In The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahari explores themes of identity, culture clash, isolation, the importance of names and family. Both Ganguli parents, especially Ashima, have difficulty assimilating into this new culture to which they are not accustomed. Lahiri takes a close look at the contrasting experiences of first and second generation immigrants, Lahiri examines the cultural gap between the two and all the issues they face. Reading Lahiri's prose, we gain insight into Bengali culture through the customs, traditions, and language that Ashima and Ashoke cling to. Jhumpa Lahiri remembers that it was easier for his father to arrive in America. "In an office, he was part of another family structure, contributing to another goal. My mother stayed at home for days and days. The outside world scared her more for longer.", which sounds like the way she describes Ashima. and Ashoke's experience. Through Ashima's pain and struggle to build a new life in a different world, the theme of the immigrant experience and dislocation emerges clearly. Say No to Plagiarism Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should”. We are introduced to Ashima when she "combines Rice Krispies and Planters peanuts and chopped red onion in a bowl", and thus we discover that "Ashima consumed this concoction throughout her pregnancy, a humble approximation of the snack sold for a few cents on the sidewalks of Calcutta.” This first paragraph introduces us to the theme of culture clash, because Ashima uses Rice Krispies and Planters peanuts, which are two American products, to make an Indian snack; that “it’s the only thing she wants.” which highlights her homesickness and also gives the impression that she craves the familiar culture and atmosphere. Food plays an important role in the namesake, it is used as a symbol of Bengali culture and highlights the dislocation and homesickness that Ashima and Ashoke face. We see at the very beginning of the novel that Ashima attempts to preserve her culture through Indian cuisine and “her Murshidabad silk sari.” “She is asked to remove her Murshidabad silk sari in favor of a floral cotton dress which, to her slight embarrassment, only reaches her knees,” which introduces the theme of culture clash. Lahiri continues to emphasize the theme of dislocation, the immigration experience and the clash of cultures through Ashima's experiences, we also learn about everything that Ashima has experienced; give up for Ashoke and Gogol. “This is the first time in her life that she sleeps alone, surrounded by strangers; all her life she slept either in a room with her parents or with Ashoke by her side.” shows us how sheltered Ashima has been all her life, the sand implies that this experience is out of her comfort zone. We discover just how sheltered she was when she reveals that "twenty-six members of her family had watched her from the balcony of Dum Dum airport as she drifted over parts of India where she had never set foot, and then even further, outside India itself. Not only was Ashima very sheltered, but she was also very close to her family, knowing this we realize that she left behind everything she knows and loves. We can predict that coming from such a sheltered background and lacking exposure to the outside world, Ashima would have difficulty understanding American culture, and thus it would be a constant struggle for her to assimilate into the new culture. It's a complete change for Ashima, and one too far from his comfort zone, Lahiriemphasizes when she associates physical pain with "American seconds" as she tells us that "American seconds pass above her pulse point, for half a minute a band of pain surrounds her." This foreshadows how painful the immigration experience will be for Ashima. Lahiri also points out that Ashima feels “relief.” like “She calculates Indian time on her hands… And then, again, relief. She calculates Indian time on her hands”, which shows that India is the place where she feels at home. comfortable. Ashima is now in a hospital giving birth in this foreign country where nothing seems familiar to her. “Nothing seems normal to Ashima. normal at all.”, everything is unknown to her and there is no loved one besides Ashoke to give her the support she needs during this time. She is so used to being with her family on a daily basis that it seems strange. or “miraculous” that she gives birth without any family members, other than Ashoke “It’s not so much the pain, which she knows she will survive one way or another. the consequence: motherhood in a foreign country", so we know that the pain does not bother her, she raises Gogol in this unknown country, her fear is explained further since Lahiri writes "she is terrified at the idea of 'raising a child in a country where she has no connection with anyone, where she knows so little...', and this introduces the theme of culture shock. Ashima admits that she knows very little about the American culture that Gogol will grow up immersed in and we get the sense that Gogol is going to have a disconnected relationship with his parents, due to the culture clash, and even Ashima fears that this could simply be the case. She also fears raising Gogol alone, without help from her family. Knowing how scared and