Part of Your World: Culture, Identity, and Assimilation in The Namesake

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their

lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” In these words, Oscar Wilde, the esteemed

Irish author and poet, expresses that many people in society live in conformity. He

expresses an idea that forms a significant component in Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake.

In Lahiri’s novel, Gogol navigates adolescence and adulthood as a second-generation

Bengali immigrant in America along with his family. Lahiri conveys that individuals with

distinct cultures seek to assimilate into society by conforming to its norms and through

language, but they are only able to assimilate partially. This partial assimilation projects

an image of progress, but on the underlying levels, these individuals quietly suffer, unable

to find belonging in their environments. Lahiri suggests that by pursuing understanding

about their unique identities, individuals can have a place in society.

First, Lahiri conveys that individuals with distinct cultures seek to assimilate into

society by conforming to its norms and using language to redefine themselves, but they

can only assimilate partially. Lahiri establishes the desire for assimilation early in the

novel. In the hospital where Ashima gives birth to Gogol, while she feels discomfort in

the hospital’s gowns and sheets, she notices that she is separated from all the white

women. Lahiri writes that Ashima “wishes the curtains were open” (3). Here, as Ashima

lies on the bed, she desires a boundary, which separates her from the other white woman,

to be eliminated. The “curtains” symbolize the division between her and society. Her

desire for the boundary to be removed illustrates that she seeks to incorporate into this

new society, along with her future child, Gogol. She desires to be incorporated into this

Western world despite some aspects that cause her discomfort, which in this instance, are

the gowns and sheets. Thus, Lahiri demonstrates that although some aspects make

integration seem less favorable, there is a general desire for assimilation. Using the

characters Gogol and Moushimi–both second-generation immigrants–Lahiri conveys that2

these individuals of distinct cultures seek to incorporate themselves into new societies

with various strategies, notably conforming to cultural norms and employing language.

Lahiri uses Gogol to illustrate that these individuals of distinct cultures conform to

cultural norms to assimilate. On Gogol’s first day of elementary school, Lahiri describes

Gogol as being “dressed in powder blue plants, red and white canvas sneakers, a striped

turtleneck top” (62). Here, Lahiri portrays Gogol as dressing up similarly to the

American flag with his “red,” “white,” and “blue” clothing. The colors of his dress

convey that he attempts to conform to the norms of American culture as a

second-generation Bengali immigrant. However, when readers begin to observe this

statement's details, they realize that this assimilation is only partial. In contrast to the rich,

dark hue of the blue in the American flag, a “powder blue” is pale and light. His clothing

lacks the depth and authenticity of the American flag, hinting that Gogol also lacks the

authenticity of American culture. Furthermore, although “striped” may, on the surface,

seem to refer to the stripes in the American flag, it also illustrates the binary presence of

Bengali and American culture. Despite his attempts to become American in culture, some

Bengali influences remain a part of his identity.“Turtleneck top” gives the reader insight

into why this assimilation is partial. The image of a “turtleneck” has associations with

protection. This clothing illustrates that these individuals of distinct cultures are

protective and cautious, meaning their inability to completely assimilate into a different

culture is self-inflicted. Furthermore, with Moushimi, Lahiri adds the notion that

individuals of distinct cultures seek to assimilate into other cultures by employing

language. Moushimi recalls that when she met Dimitri and introduced herself, Dimitri

created a nickname for her because he could not pronounce her name. She describes

Dimitri as being unable to pronounce “Mou,” so he says to Moushimi, “I’ll just call you Mouse”

– a name that “made her his own” and a name that Moushimi accepts (275). Here, Lahiri hints at the idea that individuals can use language to assimilate into this new, foreign world. With the statement “made her his own, ” Lahiri communicates that accepting a name without Bengali roots integrates Moushimi into this Western society.

However, Lahiri also presents a limitation to using language for assimilation. She

acknowledges that language can only help an individual so far with assimilation when

she depicts that the broader world must accept this use of language. To those who do not

accept Gogol and Moushimi’s change of name, Gogol and Moushimi remain people who

have not assimilated into society and are separated by their distinctions. In a world where

there are people who both deny and accept these individuals’ use of language to change

their identity, the individuals’ assimilation is partial. Lahiri conveys that individuals with

distinct cultures seek to integrate into society by conforming to the cultural norms and3

using language to homogenize themselves in society; however, they cannot assimilate

completely because of their own caution and others’ refusal to accept new definitions of

identity established by language. This partial assimilation projects the image of progress, but on the underlying levels, these individuals quietly suffer, unable to find definitive belonging in their environments. Through Gogol’s white girlfriends, Lahiri shows the connection between

these distinct cultures. When Gogol and Maxine arrive at the Ratcliff’s estate, Lahiri

describes that Gogol “is led by the hand” of Maxine to the back of the house. Lahiri uses

synecdoche with the description of Maxine leading Gogol by “hand” to emphasize a

connection between these culturally distinct individuals. This connection that Lahiri

depicts starkly contrasts the lack of connection earlier in the novel between Gogol’s

parents, Ashoke and Ashimi, and broader society. The connection that exists now in the

novel illustrates that partial assimilation results in a connection between distinct cultures.

