The Namesake

The Namesake

In the opening scene, Ashima is making a snack for herself, and near the end she prepares samosas for a party. Food plays a large role throughout the novel. How does the author use food to evoke specific emotions.

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Food is a metaphor for family, culture, and identity. The first scene that you mentioned is the perfect example this. The novel is full of instances where Bengali culture is practiced in the Ganguli home through food. The last chapter frames the novel when Ashima is cooking croquettes and reminiscing about how her children help making the same dish.

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