Literary Criticism of The Namesake - 8108 Words

Gogols Namesake: Identity and Relationships in Jhumpa Lahiris The Namesake Author: Judith Caesar Allusions to Nikolai V. Gogol and his short story The Overcoat permeate Jhumpa Lahiris novel The Namesake, beginning with Gogols being the name the protagonist is called through most of the book. Yet few of the reviewers of the novel mentioned Nikolai Gogol at all in their discussions of the novel, except to describe the protagonist Gogols loathing of his name, or to quote without comment or explanation Dostoevskis famous line, We all came out of Gogols Overcoat. So far, no one has looked beyond the surfaces to examine the significance of the allusions to Gogol that are so much a part of the fabric of Lahiris novel. Without the†¦show more content†¦He becomes a new man, noticing women, for instance, when before he would forget where he was while crossing the street. As he is coming back from this uncharacteristic outing, his overcoat is stolen. When he reports the loss to a local dignitary (on his co-workers advice--no idea is his own), he is bullied and insulted for his temerity in approaching such an important person. Tellingly, the Very Important Person demands, Do you realize, sir, who you are talking to? (Gogol 263), as if he didnt know who he was himself, without its being reconfirmed by others fear of him. Exposed to the cold once again, the overcoatless Akaky then catches a fever and dies, but this is not the end of the story. Shortly after Akakys death, a living corpse who looks like Akaky begins haunting the same square in which Akaky was robbed, but this time as a stealer of overcoats rather than as a victim. One of this Akakys victims is the same Very Important Person who bu llied him, who had been mildly regretting his harshness, and who is now frightened into real repentance. The last we hear of Akaky and his ghost is when a policeman sees a burly man whom he takes to be the ghostly overcoat thief, accosts him, and finds instead a man who is clearly not Akaky, but may be the original thief who robbed him. Its a strange story, suggesting very non-American ideas about identity and the undesirability of having a fixed identity. The overcoat that Akaky buys atShow MoreRelatedHuck Finn Literary Criticism1498 Words   |  6 PagesIn Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain portrays his main character and the novel’s namesake, a deeply complex individual, even as a child. He has obvious abandonment issues and continues to struggle with finding his place in society. Huck starts by trying to fit in with Tom and a band of young boys, but eventually finds true companionship in a slave named Jim. Huck continues in his struggles as his moral beliefs conflict with the moral beliefs of the society of his time. 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A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess and Brave New World...

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are both novels that deal with the theme of dystopia. Both novels depict societies in which mind control is used to create social stability. There are also individuals who rebel against this loss of freedom and identity. However, these individuals lose their fight for freedom because of unsuccessful escape methods, acts of violence and effective conditioning. Character in both novels use unsuccessful escape methods to cope with their loss of identity. Alex, the protagonist in A Clockwork Orange, turns to classical music such as Beethoven when his gang members question his hierarchy within the group. Alex describes his bedroom where he goes after an argument with his gang members : the little speakers of my stereo were all arranged round the room, on ceiling, walls, floor, so, lying on my bed slooshying the music, I was like netted and meshed in the orchestra. (Burgess. 37). We see Alex return to his bedroo m many times after confrontations where his identity is disputed. Eventually, Alex is conditioned to feel sick whenever he hears classical music so Alex loses this escape method as he can no longer listen to classical music. Also, Alex relies heavily on the use of drugs when he is unable to deal with his loss of identity, officially sanctioned milk bars that serve a variety of drug tonics to send one off on incoherent fantasies (Gottlieb). These milk bars are locations where youngShow MoreRelatedUsage And Knowledge Of Tools And Crafts1657 Words   |  7 PagesMany technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the c hallenge of traditional norms. Philosophical debates have arisen over the present

Our Town Essay Summary Example For Students

Our Town Essay Summary Our Town, by Thornton Wilder is a play that takes place in a small fictional town of Grovers Corner, New Hampshire; beginning in 1901 and ending in 1913. The play takes the audience through the cycles of life, with the purpose of getting a universal message stating that life shouldnt be taken for granted. Emily Webb, one of the most important characters in the play, is Wilders character in which he uses to show the audience a universal message that anyone would understand and relate to. Emily is a character that is normal enough so that the audience could relate to her; and yet be different in little ways that makes people love and adore her. For example, Emily went through the most common events in a womans life: marriage, childbirth, and death in the play. These cycles makes her common, thus relatable to the audience. Without going through common events in life, the character would seem distant and likeable to the audience. Similarly, when Emily said that she expects a man to be perfect, it makes her special. Wilder put in that scene because he believed that even though there is a basic image of an average person, to be truly average, the character must have a difference to separate the character from the crowd. If the character doesnt have any differences, then the character would be faceless; impossible for the character to take a major role in the play. Emily is portrayed uniquely in her own way, and yet is still within the boundaries of everyone else. The character Emily plays a crucial scene in the play, the part where Emily went back to her twelfth birthday. At first, Emily wanted to go back and relive the happiest day of her life, but Mrs. Gibbs stopped her and told her to visit a normal day instead. Mrs. Gibbs knew what would happen to Emily if she had relived a joyful day in her life. If Emily had went back to a special occasion, she wouldve been overwhelmed by the all the beauty that she didnt pay attention to. Therefore, Emily went to relive her twelfth birthday, but wasnt as happy as she thought she would have been. Emily couldnt understand why her own mother wouldnt even spare the time to look at her on her birthday. She then concluded that the living is ignorant and doesnt appreciate the small things that are in their lives every day. The character Emily is perfect just the way she is. If Wilder changed Emily, the universal message might not be as effective as it is now. Meaning that the audience wouldnt like the idea given from a character that is unlike them.