The Namesake Society and Class Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

"I detest American television," Moushumi eventually declares to everyone's delight, then wanders into the hallway to continue her reading. (4.2)

A little pretentious, isn't she? And she's only a kid at this point. Maybe Moushumi acts this way as a way to distance herself from her fellow Indians and Indian-Americans. She certainly stands out in this scene.

Quote #2

Later that night he is alone in his room, listening to side 3 of the White Album on his parents' cast-off RCA turntable. The album is a present from his American birthday party, given to him by one of his friends from school.

Possessions say a lot about characters. Here, Gogol's preference for the Beatles' White Album also indicates his preference for western culture. Russian short stories? No thanks. Pop music? Don't mind if he does.

Quote #3

He has no ABCD friends at college. He avoids them, for they remind him too much of the way his parents choose to live, befriending people not so much because they like them, but because of a past they happen to share. (5.64)

We learn in this passage that ABCD is a term that stands for "American-born confused deshi." But confused about what, exactly?