PREPARING FOR PAPER 1 – Section 3

The Namesake

Purpose of Section 3

• To assess students’ understanding of the concept of Belonging and how it is explored through a selection of texts.

• To assess students’ understanding of the way composers of different texts use language to convey meaning.

• To provide a series of insights into Belonging and support them in a sustained manner with close textual reference.

Developing Insights

• An insight is a way of thinking about Belonging (or not belonging).

• It may involve developing a perspective or attitude on a commonly held assumption about Belonging.

• Insights may be similar in order to explore different levels of belonging, but they should not be identical.

AssumptionsSome possible assumptions into Belonging:• A person achieves belonging within a family.• A sense of belonging usually has positive connotations and

consequences.• Alienation is enforced upon an individual against their will.• Belonging involves identifying and having membership with a

particular group.• A sense of identity and self-acceptance are prerequisites for

belonging.• Names are central to shaping identity.• Loving and feeling loved leads to a sense of belonging.

Forming Insights

• Developing an insight essentially involves providing some sort of attitude or perspective on assumptions we might have into Belonging.

• An insight will become your topic sentence and hence it is important for you to provide a concise, controlling idea on Belonging.

• Construct each paragraph around an insight and use the text as your evidence to prove it.

• You may very well not mention the text you are discussing until your second sentence.

Aspects of BelongingAspects of Belonging

• The rubric outlines four different aspects of Belonging – all of which are highly relevant to The Namesake.- Personal- Cultural- Historical- Social

PersonalPersonal• Gogol’s own identity – the issue of names

that recurs throughout the novel. Gogol’s insecurity and discomfort with his own name reflects his difficulty in achieving a sense of belonging.

• Gogol’s continual search for identity in the novel centres on his discomfort with names.

• Because identity plays such a central role to an individual’s own personal sense of belonging, it is interesting to note how several of the key characters in the novel are on a continual search for identity and peace with themselves: Gogol, Ashima, Moushumi

CulturalCultural• Each of the main characters (Gogol, Ashoke, Ashima, Sonia,

even Moushumi) undertakes a struggle to balance their position within these two cultures.

• Ashima’s decision late in the novel to divide her time evenly between living in India and America reflects the difficulty in achieving a sense of true cultural belonging between the two cultures. “For thirty-three years she missed her life in India. Now she will miss her job at the library, the women with whom she’s worked. She will miss throwing parties” (p279).

• Ashoke’s death is a key moment in Gogol’s search for his identity. In many ways, it is the catalyst for him feeling a sense of both personal and cultural belonging. His adherence to the traditional Bengali ritual of shaving his head and newfound devotion to his mother, coupled with his break-up with Maxine signal growth and understanding for him.

HistoricalHistorical• Time plays an important role in the novel. The issue of the past

is important for each of the main character and often dictates the extent to which they belong within the different contexts.

• Ashima: Past experiences are very important to her sense of identity. Ashima finds comfort and a sense of belonging from reminiscing (see in Chapter 1 in particular). The flashback to her first meeting with Ashoke (where she literally stands in his unfamiliar shoes) is particularly poignant and symbolic of this.

• Ashoke: Similarly, in Chapter 1, Ashoke flashes back to the train crash that injured his leg. This is possibly the defining moment of his life as it causes him to feel a sense of belonging with the author Gogol and particularly with the story “The Overcoat”. Throughout the novel, this is an important reminder for Ashoke of how important past experiences are in forming a sense of identity and hence, belonging.

Importance of the Narrative Importance of the Narrative StructureStructure

Lahiri structures the novel in a very particular, but slightly unusual way:

• Each chapter represents a particular period of time in the life of the Gangulis (Gogol in particular). The passage of time between chapters is unfixed and reflects the elusive idea of belonging in the novel.

• Time in general in the novel is fluid and unfixed. Sometimes specific dates are given as frames, other times the narrative is vague. Only the key moments are stressed. As a result, the reader is given a form of loose chronology of Gogol’s life and our understanding of the different concepts of belonging arises as a result.

• The narrative explores Gogol’s life span to the present day. The first chapter begins with his birth, and the final chapter signals a time when he finally finds a sense of personal, cultural and social understanding, hence belonging that he had been searching for.

StyleStyle• The novel is told through an omniscient, third person narrator

and primarily through Gogol’s perspective. There are however, various other voices in the novel that contribute to our understanding of belonging. Other voices present include:• Ashima – At various points. Significantly, it is Ashima’s voice that is present at the opening of the novel.• Ashoke – At the hospital prior to Gogol’s birth, leading to the flashback on the train.• Moushumi – During her affair.

• The majority of the novel is narrated in the present tense, creating a sense of immediacy, however there are a series of flashbacks throughout (particularly for Ashima and Ashoke) that seamlessly veer into the past tense. In particular, look at the first chapter for the most notable example of this.

• Lahiri makes use of authorial commentary and reflections throughout the novel.

Symbols and MotifsSymbols and Motifs• Rituals and Festivals – important moments in the

novel that reflect the tension between cultures.• Fashion – particularly notice the contrast between

Ashima’s clothing and that of her children. E.g. The episode in Calcutta.

• Food – Likewise.• Names – an important symbol linked to the continual

search for identity.• Love – family/romantic – note Gogol’s three major

relationships.• Pemberton Road – belonging to a place.• Language – further illustrates the cultural divide.

Additional MaterialAdditional Material• Keep an open mind when it comes to finding new additional

material. Many texts have been produced since assessment at the beginning of the year that may be useful. Don’t be afraid to explore them.

• Use texts that offer some sort of sophisticated insight into Belonging. Texts that show how Belonging is complex. Texts that only show one aspect of Belonging can be a bit limiting.

• Poetry is a very useful text type to focus on because it naturally has a deeper, underlying, more sophisticated meaning and it is rich in techniques.

• Think about your related text(s) relationship with The Namesake. A text that supports Lahiri’s ideas may be useful. Alternatively, something completely different might allow you to provide a broader answer to a question.

Additional MaterialAdditional Material• Think about using texts that in some way challenge common

assumptions about Belonging.• For example; we often assume that an individual naturally

seeks belonging and that finding it is ultimately a good thing.• However, some texts would challenge this assumption. What

about considering a text that displays how belonging can lead to negative experiences? Texts related to things like gang culture are particularly effective in this respect and can offer an interesting contrast.

• Choose additional material that is rich – with the move towards ONE related text in recent years, be prepared to write two paragraphs on your related text – this would mean basing your analysis around two insights.

Developing a ThesisDeveloping a Thesis

• The insights you provide for each text should contribute to a larger, synthesised argument that answers a question.

• Your insights should form your topic sentences – use this to shape your arguments.

• In the Trials, you were required to discuss how individuals may embrace or resist belonging – this lends itself perfectly to The Namesake.

• In any question where you are given two possibilities, it is always a good idea to answer it holistically – that means addressing both terms.

To embrace or resist?To embrace or resist?• In The Namesake, the dilemma between embracing belonging

and resisting it is constant. Discussing this would address the complexity of the concept.

• Ashima – for a long time resists belonging to life in America, however by the end of the novel she does feel a meaningful connection through family, memory, friends and experience.

• Gogol constantly resists belonging to his Bengali culture while at the same time demonstrating some sort of instinctive desire to embrace it – his father’s death is a catalyst for this.

• Moushumi embraces belonging on her own terms, it can argued that she resists belonging when it is enforced upon her.

Good luck