In the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri the author relates the story of Gogol, a man born of Bengali parents, and raised in Boston. The book describes the complexity of his life and the search for his own identity from his multicultural background. In this search, Gogol falls in love with women of different backgrounds, perhaps wanting to find the missing piece to his uncompleted self-puzzle. This character is described as a man unsuccessful many times to establish a lasting relationship. Gogol's ethnic diversity is the culprit of his unstable state. .
Gogol doesn't identify himself with the name Gogol, his pet name. Even though it has become his proper name by now, he is still a little ashamed of this name. To the point that the first time he meets a girl he's interested in he doesn't introduces himself as Gogol. "I'm Nikhil " (95) he says. This is an important moment in his life. Is the first time he's kissed and is also the first time he's know by somebody else as Nikhil. Because of this, he lives this moment as a different character, he's not Gogol, in this moment he's Nikhil. It is a demonstration of his detachment to his culture. He is trying to portrait somebody else, to separate himself from his Bengali culture in order to pursue an American woman. .
He tries really hard to detach himself from his Bengali culture. He moves to New York and starts a serious relationship with an American girl. But after his father death, his relationship with Maxine also suffers. Is in this moment, when their cultural differences come afloat. To Maxine it is better for him to take some time and space away from all the sadness and memories, of his father and family. But Gogol doesn't agree with her, "I don't want to get away " (182). Gogol is starting to regret some of his decisions, staying apart, not enjoying the time with his family. Trying to fit in a different society. Now, he sees clearly he wasn't himself; he had become somebody else trying to impress this girl and had neglected his roots in the process.
