![]() “Gogol” is also a name that holds deep meaning for Ashoke, since it was a book of short stories by Gogol, the Russian author, that saved his life during a fateful train crash -but this meaning is not conveyed to Gogol/Nikhil during his childhood.Īs the other theme outlines make clear, the main tension that drives Gogol/Nikhil’s identity confusion is the divide between his family’s Indian heritage and his own desire for an independent, modern American lifestyle. The name Gogol, which “Nikhil” finds so distasteful, is a direct result of the literal identity confusion at his birth, when the letter sent from India that contained his “true name” was lost in the mail. Gogol’s decision to change his name to Nikhil before leaving home for college demonstrates his desire to take control over his own identity. As its title suggests, at its core The Namesake tackles the question of forming one’s own identity, and explores the power that a name can carry. ![]()
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