Children of immigrants to the United States are torn between two worlds. Pulled toward independence and change by their peers, they are also grounded by the tradition and obligation from their parents. In the novel, ‘The Namesake,’ award-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri describes the delicate balance of these intricate lives.

‘The Namesake’ details the life of Gogol Ganguli, the only son of Indian immigrants Ashoke and Ashima. The novel begins with Ashoke and Ashima’s marriage and move from Calcutta to Boston, and ends with Gogol full-grown and living in New York City. The story is told through the changing perspectives of Ashoke, Ashima and Gogol, offering a complex understanding of the everyday struggles a family faces. The story is interlaced with conflicts between Gogol and his parents, the most symbolic of which is his desire to change his name.

Through the characters, Lahiri confronts the guilt and fear often felt by those torn by loyalties to their parent’s lives and their own. Writing with subtlety and without judgment, Lahiri leaves the readers to develop their own feelings about the protagonists. Even those who have lived in America for generations will feel connections to the Ganguli family and relate to their universal struggle. ‘The Namesake’ is the voice not only of children of immigrants, but for any adolescent on the verge of adulthood.

‘The Namesake’ delves into the deeply human ideas of history and independence, of honoring roots while following one’s own dreams and desires.