Between Two Worlds
In her novel The Namesake, Jumpa Lahiri presents us with a vivid and insightful interpretation of the life of the Ganguli family and allows us to witness the many struggles that accompany their condition of immigrants. As we witness their efforts to adapt to living in the US, we can clearly appreciate the difficulties immigrants usually go through and what it takes to adapt to living in a foreign land. Ashima Ganguli, the Bengali wife and mother, eagerly tries to adapt to living in the United States but finds it very difficult to do so due to her completely different and traditional background. In the novel The Namesake, Ashima’s deep culture shock and struggle to adapt to the American society can be seen in her relationship …show more content…
Having had an arranged marriage herself and being part of a very traditional culture make it hard for Ashima to accept the sexual freedom in America. She does not understand the concept of dating and is aware of the cultural differences between Bengali and American girls. She disapproves of Gogol’s choices of dating Ruth and later Maxine. Ashima and her husband warn Gogol about American girls “[pointing] out examples of Bengali men they know who have married Americans, marriages that have ended in divorce” (Lahiri 117). Marriage is sacred for Bengalis, and divorce is unconceivable for Ashima’s generation. Ashima feels embarrassed about Gogol’s sharing the same bed with Maxine and hides it from her Bengali friends (Lahiri 166). Maxine’s attitude towards her and Ashoke, calling them by their names, something a young Bengali girl would never do since it shows disrespect, unsettles her. She admits that “she doesn’t want her [Maxine] as a daughter in law”(Lahiri 166) and this creates conflicts between them. Nevertheless, Ashima’s expectations of Gogol start changing as she adapts more to America. At first, seeing Gogol single worries her since she expects him to have settled down and formed a family by then and “even asks once whether it is possible to patch things up with Maxine” (Lahiri 191). This shows Ashima’s love for Gogol is greater than her culture shock. Later, when Gogol is unhappy with Moushumi, she feels relieved for their divorce and states that “Fortunately they have not considered it their duty to stay married, as the Bengalis of Ashoke and Ashima’s generation do.” (Lahiri 276) She is glad that “They are not willing to accept, to adjust, to settle for something less than their ideal of happiness” (Lahiri 276). Ashima’s love for Gogol has changed her and helped her accept and adapt to America a little more each
In her novel The Namesake, Jumpa Lahiri presents us with a vivid and insightful interpretation of the life of the Ganguli family and allows us to witness the many struggles that accompany their condition of immigrants. As we witness their efforts to adapt to living in the US, we can clearly appreciate the difficulties immigrants usually go through and what it takes to adapt to living in a foreign land. Ashima Ganguli, the Bengali wife and mother, eagerly tries to adapt to living in the United States but finds it very difficult to do so due to her completely different and traditional background. In the novel The Namesake, Ashima’s deep culture shock and struggle to adapt to the American society can be seen in her relationship …show more content…
Having had an arranged marriage herself and being part of a very traditional culture make it hard for Ashima to accept the sexual freedom in America. She does not understand the concept of dating and is aware of the cultural differences between Bengali and American girls. She disapproves of Gogol’s choices of dating Ruth and later Maxine. Ashima and her husband warn Gogol about American girls “[pointing] out examples of Bengali men they know who have married Americans, marriages that have ended in divorce” (Lahiri 117). Marriage is sacred for Bengalis, and divorce is unconceivable for Ashima’s generation. Ashima feels embarrassed about Gogol’s sharing the same bed with Maxine and hides it from her Bengali friends (Lahiri 166). Maxine’s attitude towards her and Ashoke, calling them by their names, something a young Bengali girl would never do since it shows disrespect, unsettles her. She admits that “she doesn’t want her [Maxine] as a daughter in law”(Lahiri 166) and this creates conflicts between them. Nevertheless, Ashima’s expectations of Gogol start changing as she adapts more to America. At first, seeing Gogol single worries her since she expects him to have settled down and formed a family by then and “even asks once whether it is possible to patch things up with Maxine” (Lahiri 191). This shows Ashima’s love for Gogol is greater than her culture shock. Later, when Gogol is unhappy with Moushumi, she feels relieved for their divorce and states that “Fortunately they have not considered it their duty to stay married, as the Bengalis of Ashoke and Ashima’s generation do.” (Lahiri 276) She is glad that “They are not willing to accept, to adjust, to settle for something less than their ideal of happiness” (Lahiri 276). Ashima’s love for Gogol has changed her and helped her accept and adapt to America a little more each