Q4 Week 3 Posts A/B

Post A
In this section there was a main difference when it came to customs and traditions and that was the conflict over parties and having guests over. There was a specific quote and it was, "His own mother would never have served so few dishes to a guest. She would have kept her eyes trained on Maxine's plate, insisting she have seconds and then thirds. The table would have been lined with a row of serving bowls so that people could help themselves" (133). I thought this quote was interesting because the distinction and conflict of customs is evident. I think this speaks specifically of hospitality and different ways of living between India and America. Also whereas one is relaxed the other is more concentrated and planned way before hand. Then getting back to the hospitality point, we can see that the host is much more concerned with the food and the well being of their guests when it comes to India. Everything is clearly laid out when it comes to the food and everybody is welcome to help themselves. So all in all I thought this difference was interesting.

Post B
For this post I thought I would talk about Gogol who is the main character in this book. First starting out he has a traditional Indian life even though he is living in America. He goes to Indian parties with his parents and even visits India on a regular basis to see his relatives. Then as he is growing older he starts to question things and he especially is concerned with his name. We later find out he legally changes his name to Nikhil which is technically his first name. Anyway the point is he starts drifting further and further away from his parents and their Indian lifestyles which is his past as well. Throughout the changes that occur we see Gogol and the decisions that he makes that directly conflict with Indian tradition. Through each event that he experiences he always remembers his parents and India. But he wants to be more "American" and on numerous occasions he says things like his dorm room is his real home compared to his parents who say that they still know that India is home even though they don't live there. The reason I bring this up is because Gogol started out as a traditional Indian and it was interesting and kind of upsetting to see him going farther and farther from his roots. It makes me question the things he has to deal with and his surroundings. In the end though I still believe he knows what is real and what is an illusion whether it be literal or figurative.