Getting Back To The Culture

In this last chapter it was really nice to see Gogol reconnect with his Indian culture and heritage. Ever since his father died Gogol has been stuck in the past and overly attached to his family, which resulted in the “absence of Maxine” (Lahiri 188). I was really excited to see Gogol reconnect with himself, before he became Nikhil and continue with his life after his father died.

I really like Gogol’s new girlfriend Moushumi. She is able to reconnect him with his Indian roots in a way that no one has been able to. Both of these people shared similar upbringings. Their parents were both Bengali and they were imbedded in an Indian culture that neither of them particularly enjoyed. They both ran away from their culture and families any opportunity they had. Gogol went to New York and avoided talking to his family for months and Moushumi went to France a country that “had not claim whatsoever” over her (Lahiri 214). I found it really interesting how both of these characters experienced the same things making them even more perfect for each other.

I think that Moushumi is the perfect match for Gogol. She has known him both as Gogol and Nikhil and I think that she has just enough Indian and American qualities to show Gogol that there is a happy medium between these two cultures. I really hope that they continue to date and he doesn’t lose her like Maxine because I think that Moushumi is the perfect match for Gogol. If he marries her I know that he would make his father very proud.