A Palate Of Two Worlds: Food Preferences Of Second Generation Immigrants In The Namesake By Jhumpa Lahiri

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of identity, cultural heritage and food among second generation immigrants. Through an analysis this study examines how food becomes a powerful symbol of the immigrant experience, representing both connection and conflict between two worlds- American modernity and Bengali tradition. The characters Gogol, Mousumi and Sonia navigates the pressures of assimilating in to American society while honoring the cultural practices of Bengali immigrant parents with food often serving as a battleground for these conflicting  identities. This paper delves in to how Lahiri uses food not merely as a sustenance but as a marker of culture. By examining the symbolic role of food, this essay shed lights on the theme of diasporic identity, generational conflict and significance of culinary practices in maintaining ties to one’s root while negotiating life in a new world.