Namesake Test Prep

What challenge do Ashoke and Ashima face in naming their son?

They were unprepared because they didn’t think they’d have to make the decision

On their first real date, Maxine invites Nikhil to:

Her house

Which of the following best describes Gogol and Sonia during their 8-month trip to India?

They are mostly withdrawn from their relatives and surroundings, keeping to themselves

Which of these events happens first?

Gogol goes to the courthouse to change his name

On the first day of kindergarten, Ashoke tells the principal to call his son _____; shortly after that, Gogol himself indicates to the principal that he’d like to be called _____.

NIkhil…Gogol

True or False: Sonia is engaged at the end of the novel, but not to a Bengali man.

True

Approximately what age is Gogol when his father tells him the full significance of his name?

He’s in college

Who initiates the idea for Nikhil to call Moushumi and meet up with her?

Ashima

Where is Gogol when he first introduces himself as “Nikhil”?

At a college party, which he attends as a high school senior

True or False: Before marrying Ashoke, Ashima had only been to America once, on a trip with her family?

False

Nikhil has a relationship with a married woman named Bridget, which takes place in the aftermath of his breakup with:

Maxine

What does Gogol do with the book The Short Stories of Nikolai Gogol that his father gave him?

He leaves it behind in a hotel room during a trip with Maxine

What profession does Moushumi have?

Professor for literature

What is one reason Gogol feels disconnected from Maxine’s family?

They are effortlessly American in a way he feels he can never be

What does Ashima do after Ashoke’s death?

She decides to split her time between India and the U.S.

What is Moushumi’s attitude toward her Bengali heritage?

She resents it and feels stifled by its expectations

What is Gogol’s reaction when Moushumi tells him about Dimitri?

He is devastated and ends the marriage

What does Ashoke’s job require him to do that affects the family?

Take a sabbatical in Ohio

What does Gogol study in college?

Architecture

What does Ashima do for work after her children grow up?

She works at the library

What does Gogol discover about Moushumi’s past that unsettles him?

She had a long affair with a married man

What prompts Ashoke to name his son “Gogol”?

He was reading a book by Nikolai Gogol during the train accident that nearly killed him

Why does Gogol decide to legally change his name to Nikhil?

He feels his name is strange and doesn’t reflect his identity

What causes tension in Gogol and Moushumi’s marriage?

Moushumi feels trapped and eventually has an affair

What major life event causes Ashima to reevaluate her future?

Ashoke’s sudden death

How does Gogol’s relationship with Maxine differ from his past relationships?

He is fully immersed in her American lifestyle and family

What role does The Overcoat play in the novel?

It symbolizes Ashoke’s survival and Gogol’s identity

How does Gogol react to learning the story behind his name?

He is shocked and begins to understand his father more deeply

What theme is most central to The Namesake?

Identity and cultural belonging

Which of these events happens first?

Gogol changes his name at the courthouse

Which of these events happens first?

Gogol starts college at Yale

True or False: Gogol chooses the name “Nikhil” because it is a traditional Bengali name.

False

True or False: Ashoke’s decision to name Gogol after the Russian author is tied to a traumatic experience.

True

True or False: Gogol’s name change marks a complete break from his Bengali identity.

False

True or False: Ashima gradually becomes more independent and self-sufficient after Ashoke’s death.

True

What trait does Ashima from The Namesake share with Mrs. Das from Interpreter of Maladies?

A sense of isolation in her role as a wife and mother

What do Gogol from The Namesake and Mr. Kapasi from Interpreter of Maladies have in common?

They both struggle with feeling misunderstood in their relationships

How are Moushumi from The Namesake and Mrs. Sen from Interpreter of Maladies similar?

They both feel disconnected from their surroundings and long for something lost

What theme does The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol share with The Namesake?

The search for identity and the impact of names

What is Akaky Akakievich’s occupation?

Government clerk

Why does Akaky decide to get a new overcoat?

His old coat is too worn and cannot be repaired

How do Akaky’s coworkers react to his new overcoat?

They celebrate and throw him a party

What happens to Akaky after his overcoat is stolen?

He tries to report it but is dismissed and eventually dies from illness

What supernatural event occurs at the end of the story?

Akaky’s ghost begins stealing overcoats from people in St. Petersburg

What is Mr. Kapasi’s profession in Interpreter of Maladies?

Interpreter for a doctor

Why does Mrs. Das confide in Mr. Kapasi during the tour?

She believes he can “interpret” her emotional pain

What secret does Mrs. Das reveal to Mr. Kapasi?

Her son Bobby was conceived during an affair

How does Mr. Kapasi feel after Mrs. Das opens up to him?

He is disappointed and disillusioned

What happens to the slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi’s address?

It flutters out of the car and is lost

Who is the author of The Namesake, The Overcoat and the Interpreter of Maladies?

Jhumpa Lahiri