Read the excerpt from the namesake.
“welcome to elementary school, nikhil. i am your principal, mrs. lapidus.”
gogol looks down at his sneakers. the way the principal pronounces his new name is different from the way his parents say it, the second part of it longer, sounding like “heel.”
she bends down so that her face is level with his, and extends a hand to his shoulder. “can you tell me how old you are, nikhil? ”
when the question is repeated and there is still no response, mrs. lapidus asks, “mr. ganguli, does nikhil follow english? ”
“of course he follows,” ashoke says. “my son is perfectly bilingual.”
in order to prove that gogol knows english, ashoke does something he has never done before, and addresses his son in careful, accented english. “go on, gogol,” he says, patting him on the head. “tell mrs. lapidus how old you are.”
which line from this excerpt reflects the central idea that immigrants sometimes face discrimination and prejudice in their new culture?
the way the principal pronounces his new name is different from the way his parents say it, the second part of it longer, sounding like “heel.”
“can you tell me how old you are, nikhil? ”
when the question is repeated and there is still no response, mrs. lapidus asks, “mr. ganguli, does nikhil follow english? ”
in order to prove that gogol knows english, ashoke does something he has never done before, and addresses his son in careful, accented english.