Caught Between Two Worlds the Search for Cultural...

Caught between Two Worlds: The Search for Cultural Identity in Lahiri’s The Namesake Titien Diah Soelistyarini Abstract The question of identity is always a difficult one for those living in one culture, yet belonging to another. This question frequently lingers in the mind of most immigrants, especially the second generations who were born in a country other than their parents’ motherland. They feel culturally displaced as they are simultaneously living in two cultures. On the one hand, they no longer feel emotionally attached and cannot fully identify themselves with their indigenous culture; while on the other hand, when they wish to adopt the identity of the new culture, they have not been fully accepted as its members.†¦show more content†¦In considering the challenges of immigration, as Gupta (2005: 5) suggests, it is important to note that the experience of immigration is a combination of two different sentiments. The first one relates to the life in one’s homeland and the other to the life in the new country. In other words, a new immigrant has to deal with his or he r emotions in two different spheres at the same time – loss of home and adjusting to the new home. Whether the immigration is forced or chosen, almost all immigrants go through a feeling of loss of home. Furthermore, immigration is accompanied by the demands of adjusting to the new country. These sentiments are clearly portrayed in The Namesake which outlines the stark differences between Indians raised in the States trying to embrace parental Indian values while also seeking inclusion in the American way of living. The Namesake, which was also made into a major motion picture in 2007, is an American immigrant saga revolving around a Bengali family living in the United States. The New York Times bestseller novel illustrates the journey of the Gangulis originating from Calcutta going through the motions of cultural adaptation in an unfamiliar land and through two generations of marriage, births, and deaths. The story first details the life of newlyweds Ashima and Ashoke Gangul i who make the drastic move toShow MoreRelatedThe Origin Of The Jews After The Babylonian Exile2317 Words   |  10 Pagesrefers to â€Å"dispersion† so we can say that the word represents a centre called home from where the dispersion occurs. In addition to it the dictionary it also associates the meaning with the dispersion of the Jews after the Babylonian exile. Thus we get two meanings of the word Diaspora- as a spread of population and a forcible dispersal. However the term Diaspora doesn’t mean any nomadic existence, though it suggests a movement from one place to another, but it’s not a nomadic existence because it isRead MoreThe Origin Of The Jews After The Babylonian Exile2320 Words   |  10 Pagesrefers to â€Å"dispersion† so we can say that the word represents a centre called home from where the dispersion occurs. In addition to it the dictionary it also associates the meaning with the dispersion of the Jews after the Babylonian exile. Thus we get two meanings of the word Diaspora- as a spread of population and a forcible dispersal. However the term Diaspora doesn’t mean any nomadic existence, though it suggests a movement from one place to another, but it’s not a nomadic existence because it is