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“We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat”
The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol is arguably the most important symbol used in The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. The appearance of the short story starts early on in the novel when we learn about the train wreck Asoke experienced. During Asoke’s critical moments, he has able to free himself from his fatal doom by reaching for his copy of the story, which ultimately caused his rescue. Asoke had developed an emotional attachment to the novel, now feeling forever grateful to the author that saved his life. After the incident of his son’s name being lost in the mail, both Ashima and Asoke were forced to choose a name for their newborn. Therefore, as a humble memorabilia to show his gratitude, Asoke decides to name his son Gogol. Surely nothing wrong can come from that, right?
As the years go by, Asoke is soon to realize of his son’s distaste of his namesake. Gogol is unable to comprehend the beauty behind his name or understand why his father would name him after a “deranged” man. He felt an abundance of hatred towards the name and its negative connotation that led to its legal termination. Surely while growing up, Gogol simply did not know of the life altering accident that his father lived. However, when he was told there was still a sense of resentment, believing that his name now reminded his father of the most traumatic event of his life.
Now, let’s look at the actual story written by Nikolai Gogol. Here is a more humorous approach to the story. Essentially, The Overcoat is about a man, Akaky, who tries to reinvent himself by purchasing a new coat. Akaky, who was fairly poor and of working class, believed that if he appeared like someone of great importance, he would be able to achieve success financially. As time went on that thought came to be true, until the coat was abruptly stolen from him. The story itself is used as an allusion for Gogol’s character. Just like the man in the story, Gogol Ganguli is striving for a better lifestyle by rejecting his past. However, in this case he wishes to run away from his culture to seek for a more westernised lifestyle. He does so by disassociating himself from his family, dating multiple western women and ultimately changing his name legally. Despite his best efforts, within a matter of time, Gogol reverts back to his past life shortly after his father’s dead. He takes a greater interest in his family members and is continuously referred to as Gogol instead of Nikhil. As well, the novel ends with Gogol reading The Overcoat, which symbolizes his acceptance of his identity and heritage.
Undoubtedly, multiple symbols throughout the novel were used vicariously. Yet, the story by Nikolai Gogol seemed the most significant in my eyes. Throughout his life, the story has followed Gogol as he became more accepting of his roots and himself. Surely it is a lesson to all that regardless of your ambitions, you cannot run away from your past. Just like Asoke once said, we all came out of Gogol’s overcoat.
“In so many ways, his family’s life feels like a string of accidents, unforeseen, unintended, one incident begetting another.”
Throughout the course of “The Namesake”, it becomes apparent that accidents have become prominent in the lives of the Gangulis, which is why I believe the quote is a perfect summary of the novel. Through the life journey shared in those twelve chapters, there is a sense of pattern to the recurring agony suffered from mostly Asoke, Ashima and Gogol. Firstly, the most obvious accident is the train wreck that sparked Asoke’s interest to strive for a life outside his comfort zone. Both his and Ashima’s psychologically difficult immigrant experience is a result of that train wreck, which was originally an unfortunate incident that happened in Calcutta. Secondly, the origin of Gogol’s name was also an outcome of an accident. Even if the Gangulis are from India, the name “Gogol” has a Russian origin. Asoke’s decision to name his son after the author who saved his life seemed like a humble thing to do, considering the original name chosen by Ashima’s grandmother was now lost. However, the odd namesake has become the root behind Gogol’s loss of identity and inability to connect with his heritage and culture, which is an accident in itself.
These and multiple other “string of accidents” help shape the members of the Ganguli household. Surely the phrasing of the sentence is harsh, yet it does have truth to it. Undoubtedly these traumas were unintentional, but the way the Gangulis have reacted to them help establish their morals and values as they grow older. In a way, these incidents are a blessing in disguise because of their lasting effect on their character growth.
Insightful Questions
- What is the significance of the book ending with Nikhil (Gogol) reading “The Overcoat”?
- In chapter 10, Moushumi renounces a research fellowship in Paris strictly because she did not want to part from her husband Nikhil (Gogol). However, within a matter of weeks, she begins having an affair with Dimitri. How does this irony help illustrate elements of theme and/or character?
- Both Nikhil (Gogol) and Moushumi were raised with Bengali morals and values, yet completely disregard them as they become adults. Why do people abandon these values for unethical ones, despite their upbringing?
The Name Mistake 