In the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, Gogol’s cultural identity takes an instant and drastic turn after his father’s passing. Gogol the son of Ashoke and Ashima is a lost and confused child. When Ashima and Ashoke moved to the United States they wanted to keep their heritage alive. It’s the reason they gave their son a pet name. “ In Bengali the word for pet name meaning, the name by which one is called, by friends, family, and other inmates, at home and in other private, unguarded moments” (Lahiri, 26) Therefore, they traditionally named their newborn son, Gogol. However, this was a drastic change for Gogol due to his Bengali background. Gogol is not accustomed to the "American" way of living. Gogol is considered an outsider because
