I read Jhumpa Lahiris The Namesake as a required reading for an English course this year, and I

truly enjoyed it. The story tells of Gogol, a first generation Indian American whose parents are unwilling
to abandon their traditional ways. Lahiri herself is a child of Indian immigrants, as am I. Lahiris voice
comes through clearly in the exposition throughout the book, and all of her characters, especially Gogol,
are realistic and relatable. Comparing myself to Gogol allowed me to consider my identity as a second
generation immigrant. In fact, many of my classmates joked that The Namesake was a reflection of my
life. Like Gogol, I have difficult-to-pronounce names. I regularly go to Indian parties, visit India with my
family, and participate in my cultural heritage through dance and music. The distinction between Gogol
and me is how we deal with being caught between conflicting cultures. I have never felt an urge to
reject my Indian ethnicity, whereas Gogol distances himself from his background and rebels against his
parents expectations. I can relate myself to Sonia, Gogols younger sister who serves as a foil, as she has
no desire to change herself and feels comfortable as an Indian American. Perhaps it is because my
parents have merely encouraged me to preserve my culture, not conform to their ideals, but I have
never had an identity crisis like Gogols. I have realized that I am very lucky to have parents that enable
me to not only accept but embrace my Indianness.