Week 9 -- El Fin (pages 271-291)

Good Saturday afternoon Scholars,

You did it!  You finished the book (or are pretty close to finishing the book right?)!  Who would have thought that after our nine weeks of exploring the themes of The Namesake we would have seen so many changes as well as so many aspects of Gogol's (Nikhil) life come full circle.  Thank you for letting me read along with you this summer. I really enjoyed this beautiful story and hope you did as well.


Below you will find the last set of questions to consider.  As a friendly reminder, make sure you have the organizer completed to give to your English 4 teacher.  Also...the movie is fantastic but it is not the book so make sure the organizer is based on the book.

Here are some questions to consider for the ninth and final section of the text (pages 271-291):

1.On what occasion did Nikhil and Moushumi meet Ben, Sonia´s new boyfriend the week before? What is Ben like? What is his background? What is his career? What language must be spoken by all the family members when Ben is around?

2. What kind of book does Nikhil decide to buy Moushumi for Christmas? Why does he believe a trip to this place would be good for them? How does the flock of pigeons that he sees gathering in the sky when he looks up from the book seem to be a good sign for him?

3. How does Nikhil feel when the doorman tells him that Moushumi has just returned?

4. Why has Ashima sold the house on Pemberton Road? How will she now spend her life? How will this arrangement be "true to the meaning of her name" (276)?

5.  What information about Moushumi and Gogol´s relationship do we learn from the thoughts in Ashima´s mind? Why does she seem reconciled to the fact that Moushumi and Gogol, while resorting to the use of "American common sense" (276), did not feel it was their duty to remain married, as her generation would have done?

6. How did Nikhil learn of Moushumi´s unfaithfulness? What other event in his life does Moushumi´s lying remind him of? Why does he have tenderer thoughts in his mind for the individual involved in the first event?

7. In the train ride from New York to Boston, Gogol "slept soundly, curled up on two seats, his book unread, using his overcoat as a blanket, pulled up to his chin" (280). How does the author´s use of the image of the overcoat connect well with Gogol´s return "home?"

8.  In what ways has Gogol come to appreciate his parents´ courage in having built a life for themselves so far away from Calcutta? How does he now look upon his own attempts at distancing himself from his family throughout all these years? How is he critical of himself?

9.  What book does Gogol find in his room as he goes to his room to find a camera? What inscription does he find in the book? What story does Gogol start to read?


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 link for the summer reading organizer is: 12R Summer Reading.

Holy mackerel...you all start senior year on Wednesday!  See you then :)!

#AboveAP