The Namesake

I really enjoyed the movie that we watched in class today.  Even though it was on the longer side, I thought that all the events that happened really enriched the story and the different relationships between each of the characters, and in addition, the immigrant experience that Ashoke and Ashima had to America.  The Indian and American culture was very different.  Gogol and Sonya were really assimilated into the American culture.  What they wore, ate, behaved, and said helped them fit in in American society.  On the other hand, Ashima and Ashoke held strong to their Indian background.  Ashima especially did not want to let go of her Indian background.  She had strong feelings for India and in the beginning really did not like being in America.
Maxine entertained the viewers when she met Gogol's parents.  I think that she was not culturally aware of all the traditions that Gogol practiced and that she shouldn't act like a true American girl in front of his parents.  Gogol's parents already did not like the idea that their son was dating a American girl instead of a Indian girl.  I thought that it was interesting that Gogol's "good name" was Nikhil but Maxine and her parents called him "Nick".  Also, I think that it was important to the plot and Gogol's relationship with Maxine that he never told Maxine about his other name "Gogol".
The importance of family was on the of the things that really moved me.  Ashima depended on her husband and son a lot.  She was very sad and upset when Gogol went away and "forgot" to call and paid less attention to her.  Also, when Ashoke left to teach Ashima was depressed because she felt lonely and lost in the big city.  Indian culture revolves around the importance of family.  I thought that it was a good experience for Gogol and Sonya to go to visit India and see the family that they had living there.  The older generations don't live forever and if you have an opportunity to see your culture and family background up close and on the spot where it all began, it's truly an eye opening experience.  Someday I plan to travel to Japan and China to see where my great grandparents were from and experience my Japanese and Chinese heritage on location.