Character Sketch

My first impression of Gogol Ganguli was actually when he was in the womb of his mother, Ashima Ganguli. The book, The Namesake, follows the life of Gogol Ganguli through his triumphs and despairs. Gogol doesn’t remind me of someone I personally know, but he could represent a general Indian- American boy, who ends up growing tired of life in suburbia and decides to rebel against his parents to possibly make himself a better life. Gogol Ganguli looks like a stereotypical Indian- American man: with dark hair, dark eyes, and tan skin. Each different character has a different type of interaction with Gogol. His father is his strict parent and teacher; Ashoke was in a serious train wreck before coming to the United States, and this affected his relationship with his son. His mother, Ashima Ganguli, is protective and loving of her son, she wants the best for him and she wants him to do the best he can in everything he does. His sister, Sonia, is his partner in crime. When they were little Sonia was his best friend and Gogol was also a major influence on Sonia. All of Gogol’s lovers fell head over heels for him, but eventually they all drifted away.