Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake Book Analysis Essay

Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake is about a boy who grew up in a Bengali family living in America. He struggles with who he is because of a problem with the naming of Gogol. His name is Gogol, named after Nikolai Gogol who saved Gogol's father's life during a train crash. Halfway through Gogol finds out where and why his name is Gogol and changes how he views who he is, he becomes a slightly better person Gogol visits his old room and pulls the book his father gave him written by his namesake. He starts to read the book during the party, and then the story ends. In this work, coming of age is seen as Gogol goes from resounding his father to wanting to learn more about who his father was and where his namesake came from. Gogol coming back to his old house 18 years later and reading the book by his namesake reveals that coming of age helps people to accept things that they rejected in the past because they misunderstood them.

After Gogol’s Bengali birthday party, he retreats to his room and starts to listen to his music. His father comes in and gives him a personal gift, a book by his namesake, Nikolai Gogol. Once Ashoke leaves Gogol then: “fastens the lock for good measure, then wedges the book on a high shelf between two volumes of the hardy boys. He settles down again with his lyrics on the bed”(Lahiri 84). When Gogol receives the book he: “wedges the book on a high shelf,” not because he doesn’t care about it, but because he doesn’t know who Nikolai is or why he is so important to Ashoke. Gogol is being insensitive because he “fastens the lock for good measure,” knowing that if Ashoke saw him do this he would have been very hurt. Gogol is very insensitive because he puts the book up on the shelf and then goes back to listening to his music on his bed. In the early parts of the story, Gogol is very insensitive with his parents and so he doesn’t fully understand why his father did what he did.

Gogol is now in his early twenties and he is coming home from college to visit. He takes the train home and the train gets stopped on the tracks because someone has committed suicide on the tracks. Gogol forgets to tell his father what is happening, so Asoke freaks out fearing what had happened to him has happened to his son. Once they get back to Pemberton road, Ashoke decides to tell Gogol why he is named Gogol. Gogol has a sincere reaction and is very taken by the news, then Gogol asks, “‘Is that what you think of when you think of me?’ Gogol asked him. ‘Do I remind you of that night?’ ‘Not at all’ his father says … ‘You remind me of everything that followed” (Lahiri 133). Gogol is surprised by the news from his father, he doesn’t know what to say at first. But Gogol asks his father, “Is that what you think of when you think of me?” because he is trying to understand why his father named him after Nikolai. Gogol’s father responds to his question by saying, ”Not at all” his father says … “You remind me of everything that followed.” Gogol is shocked by his father’s news, but he understands why the name Gogol is so important to his father. Gogol is now learning about why he is named Gogol, he is interested in knowing why, and he has grown up since he first received the book by his namesake.

Gogol is now 32 and married, he is living with Moushumi, his wife. His mother has decided that she is going to move to Calcutta and live with her brother, then come back and live with either Gogol or Sonia for six months. She is throwing a farewell party for herself, and she invites all of her friends. After the big dinner, Gogol goes upstairs to his old room and looks at all his old books on the shelves. He sees the book that his father had given him for his 14 birthday. Gogol then, “He leans back against the headboard, adjusting a pillow behind his back. In a few minutes he will go downstairs, join the party, his family. But for now his mother is distracted, laughing at a story a friend is telling her, unaware of her son’s absense. For now, he starts to read” (Lahiri 310). Gogol has now gone up to his old room, a room in which he hasn’t been in, in a long time. He feels at peace in his old room, looking at all of his old things. He thinks, “In a few minutes he will go downstairs, join the party, his family” but he stays upstairs in the calmness of his room. He grabs the book by Nikolai, his namesake, and goes and lays on his bed. Hence, Gogol, “starts to read,” he wants to further understand where his name comes from. He wants to know why his father was so intent on him being named Gogol. Gogol reading Nikolai’s  book illustrates that Gogol is now ready to learn about his heritage and their stories. Gogol is actually taking time to read this book instead of going to a party demonstrates that Gogol has grown tremendously since the start of the book.

Gogol grows up with the name Gogol, he doesn’t know why he is named this, and he changes it to Nikhil because he doesn't like the name Gogol. He eventually learns why he is named Gogol, and decides to take a closer look at who his namesake is. Gogol finding out why he is named Gogol, changes how he acts. Gogol now is more grown up and is becoming more of a man. All of these events that happen to Gogol, lead him to want to have a deeper appreciation for who he is named after, and also what his father’s and mother’s stories are. People can really become appreciative of things they once disregarded after growing up, and becoming more mature.