However, Lahiri implies that this partial integration comes at a significant cost. At Gerald

and Lydia’s estate in New Hampshire, Gerald greets Gogol with “Welcome to paradise”

(163). Here, with “paradise,” Lahiri alludes to Calypso’s island in The Odyssey. At

Calypso’s island, Odysseus enjoys a seemingly satisfying life in a flourishing, natural

landscape. However, as the days progress on Calypso’s island, Odysseus cannot help his

men and return to his home. He has a deep dissatisfaction with Calypso’s island, which

drives him to eventually leave Calypso’s island. Therefore, through allusion, Lahiri

expresses that in his repetitive days with the Ratcliffs, Gogol suffers due to a lack of

belonging in this strange, new world. Whether it may not be intentional, this allusion is

nevertheless instructive that partially assimilated individuals do not belong and suffer.

Lahiri reinforces this notion that these partially assimilated individuals suffer on the

inside with an image of a party that Gogol attends. At the party in New York City, Gogol

looks at a wall and discovers a “wooden mask that hangs above a suspended metal

staircase, the hollow diamond-shaped eyes and mouth of the mask revealing the white

brick wall behind it” (137). Here, Lahiri depicts Gogol staring at a fixture on the wall,

and the fixture staring back at him. To the reader, this image seems like Gogol looking

into the mirror, at a reflection of himself. In addition,“eyes” in various cultures are

associated with being the window to the soul. Therefore, with “hollow,” Lahiri implies

that Gogol feels empty of life and feeling. This partial assimilation projects the image of

progress because different cultures interact and connect. But, on the underlying levels,

these individuals suffer, unable to find belonging.4

Lahiri presents a solution to this issue by suggesting that individuals can have a

place in the world by seeking to understand their unique identities. She illustrates this

idea through the progression of Gogol's character. In high school, Gogol’s English

teacher, Mr. Lawson, discusses famous literary works and their authors. One of the

authors is Nikolai Gogol, and Mr. Lawson lectures the class about Nikolai Gogol’s

unique life. While Gogol’s teacher discusses Nikolai Gogol's life, Lahiri writes that

Gogol “discreetly presses his hands against his ears” and “shuts his eyes” (98). Here,

Gogol blocks sensory input, preventing himself from acquiring understanding of where

his name comes from. This action reflects a broader trend of his avoiding understanding

his identity. His inability to understand this identity causes him to experience internal

conflict that persists even after the creation of his new persona, Nikhil. Following high

school, Lahiri stresses this internal conflict at Yale while Gogol is at a panel discussion

about Indian novels written in English. While Gogol attends the panel discussion, he

hears the term ABCD, which he says describes him. He finds out that ABCD stands for

“American-born confused deshi,” but learns that the “C could also stand for ‘conflicted’”

(126). Because Lahiri describes the term ABCD as fitting Gogol, Lahiri communicates

that Gogol feels “confused” or “conflicted.” Despite being different,“confused” and

“conflicted” suggest that Gogol feels lost. Furthermore, the ambiguity of the “C” in the

term ABCD amplifies this sense of internal conflict within Gogol. Thus, Lahiri conveys

that resistance to understanding the origins of his identity prevents him from belonging.

With Gogol towards the end of the novel, Lahiri presents the notion that when individuals

begin to understand their identity, they have a place in the world. When Gogol returns

home to Pemberton Road for Christmas, Gogol discovers and begins to read the novel

gifted by his father. After he starts reading the book, Lahiri repeatedly uses the phrase

“He will” (309). Once Gogol decides to explore the origins of his identity through the

book his father gave him, Lahiri employs the future tense to narrate the following events.

This future tense reflects a broader change: Gogol now has a future to pursue where he

has a place in the world. This change conveys that individuals can belong in society by

investigating their identities. Lahiri presents a solution to the issue of dissatisfaction and

disbelonging due to partial assimilation when she suggests that by understanding their

unique identities, individuals can have a place in society.

Lahiri conveys that individuals with distinct cultures seek to assimilate into

society by conforming to its norms and through language, but they can only assimilate

partially because of their own caution and protectiveness, as well as others’ refusal to

accept their new personas established by language. This assimilation projects an image of5

progress, but on the underlying levels, these individuals quietly suffer, unable to find

belonging. Lahiri presents a solution to this issue by suggesting that by understanding

their unique identities, individuals can have a place in the world. Lahiri’s message is

especially relevant today, with globalization and the mixing of individuals from different

cultures. The individuals who are partially integrated into these culturally distinct

environments and suffering must heed Lahiri’s message. By understanding their own

identities, they can find a place in this new world.

Works Cited

Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. 2nd ed., Mariner Classics, 2019.