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Trips to India become less and less frequent. Ashoke begins dressing like his American colleagues and Ashima retires her Sari, a traditional female outfit, for more relaxed dress while away from other Indians. Being in America for a long enough period of time, they begin to celebrate native holidays and start decorating their house. What seems to persist is the roles in their marriage. After all this time, Ashima continues to cook all of the meals. She doesn’t do much besides fetch groceries with the money given to her by her husband. Ashoke produces all of the money for the family, pays all the bills, takes care of all of the family’s paperwork, and handles any other essential tasks. While attending college, he begins a relationship with an American girl named Maxine. Maxine’s parents, Gerald and Lydia, show a complete contrast with Gogol’s in terms of public intimacy. Bengali spouses do not show public affection while Maxine’s just openly kiss and cuddle. For reasons such as these, Gogol’s parents tell him that the relationship will never work. After they break up and Gogol gives up on the love scene, Ashima loosely goes back to traditions by introducing another Bengali girl he should talk to named Moushumi. When they get married, the parents take over and throw a big Indian Ceremony with tons of people. They wanted to throw a normal American wedding but gave into their parents’ insistence on an

on going to the jail when he senses that his father may be in danger.

When one reads Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s “The Interview”, it is very clear how gender roles are predominate within the family that is portrayed. Using this family as an extension to represent all of India, Jhabvala gives us some insight into the daily lives led over there. The story is told through the eyes of an upper-class man who is completely dependent upon his family, specifically his brother and the women in the house. This essay will examine the male and female roles that are presented in this short story, how they parallel each other, and the deeper meanings hidden within the text.

puts her son’s comfort and life above all and swallows her pride. Furthermore, as a woman of the

Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake” examines an immigrant bengali family that has moved from India to America, and tries to hold their bengali culture while trying to accept American lifestyles. Ashima and Gogol each struggle with their cultural identity throughout Lahiri’s novel. The pressure of western society and the crisis of losing one’s culture and identity is demonstrated through the characterization and Gogol and Ashima’s relationships while living in America.

- Krista then utilizes her resources and does a search for this phone #. She foreshadows the silence as she researches this.

There are also themes of immigration and culture. It is interesting that cultural responsibilities to her husband is what really separates Nea and Sourdi. Coming of age and the role men is also something. Yet again, it is the cultural instance of the man Mr. Chhay that takes Sourdi away; despite any protestations of his uncouthness Duke actually may have made for something more inclusive for Nea as he is delayed in development like Nea; symbolized by the fact Duke and Nea even held hands while present with Nea in the car. With Mr. Chhay in the life of Sourdi, there is very little role for Nea; perhaps this is why Nea hates so much that fact that he calls her ‘little sister’ (Chai, 2001). Overall Sourdi represents a choice to become that her mother became, a wife and mother.

He has fooled her into thinking she should be relying on him instead of being independent. He does not want her to think or act for herself but give all that power to him. Rao mentions “He pets her but brushes aside all her words about what is good for her” (39). This is another example on his control over her. He belittles her in their marriage and treats her as a child.

In Quisqueya Solís’ accounts she is ashamed when something tragic and very unlawful occurs to her. Quisqueya Solís troubles are not to be taken lightly, but her mother in turn doesn't care to act on them because is benefiting from the marriage, she is in and isn't willing to make any serious trouble out of that happened to Quisqueya who is ensure at the time but seems to not

has the opportunity to tell of the abuse, but doesn't because he too scared to tell if his mother

As she was stating this issue of her son, tears poured down from her eyes and distraught to furthermore talk about it any longer. It can be inferred that she was concerned about the actions of

This battle between the likable, progressive character of Koly and her difficult, traditional mother- in-law causes unfair associations with India. The young women is so westernized as to become unfamiliar in her own land and Stewart assesses that “Koly seems to be the exception rather than the rule” (100). Stewart remains apprehensive about Whelan’s account of Koly and India because the author of Homeless Bird seems to prescribe to western attitudes that ultimately “establishes a platform for situating the other, the ones not like us” that effectively illustrates them as “abject and marginalized” (97). This is manifested in Stewart suggestion that Whelan succeeds in villainizing an entire country’s way of life that is (inaccurately) embodied in the unlikable mother-in-law, essentially becoming the contemptuous other (100).

Although the Queen is malevolent, the love that she has for her son Bharata makes

In conclusion The irony shown in this book about corruption, oppression of the poor, reality of India vs. the images foreigners have of India help portray our understanding of this novel. The corruption shown in the book is the teacher stealing the student’s money and the school inspector getting a question that he asked wrong. The reality of India vs. the images foreigners have of India is shown in the book there was framing involved and no doctors in government hospitals. last but not least is the oppression of the poor is

The immigrant experience affects families in a unique manner wherein ethnicity, and therefore, identity becomes something continuously negotiated. Jhumpa Lahiri’s contemporary novel, “The Namesake,” beautifully illustrates the complexities of generational culture clashes and the process of self-individualization over the course of this experience. Lahiri challenges the often-one-dimensional approach to ethnic identity by allowing readers an intimate and omnipresent look into the internal struggles of the Gangulis, a first-and-second-generation Bengali family, following their relocation to America. The novel incorporates a heavy presence of reading, and the abundant representation of books and documents throughout it are vital to its