The Namesake
I just finished reading Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake. I know, I know. A few years too late. But hey, at least I finally read it. And actually, I was quite surprised. I really liked it. A lot of my friends disliked the book and said it didn't quite match their regard for her first book, Interpreter of Maladies (which I still liked, as seen from my profile). And so I was a little anxious going into the book.I actually disagree. I liked The Namesake more than her first book. I could really picture the characters and their lives. I kept thinking about Gogol, Ashima, and Moushimi and the different directions their lives took as they grew, their changing emotions and attitudes towards their identity and heritage, how they dealt with Ashoke's death, Moushimi's affair, and possibly what the future held for them. While I didn't exactly have great regard for Gogol's character, I was nevertheless intrigued and very much curious as to what would would happen next in his life and what sort of actions he took, especially his changing feelings towards his family and identity.
Of course, I feel, as many do, that the book is still largely about Ashima, and the first generation (a generation that I think Lahiri writes with more lucidity and sensitivity), as they try to find a balance in their new country (America). I felt most connected with the Ashima towards the end of the book when Lahiri wrote about Ashima's life after retirement, a few years into her widowhood, and her final departure into a land she once considered home, but was now simply another nostalgic resting place. At the end, Gogol finally may have come to terms about the significance and his connection with his namesake, but I think Ashima also comes to terms with her American identity, the new hybrid culture she creates with her family, and how she has grown as result of her journey. However, home still seems like an in-between place for her, neither here nor there, but I think she finally recognizes and admires the significance, opportunities, and a certain sense of security that America provides for her and her family. A place where her son may finally understand and become comfortable with his namesake.
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So now that I've finally read the book, I can say that I'm thoroughly excited about the upcoming movie. [I'm more or less one of those people that likes to read the book/play/comic before watching the movie version of it. I just like the idea of knowing what the original story was like, what the prose and author's tone and voice is like before exploring a visual depiction of it.]
Here's the trailer. Tabu looks amazing and I'm interested in seeing more of Irfan Khan's acting. The movie looks to be amazing and while I'm not expecting it to be exactly like the book, I think (based on the trailer) that it will still convey the emotional turns, the descriptive connections with the characters, and give a sense of the overall atmosphere of a Bengali family living in America. I guess we'll see come November!
posted by payal @ 9:55 PM
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