Relationships Culture 1 Ashima Culture 2 Gogol

QUESTION: This is the issue Ashima and Ashoke had when Gogol was enrolled in school for the first time ANSWER: Mrs. Lapidus would not honor their wishes to call him Nikhil

QUESTION: This is what “ABCD” means ANSWER: American Born Confused Deshi

QUESTION: This is why the term “ABCD” applies to Gogol ANSWER: Because he is an American living with Indian cultural expectations

QUESTION: This is why it is significant that Mrs. Lapidus does not adhere to the Ganguli’s wishes ANSWER: Because she is disregarding the parents’ wishes only because she doesn’t understand the cultural differences

QUESTION: This is what happens during a Bengali rice ceremony ANSWER: Friends and family gather, the baby eats their first bites of real food, and the baby is presented with three trays: one with a dollar bill, one with dirt, and one with a pen and the baby is meant to select one in order to choose their future path

QUESTION: This is how Ashima assimilates when she first comes to America ANSWER: She doesn’t

QUESTION: This is Ashima’s response to being told by her mother to prepare to meet her third suitor in as many months ANSWER: She obeys

QUESTION: This is what Ashima asks Gogol to do as a favor to her about a year after his father dies ANSWER: Call Moushumi

QUESTION: This is how Ashima begins to assimilate after Ashoke moves to Cleveland ANSWER: She gets a job at the library and makes American friends

QUESTION: This is how Ashima’s decisions at the end of the novel show her character’s development ANSWER: Her decision to sell the house and travel between India and America prove her ability to assimilate to any culture and her willingness to accept both American and Bengali culture as a part of her life

QUESTION: This is how Sonia’s birth differs from Gogol’s ANSWER: Ashima and Ashoke are prepared with a name for either a girl or a boy

QUESTION: This is why Ashima and Ashoke do not have a name ready for the birth of their first child ANSWER: In Bengali culture, it is customary for an honored family member to name the child and they are waiting for a letter from Ashima’s grandmother

QUESTION: This is why Ashima and Ashoke are so upset seeing Gogol’s pet name on prescriptions and his school registration ANSWER: Pet names are not meant for public use. The child’s good name is meant for those outside of the family

QUESTION: These are the events of the ten day mourning period ANSWER: The immediate family eats a bland diet of no fish or meat for ten days. One the 11 th day, family and friends gather to celebrate the deceased’s life with a feast

QUESTION: This is how both Gogol and Moushumi rebel against their parents when they go to college ANSWER: They both major in areas that their family would not accept

QUESTION: This is how Gogol reacts to Mr. Lawson’s lecture on Nikolai Gogol ANSWER: He is embarrassed and feels like the whole class is thinking he is like Nikolai Gogol

QUESTION: This is the change that occurs when Gogol legally changes his name to Nikhil ANSWER: He is far more confident and finally feels like he belongs

QUESTION: This is how Gogol behaves/reacts when Maxine comes into town for his father’s funeral ANSWER: He does not introduce her to people, does not translate for her, and does not want to go away with her

QUESTION: This is how Gogol feels about Dmitri’s name ANSWER: It is the first time in his life that he hates someone else’s name more than his own

QUESTION: This is how Gogol’s identity is further questioned by Pamela at Gerald and Lydia’s lakehouse ANSWER: She maintains how lucky Gogol is because he must never get sick when he goes to India. Additionally, Lydia is not even certain that Gogol is an American when she tries to “defend” Gogol.

QUESTION: This is how Dmitri comes back into Moushumi’s life ANSWER: She finds his resume in the mail the day the secretary dies

QUESTION: These are the 2 miracles of Ashoke’s life and how one of them is connected to Gogol ANSWER: The first is surviving the train crash and the second is Gogol’s birth. Gogol’s birth is connected to Ashoke’s miracle through his name, Gogol, which is in tribute to the book that saved Ashoke’s life

QUESTION: This is what Gogol does in order to assimilate into Maxine’s family and why this is ironic ANSWER: He sets the table, goes shopping for parties, walks the dog, and cleans up the house. This is ironic because he has never wanted to do these things for his family

QUESTION: This is how Ashima and Ashoke’s personalities change when they are in Calcutta ANSWER: They smile wider, they are more confident, and they laugh louder

QUESTION: This is why Ashoke waits so long to tell Gogol the real meaning behind his name ANSWER: He does not want to burden him with the gravity of the significance of his name.