Human Existence, Migration Has Been Essay

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Being very far from my own country and traditions, I feel lonely and strange among people who are completely different from me. Their behavior and language appear as foreign to me as mine does to them. It is an interesting and painful experience. I can therefore relate to Gogol's reasons for changing his name, although I was also angry at him for doing this.

The name change in the film is a very significant theme in terms of identity and social acceptance. As Gogol, the main character experiences a conflict between the traditions represented by his parents and those he adopts by living in the United States. In his social circle, he finds his name being ridiculed and he needs to explain repeatedly to others what the name means. He does not feel as foreign as the name depicts him to be. Hence the decision to change his name to Nikhil. By doing this, he metaphorically embraces change while abandoning the traditions of his parents. In fact, he embraces his new identity by referring to himself by a name that those in his social settings can more easily understand. In this way, he acclimatizes to the foreign environment, rather than maintaining the identity that he was born and raised with.

In my view, Gogol's first name change was a sign of a central weakness and uncertainty within his personality. He was not strong enough to maintain pride in his heritage. Changing his name was the final and strongest manifestation of this central weakness. He wanted to abandon his Indian identity and with it his very heritage.

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One might go as far as saying that he did not have enough confidence to live as Gogol.

Although I was angry at him for it, I can also understand Gogol's perspective when he changed his name. He was very young, and experienced the pressure of his heritage in a very negative way by being ridiculed by his peers. As Nikhil, he was able to continue his education and become a successful architect. He attained what appeared to be the ideal of the "American Dream." Unfortunately, as he grew older, it also became clear that he was caught in the central identity crisis between his created self and his real self, represented by the name Gogol. While he lived as Nikhil, he was still Gogol in his heart. Heritage is a birthright -- it is not something one can simply abandon. This realization is what finally prompts Nikhil to return to his roots be changing his name to Gogol again. As such, he was able to find a balance between his real and his ideal self; the Indian and the successful American businessman.

I can identify with this, because I also tried to live a different life and be a different person when I came to the United States. However, the fact remains that I am an Emirate. This is not something I can change. I realize now that it is something I can also take considerable pride in. For these reasons I found the film very moving and a wonderful experience to….....

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"Human Existence Migration Has Been" (2009, December 11) Retrieved May 31, 2025, from
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