The heart of the story revolves around the couple’s first-born son, , named after the Russian author Nikolai Gogol. The Namesake — Nishta Mehra | The On Being Project
Jhumpa Lahiri’s is a poignant multi-generational saga that examines the immigrant experience through the lens of identity, naming, and the search for belonging. The novel follows the Ganguli family over three decades, beginning with Ashoke and Ashima’s arranged marriage and their move from Calcutta to Massachusetts in the late 1960s. The Central Conflict: Naming and Identity The Namesake