“Once you are an immigrant, you never forget that you are one” said Jorge Ramos. For numerous individuals who choose to immigrate to a new country, many feel a strong sense of isolation in the new environment. They struggle to adapt to a new culture and language, often wondering if immigrating to a new country was a mistake. In Jhumpa Lahiri 's The Namesake, Ashima Ganguli, an immigrant to America from Calcutta, struggles with alienation to adjust to the new American culture. Ashima, along with her husband, Ashoke, have moved to the United States, as there are numerous opportunities for him. As an immigrant, Ashima is unable to speak English fluently, and unlike Ashoke, she is unable to quickly adapt to the new American culture. While being a mother of two children, Gogol and Sonia, Ashima prefers to keep Bengali traditions in America, but as Gogol and Sonia indulge in American culture, she feels a disconnection in her relationship with her children. Through Ashima’s experience as a mother in a new country, her children’s quick adaptability to American culture, and the death of her husband, The Namesake clearly identifies the theme of alienation that Ashima feels in the United States.
Ashima feels separated from the American world as she experiences the early stages of motherhood in a new country. A few years after …show more content…
It reveals that as an immigrant, Ashima struggles to adapt to the “American accent”. As a result, many individuals make fun of her, disrespecting the individual she is. Rather than addressing Ashima, many would direct a statement to Gogol, viewing Ashima as a lower class individual. It foreshadows the disconnection between Ashima’s relationship with her children, as Gogol and Ashima are viewed as different individuals. While Ashima’s children grow up, they have adapted to American culture, rather than Bengali culture, providing a sense of discomfort to
Ashima feels separated from the American world as she experiences the early stages of motherhood in a new country. A few years after …show more content…
It reveals that as an immigrant, Ashima struggles to adapt to the “American accent”. As a result, many individuals make fun of her, disrespecting the individual she is. Rather than addressing Ashima, many would direct a statement to Gogol, viewing Ashima as a lower class individual. It foreshadows the disconnection between Ashima’s relationship with her children, as Gogol and Ashima are viewed as different individuals. While Ashima’s children grow up, they have adapted to American culture, rather than Bengali culture, providing a sense of discomfort to