Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake Through the Lens of Diaspora Literature

Abstract

Abundant papers have been written on Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake, endeavoring to elaborate on alienation, ecologic overtones, cross-cultural conflict, feminism, existentialism, and identity crisis, to name a few. However, navigating through a labyrinth of complexities, this study, in addition to cultivating the results found hitherto, aims to crack the case of two acculturation strategies opted by Gogol, namely assimilation and integration. To further the point, this qualitative research which has been done based on a close reading approach, will reveal Gogol’s shift of strategy from assimilation to integration. In the second place, the lights are to be shed on the remarkable traces of re-orientalizationin the selected work, especially during the arrival of Gogol in Maxine’s house where binary opposition, i.e., the Occidental Culture/ Oriental Culture will be visible. Furthermore, this paper sets out to lay bare Moushumi as a foil character for Ashima, who, unlike Ashima’s vigorous allegiance to her husband, Bengali roots, and Patriarchal norms, is a Byronic-like character with intelligence, selfishness, refractoriness, complacency, and penchant for infraction of patriarchal rules. Last but not least, this study aims for a deeper understanding of the kernels of this diasporic novel including alienation, uprootedness, nostalgia, and search for genuine identity.