A journey is commonly defined as traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time. The impression of a journey in a modern person’s viewpoint is one of a physical journey over long distances. However, dating back to the post renaissance era, the concept of a journey can be regarded as a nonphysical one. This concept of a nonphysical journey is seen through the stories of “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri and “Hedda Gabler” by Henrik Ibsen. The journeys of the two protagonists, Gogol Ganguli and Hedda Gabler are comparable of one another whereas both individuals experience his or her own personal journey and that as a result of his or her journey, both individuals experience some form of growth. Then again, they differ on
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The story that Gogol had gotten his entire life about how he was named after famous Russian writer Nikolai Gogol was indeed true. However, there was more to this story than meets the eye. Ashoke reveals to Gogol:
He tells Gogol the story of the train he’d ridden twenty-eight years ago, in October 1961, on his way to visit his grandfather in Jamshedpur. He tells him about the night that had nearly taken his life, and the book that had saved him, and about the year afterward, when he’d been unable to move (123).
After hearing this story, Gogol begins to regret the whole Nikhil thing. He now understands that he wasn’t just written about a famous Russian writer but, after the story of his father’s survival. His name is no longer seen as just a silly, foolish name. The final culminating point of Gogol’s journey comes after the death of his father. Gogol begins to realize something very important.
Without people in the world to call him Gogol, no matter how long he himself lives, Gogol Ganguli will, once and for all, vanish from the lips of loved ones, and so, cease to exist. Yet the thought of this eventual demise provides no sense of victory, no solace. It provides no solace at all
The story that Gogol had gotten his entire life about how he was named after famous Russian writer Nikolai Gogol was indeed true. However, there was more to this story than meets the eye. Ashoke reveals to Gogol:
He tells Gogol the story of the train he’d ridden twenty-eight years ago, in October 1961, on his way to visit his grandfather in Jamshedpur. He tells him about the night that had nearly taken his life, and the book that had saved him, and about the year afterward, when he’d been unable to move (123).
After hearing this story, Gogol begins to regret the whole Nikhil thing. He now understands that he wasn’t just written about a famous Russian writer but, after the story of his father’s survival. His name is no longer seen as just a silly, foolish name. The final culminating point of Gogol’s journey comes after the death of his father. Gogol begins to realize something very important.
Without people in the world to call him Gogol, no matter how long he himself lives, Gogol Ganguli will, once and for all, vanish from the lips of loved ones, and so, cease to exist. Yet the thought of this eventual demise provides no sense of victory, no solace. It provides no solace at all