Week Four Discussion (pages 102-135)

Happy Saturday Scholars,

Hope you are enjoying this final weekend of July! With August upon us that means senior year is quite near. But I'm getting ahead of myself.  This week in The Namesake brought a great number of inner conflicts for Gogol (person vs. self) that come from his need to constantly define his identity (person vs. society/person vs. person).  Also as a reminder, if you are not quite done with pages up to page 135, no worries. Keep reading and you will meet us when you can.  You can do this!  As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please reach out so we can make sure everything you are reading is clear.

Here are some questions to consider for the fourth section of the text (pages 102-135):

1.Where does Gogol decide to go to college?

2.What decision does Gogol make about his name before leaving home?

3.  What reasons does Gogol give his parents for this decision?


4. What courses does Gogol take in his first semester at college? Why doesn't he tell his parents about the fifth course he takes in drawing? What kind of career are they hoping he will choose?

5. To what profession does this drawing class lead him? Why?

6. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving during his sophomore year, whom does Gogol meet on the train between New Haven and Boston? Why does he find his own upbringing "bland" or boring (111) compared to her upbringing? What happens after Thanksgiving break?

7. How does Sonia, "revealing a confident, frequent, American smile" now that "her braces have come off her teeth" (107), seem to be more "American" than Gogol was at her age?

8. How does Gogol's meeting with his cousin Amit give us a clear view of his conflict with his cultural identity?

9.  Why does Gogol spend Thanksgiving of his senior year alone with his father?

10.  What happens on Gogol's train ride to Boston that makes Ashoke tell Gogol the full history of the reason for his name? How does he react to the story? How does his father assure Gogol that his name has always had a positive association in his mind despite the tragedy that brought it into being?


Think about your responses. You do not need to answer all the questions here unless you would like to do so. Instead, use the questions to explore the themes of the reading.

The novel is called The Namesake. As the story develops we must consider Gogol's navigation between American and Indian culture.  As previously noted, this presents challenges to him as he grows into young adulthood. Consider this as you prepare your response. We look forward to the discussion. Remember next week's reading includes pages 136-168.  Enjoy!

PS...it's not too early to start thinking about the college process yourselves. 

Week Three Discussion (pages 68-101)

Happy Saturday Scholars,

Hope you are staying cool on this sweltering summer day! Hopefully you have read and enjoyed pages 1-101 of The Namesake. We're in to the triple digits here people! And if you're not quite where we are yet, no worries. You have plenty of time to get it all done. You can do this!  As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please reach out so we can make sure the text it clear.

Here are some questions to consider for the third section of the text (pages 68-101):

1. Imagine that you are Gogol. You notice that people laugh at your parents’ accents when they speak English to salespeople in stores. Explain how you feel when you see this happening.  Does it make you lose respect for your parents? Are you ashamed of them?  Do you do anything to protect them? 

2. Imagine you are Sonia.  Somehow you knew enough to take the dollar bill and put it in your mouth at your rice ceremony.  One of the guests noted, “This one is the true American” (63).
Explain why it is easier for you, as the second child in the family, to follow your brother’s lead and become “the true American.”

3. What are Gogol's main interests at the age of 14 years old? How do his parents view these interests?

4. How does Gogol try out his "new" name for the first time?  How does his own memory of the incident show that from this point on he will live with a double identity?

5. How does the visit to India involve a great sacrifice for Gogol and Sonia and give them at the same time the opportunity to see their parents for who they really are?

6. How can your sibling, the one you fight and quarrel with throughout childhood, be your closest friend in the world?  How do Sonia and Gogol realize the allegiance they have to each other when they spend eight months in India?

7. Imagine if Ashoke and Ashima knew how their children felt about the time spent in India - eight months that are “quickly shed, quickly forgotten, like clothes worn for a special occasion, or for a season that has passed, suddenly cumbersome, irrelevant to their lives.” How do you think they would react? Would they be shocked by their children's attitude, or is their attitude something they are aware of?


Think about your responses. You do not need to answer all the questions here unless you would like to do so. Instead, use the questions to explore the themes of the reading.

The novel is called The Namesake. As the story develops we must consider Gogol's navigation between American and Indian culture.  As previously noted, this presents challenges to him as he grows older. Consider this as you prepare your response. We look forward to the discussion. Remember next week's reading includes pages 102-135.  Enjoy and stay cool!

Week 2 Discussion (pages 34-67)

Happy Friday Scholars,

Hopefully you have read and enjoyed pages 1-67 of The Namesake. Is everyone able to access the blog and post questions, comments and/or concerns? I noticed that nobody has posted. Let's do this people!  Here are some questions to consider for the next section of the text:

1. How does Ashoke like his job as a professor?

2. Where does the Ganguli family move and what motivates the move?

3. Describe the Ganguli's new home and characterize their new neighbors?

4.Who is Sonia and what happens at her rice ceremony?

5. How are Ashoke and Ashima's children becoming true "Americans?"

6. What book does Gogol's father give him for his birthday?  Why doesn’t Gogol have an interest in this book?  What has his father told him about his name?  Why hasn’t Ashoke told him the whole truth, especially on this very important birthday?  Where does Gogol believe his father’s limp comes from?  Why doesn’t Gogol like his name at this point in his life?

7. Why does the family go to Calcutta, India for eight months?  What adjustments do Gogol and Sonia have to make in their life in Calcutta?

8. What effect does the family’s visit to the Taj Mahal have on Gogol?

9. After the family’s return to the States, what book does Mr. Lawson, the English teacher, assign to the class?  How does Mr. Lawson’s account of Nikolai Gogol’s life affect Gogol? 

10.   Why don’t Ashima and Ashoke find it strange that Gogol doesn’t date?

Think about your responses. You do not need to answer all the questions here unless you would like to do so. Instead, use the questions to explore the themes of the reading.

The novel is called The Namesake. As you are recognizing, Gogol's story is one of establishing his own identity while embracing aspects of his American and Indian cultures. This presents challenges to him as he grows older. Consider this as you prepare your response. We look forward to the discussion.

Week 1 Discussion (Pages 1-33)

Happy Friday Scholars,

Hopefully you have read and enjoyed the first 33 pages of The Namesake. Here are some questions to  consider:

1. Who is Ashoke?

2. Describe the train accident.

3. What made Ashoke decide to go to graduate school in another country?

4. How did that decision impact his life?

5. Who is Ashima?

6. Characterize the first meeting between Ashima and Ashoke.

7. How did this meeting Impact Ashima and Ashoke?

8. According to the novel, wusually chooses a child's name?

9. When does a child get a name?

10. According to the novel, can a child be named after another family member? Explain.

Think about your responses. You do not need to answer all the questions here unless you would like to do so. Instead, use the questions to explore the themes of the reading.

The novel is called The Namesake. The concept of names and the power that come from names is established in these first chapters. Consider this as you prepare your response. We look forward to the discussion.