ASHIMA GANGULI’S DIASPORIC LIFE IN JHUMPA LAHIRI’S THE NAMESAKE

Abstract

The Namesake is a well-crafted novel of Jhumpa Lahiri that delivers the theme of diaspora; the scattering of people, language, or culture that was formerly congregated in one place. The novel depicts how the Gangulis deals with diasporic life in the United States. The thesis analysis draws attention to diasporic life of Ashima Ganguli as the female protagonist of the novel. The experience of moving from India to the United States makes Ashima Ganguli an exceptional woman. Thus, her diasporic life is truly noteworthy to analyze intensely. The thesis analysis investigates the beginning of Ashima Ganguli’s diasporic life, the complexities she faces in the every stage of her diasporic life, and the final decision that she makes dealing with her diasporic life. Furthermore, in examining the data, inductive method is used by exploring specific details that Ashima Ganguli conducts in order to conceive the general idea. Postcolonial approach is used in this thesis to analyze the matter of identity of Ashima Ganguli who comes from India as the minor system to the United States as the central system. Besides, cross-cultural psychological perspective is applied in examining the psychological aspects that Ashima Ganguli encounters in her diasporic life. With the intention of profoundly studying the case of Ashima Ganguli’s diasporic life, the notion of diaspora as well as that of attending issues are applied. This thesis is done through library research. The data are collected from several books and encyclopedia dealing with theory of diaspora, postcolonial theory, crosscultural

psychological theory, and other notions that are pertinent to the topic of discussion. In addition, a number of data taken from internet resources are applied to support the analysis of the thesis. This thesis contributes to understanding about diaspora, diasporic life, and the attending issues. It also tries to provide an intense description and analysis of diasporic life as the depiction of Ashima Ganguli’s life in The Namesake. In addition, this thesis is hoped to be a helpful contribution for further research relating to South Asian American Literature, especially in Jhumpa Lahiri’s works. The findings of the thesis analysis decribe that Ashima Ganguli’s moving to the United States occurs as a consequence of her arranged marriage. Subsequently, she is expected to obediently follow her husband to fly to the unfamiliar place and leave her beloved family in India. Then, the analysis points out homesickness and nostalgia as the heaviest difficulties that Ashima Ganguli often endures in her diasporic life. Besides, issues concerning diaspora such as acculturative stress, culture clash, hybridity, and negotiation give prominence to Ashima Ganguli’s diasporic life. As a wife and a mother living in a diaspora, Ashima Ganguli does what she can do to uphold the Bengali traditions inside her house. Meanwhile, as a part of Indian diasporic community, Ashima Ganguli feels connected to the other Indian people living in the United States. Lastly, the thesis analysis gives evidence that after some years, Ashima Ganguli’s perception of home changes. She is able to accept that the United States is the place where she has started to build her life as a wife for her husband, a mother for her children as well as a friend for everyone whose ethnicities and cultures are different. Somehow she realizes that her home is not only India but also America.