distressed Ashina is, it creates empathy towards her in readers. especially as we see his fear manifest in reality. Lahiri also hints that Ashima will become homesick and have difficulty settling down, as she has nothing to do in this country, and her life may begin to feel "tentative and sober". Ashima stays at home, cooks neatly and takes care of Gogol and here traditional gender roles are also present. We see Ashoke and Ashima struggling to assimilate and also trying to maintain their cultural identity. “Ashima looks up from a tattered copy of Desh magazine,” the magazine she “still can’t bring herself to throw away.” is a symbol of her culture and everything she left behind that she clings to through this magazine and other symbols. Other symbols that represent her culture include the people she associates with who are all Bengali, we notice that "Apart from her father, the baby has three visitors, all Bengali". There are moments that show how much pain and isolation Ashima feels, a striking example is when "Patty smiles a little too widely, and suddenly Ashima realizes her mistake, knows she should have said "fingers » and “toes”. This mistake hurts her almost as much as her last contraction. ". These little mistakes make her feel disconnected from this alien place and culture. Ashima is uncomfortable with raising Gogol in a seemingly foreign country, especially because she feels he will be estranged from his extended family and wants him to have good relationships with him. her family as she does. Ashima “…I can’t help but pity him. She has never known a person coming into the world so alone, so destitute. » Unlike Ashoke, she feels sorry for Gogol, because he won't have that family connectionexpanded that he might have had if he had been raised in India. This concerns Ashima so much that she tells Ashoke “…I don’t want to raise Gogol alone in this country. It's not good. I want to go back,” and although Ashoke feels guilty for bringing her to this alien environment, they both decide to stay for Gogol’s sake. Ashima wants to stay close and connected to her family, and so she asks her grandmother to name Gogol, but the letter gets lost, leaving Ashima disappointed and feeling disconnected from her past. Ashima tries to maintain his cultural identity by only associating with Bengali acquaintances and we find out “They all become friends only because they are all from Calcutta. » Robert Cohen comments that “distinct diaspora communities are built from, . . . conference of stories from the old country to the new that create the feeling of a shared history. Thus, a member's membership in a diasporic community is demonstrated by the acceptance of an inescapable link with their past migratory history. » Lahiri also emphasizes the importance of the name through Ashima, as we are told the meaning of his name and we see how accurate the meaning is. is for Ashima. “Ashima means “the one who is without limits, without borders”. As Ashima grows, she becomes even more true to her name, because in the end, Ashima can no longer call India or America home. Throughout the play, although Ashima makes continuous efforts to preserve her Bengali culture within the four walls of the Ganguli house, she brings changes for the children in the form of American holidays, food, etc. However, Ashima ensures that his children are well informed. on their roots, without forcing them to choose their roots rather than the culture that surrounds them. She exposes her children to Bengali customs, beliefs, food, habits, etc. Ashima teaches Gogol to memorize Tagore's four-line children's poem and the names of the deities adorning the ten-headed Durga during Puja...", however "Every afternoon Ashima sleeps, but before falling asleep she puts on the television on Channel 2 and tells Gogol to watch Sesame Street and The Electric Company, in order to keep up with the English he uses in nursery school. Gogol later recalls that “. . . it was for him, for Sonia, that his parents had taken the trouble to learn these customs. » Although the family members “gradually” celebrate American holidays and begin to accept certain parts of American culture, Lahiri shows us that for Ashima assimilation is still a necessity. a struggle. Unlike Ashoke who seems accustomed to her work, Ashima still feels uncomfortable with this new culture, and she clings to her past through several symbols or means such as clothing, food, traditional celebrations. Now that Gogol invites American children to his birthday parties, Ashima finds that preparing a large number of Bengali dishes for more than forty Bengali guests "is less stressful than the task of feeding a handful of American children...". Ashima also "...continues to wear only Bata saris and sandals, Ashoke, accustomed to wearing only tailored pants and shirts all his life, learns to buy ready-to-wear.", and thus we learn that even though Ashoke changes her clothes in accordance with American culture, Ashima still wears traditional clothing, which could be because she is not comfortable letting any part of her speak. Bengali culture. Soon, Ashima realizes: “…being a foreigner is a kind of lifelong pregnancy – a perpetual waiting, a constant burden, a continuous feeling of bad mood. », which sums up the state of mind.