The Namesake

We read Nikolai Gogol’s story “The Overcoat” earlier in the course, and it figures importantly in Lahiri’s The Namesake. In what ways is it related toThe Namesake? In what ways is a name like an overcoat?
           
   "The Overcoat" is related to The Namesake because it is basically the whole reason for the story. If Nikolai Gogol had never written "The Overcoat" then The Namesake might have still be able to come about but it wouldn't be the same story at all. If the character Gogol's father had not been reading "The Overcoat" on the train that night in India, he would not have survived the train crash or felt like he owed his life to the book. Also whenever the letter containg the name for the new baby didn't come Ashoke would not have thought of the name Gogol to remind him of everything that has and will be good in his life. To go along with that if his father hadn't named him Gogol, the main character wouldn't have spent almost the whole book rebelling against his name and culture. Because of the fact that Gogol didn't  like his name and on top of that it wasn't even an Indian name, he felt disconnected with his culture and I felt that the whole book he was trying to find himself. 
   An overcoat is like a name because just like people judge you by what you wear they also judge you by your name. If you hear that a guy your meeting for a blind date is named Winston or Jim Bob your going to have some preconceived notions, even if they aren't true.  Also just like Akakiy felt lost without his overcoat if you person gets amnesia and forgets their name it feels like they have lost a part of their self.