Clothing Imagery
The main character in the novel is named after Nikolai Gogol, a nineteenth-century Russian novelist perhaps best known for his short story "The Overcoat" and his novel Dead Souls. We'll get to Dead...
The Circle of Life
In addition to "The Overcoat," Nikolai Gogol is known for the novel Dead Souls (check out the full text). Instead of going in depth, we'll just tell you, very briefly, that the story takes place in...
Trains
The Gangulis are always on the move, but trains, planes, and automobiles aren't just modes of transportation. In fact, traveling always marks a transition between cultures, or stages of life. So ti...
Food
Think back on all your favorite family memories. We're betting (and we think it's a safe bet) that food was involved. Whether it's ham on Christmas, turkey on Thanksgiving, or a whole lot of candy...
Cultural Capital: Books, Art, and Décor
In The Namesake, objects say a lot about the social status of the characters (check out "Society and Class" under "Themes" if you need a refresher). Artistic objects such as paintings, books, or ph...