What Would Happen?

         Obviously I do not know what would happen to the characters of The Namesake after the book ends. However, I have always felt a need for some sort of closure, so I created my own epilogue. Based on the information Lahiri provided, I created fates that I consider plausible for the main characters. I would love to hear what everyone else thinks the characters have in store.

Ashima: She faces a difficult transition to her new life. While in India, Ashima really misses America, so Sonia and Gogol visit her. However, after a few years of her new routine, Ashima begins to feel comfortable with the pattern. She acts as a grandmother of sorts for her brother’s kids in India. But, she still wants to maintain some of her independence in America so she continues to work part-time at the library. When Ashima grows too old and tired to continue migrating back and forth between countries, she moves in with Sonia and her family. Ashima lives the rest of her days under Sonia’s care.

Sonia: Sonia and her husband have a happy marriage. They have two kids, a boy and a girl, with American-sounding names. The children can speak and understand some Bengali but are by no means fluent. Sonia attempts to incorporate Indian culture into their lives, but more out of obligation to Ashima than actual desire. When Ashima moves in with them, she takes over the Bengali lessons. The grandchildren love their grandmother so they tolerate her teachings, but mostly just to humor her.

Moushumi: She returns to Paris and leads the same lifestyle as she did before her marriage to Gogol. She teaches English to French students at a university and rents a small apartment. Moushumi has numerous flings, but no long-lasting or meaningful relationships. She e-mails her parents twice a week and avoids any real contact. Her French friends welcome her back warmly; they always loved how she fit so well into their culture yet had the uniqueness of the Indian/American background. However, after several months, her friends grow tired of the fake careless attitude she uses to hide her emotional distance and loneliness. Eventually, Moushumi realizes that she has self-destructive tendencies, but she has no idea how to change. Given how much she smokes and the cigarette-friendly Parisian attitude, she will very likely develop smoking-related health issues.

Gogol: He is the character that we, or at least I, feel most unsure and curious about. After Gogol finishes reading “The Overcoat,” he does not know what to think at first. The story seems strange to him. However, after weeks of reflection, Gogol decides that he can learn an important lesson from Akaki: Gogol has his whole life ahead of him with so much potential so he should go out and make the most of it. Eventually, Gogol moves to a small architecture firm where he can work on projects more similar to the ones he first dreamed of in college. At his new job, Gogol befriends a woman, Anne, who just moved to New York after graduate school. He introduces her to the city and tries to make her feel more at home. Anne has a very close relationship with her mother, but her father passed away at a young age so she never felt like she had a real family. When Anne cannot afford a plane ticket home for Thanksgiving, Gogol invites her to Sonia’s house. He makes it clear to Ashima that he and Anne are just friends. To Gogol’s surprise, Ashima and Anne get along really well. Ashima does not want Gogol to be lonely and she genuinely likes Anne who loves taking part in the Ganguli’s festivities. After they return to New York, Anne and Gogol start dating, but agree to take it slow. Two years later, Gogol proposes. They marry in Anne’s town and have a Bengali ceremony. Anne takes to name Ganguli; she wants to have the same last name as her children.