and in the novel are important in expressing Ashima’s fears and apprehensions as a now U.S. resident. She finds some comfort and support in her Bengali friends, but struggles to cope in other ways (Lahiri 41). Her challenges are difficult to manage and do not benefit her situation and appease her fears of a foreign environment where there is nothing ordinary and usual in her estimation; in her mind, everything is foreign. Nonetheless, the birth of her son Gogol, his pet name, provides her with some satisfaction (Lahiri 53). However, as Gogol grows up and attends school, he becomes increasingly confused regarding his real name, Nikhil (Lahiri 57). He and his sister Sonia become a support system for each other as they get older and as Gogol becomes increasingly perplexed by his pet name and his legal name (Lahiri 84).

As their children acclimate to the American culture, Ashima and Ashoke recognize that their children are perhaps more Americanized than they ever anticipated (Lahiri 107). This acceptance is evident throughout the novel and although she gains comfort in her Americanized life, she does not feel as if America is her true home; however, her son has a different perspective (Lahiri 189). This novel supports the belief that although the United States is a melting pot of diversity, transition is very difficult, no matter the age. When a culture is accepted within a small group, it may be difficult to understand beyond these boundaries. The novel addresses these concerns to tell a story of strength and courage in the face of adversity.

This novel is relevant because it represents the challenges involved in leaving one country for another to obtain a better life. The author conveys the importance of symbols and their conflicting views, and in particular, Indian and American customs. At the same time, the novel depicts the story of a family and its ability to gain comfort in its environment but also recognize that there will always be a tie to the home culture. The next generation even struggles with diversity and the ability to gain footing in their surrounding environment. The novel addresses the transition from one culture to another and the differences that exist across cultures and across generations to demonstrate that acclimating to a new environment is often generational and dependent on attitudes and beliefs.

Conclusion

The novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri tells the story of a woman from India and her family and their life in the United States. These circumstances are not without their challenges as it is difficult for the wife, Ashima, to reconcile her perceptions of America with the reality that she faces. A chosen passage from early in the novel conveys Ashima’s fears and lack of understanding of American behavior and the perceptions that others experience. However, she and her family learn to acclimate to their surroundings and have a different point of view, particularly across different generations. The depictions within the novel consider how cultural diversity plays an important role in the American way and how different cultures come together. The novel depicts the challenging nature of these differences and supports the continued growth and development of new perspectives to acclimate those from other countries into the American lifestyle. The change is difficult for Ashima to accept and requires much patience and coping skills. Her children, on the other hand, do not have the same period of adjustment because their lives are non-traditional. 

Works Cited

Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 20049. Print.