The Namesake Speech

“You are still young, free.. Do yourself a favor. Before it 's too late, without thinking too much about it first, pack a pillow and a blanket and see as much of the world as you can. You will not regret it. One day it will be too late” (Lahiri). Were the final words that marked the beginning of Ashoke’s future in the film “The Namesake”. Ashoke a young Indian revaluates his life after he is part of a tragic train wreck. He realizes that life is too short so he moves to America. After a few years he goes back to India to get married to his wife Ashima. They then migrate to New York where their first child Gogol is born. American born Gogol wants to fit in with the people of New York and forgets about his true roots. Whether or not we live in …show more content…
This to me means that when she is in America she forgets that she is Chinese and instead sees herself as an American. Gogol in “The Namesake” has the similar thing happen to him as well. He is born in America but his blood and roots are Indian however the surroundings he grew up around have thought him differently. They begin to speak English and forget how to speak their own language or the true meanings. In Namesake Gogol changes his name from Gogol to a traditional American name; Nick, because he thinks it is easier for people to pronounce and because he is embarrassed of the meaning of his name. Jing-Mei in “A Pair of Tickets” does not know the meaning of her name until she asks her father. These two begin to act more Americanized to socially and physically fit in. Which in terms brings up cultural diversity in …show more content…
Besides the fact that Gogol changes his name he also forgets the importance of family and their customs. Jing-Mei is also caught up in her American life that she too forgets the meaning of family and the importance of their ways. Gogol acts as if he were almost ashamed to show his roots to his American girlfriend and her family. Jing-Mei I believe is not embarrassed however she may be embarrassed at the fact that she arrives to China looking nothing like the people there. “Even without makeup, I could never pass for true Chinese” (Tan). In the story “A Pair of Tickets” I believe that the make-up that “runs off” Mei’s face from the heat symbolizes her true identity. These two stories are about two completely different cultures that have characters that originate from other countries and find their selves in the same position. There is plenty of cultural diversity in America. There are people from all over the world including myself. We all have something in common and I believe that its losing ourselves at one point in time to try to fit in with others. Unfortunately sometimes it may take a tragic event in order to realize who you