The Namesake (Pages 72-158)

Title: The Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Pages: 72-158
Chapters: 4-6

SUMMARY: Ashima, Ashoke and Gogol invite a new family member into their family, Sonali. Gogol feels kind of humiliated by his name now. It was Gogol's fourteenth birthday and his parents threw him a huge party but he was disappointed. He didn't know half of the kids and he didn't prefer the gifts. His father gave him a book from Nikolai Gogol, the man whom he was named after, but he doesn't like it either. It is ironic how he preferred the name "Gogol" when he was a kid and now due to peer pressure, Gogol wants to change his name to Nikhil. Gogol turns eighteen and he legally wants to change his name and get rid of Gogol. Although he did change his name, his friends, sister and his family still know him as Gogol. Only thing different is that he is known as Nikhil in college. He felt like he is finally fitting in with the college kids. Gogol meets a girl named Ruth in his sophomore year but she leaves him to go to Oxford. Gogol was finally confronted by the real truth. His father tells him the story about the train accident he was in. He tell shim that he reminds him of that day and it makes a great effect on Gogol. Gogol graduates from college in the subject of Architecture almost like his dad's field and starts to live in New York. There he meets a girl named Maxine Ratliff who invites him over to meet her parents and they click together. They share similar interest in architecture. Ashoke leaves off to Ohio for the research grant. Ashima is home alone. Before that Gogol introduces Maxine to his parents.

QUOTATION: " 'What's her name?' 'Max.' 'That's a boy's name.' He shakes his head. 'No, Ma. It's Maxine'" (Lahiri 145).

REACTION: This quote is very humorous yet familiar to me personally in an eerie way. Gogol has finally began to got a hold on girls now that his name is Nikhil and he isn't anymore ridiculed like in high school. His new love interest is Maxine or Max. While Gogol talks to his mom about this new girl Maxine, he tells her name is Max and his mother thinks that it's a boy. He is quite embarrassed but in India, Nepal and Southeast Asia, Moms tend to embarrass their children by asking them questions about their new love interest.