Vocabulary
To captivate someone means to...
keep someone’s attention by being interesting, attractive, etc.
Through their parents sine they have an arranged marriage
What is a motif?
a symbol, image, or idea that appears frequently in a story
Gogol decides he wants to only be called Gogol on his first day of what?
Kindergarden
What is Gogol's job?
He is an architect
Ganguli is Gogol's...
Remember it's a vocab word!
Surname
What is Gogol's sisters name
Sonali (aka Sonia)
What does Ashima accidentally leave on the train in the beginning of the book?
Shopping bags filled with items that she was going to bring to her family in Calcutta
He calls himself Nikhil
What is Sonia's nickname for Gogol?
Goggles
Someone whose skin is unblemished is...
perfect, no imperfections (pimples, birthmarks, etc.)
What does Ashima try on right before she meets Ashoke for the first time?
His shoes
Who does Ashoke think saved him when he was in a train crash?
Nikoli Gogol, the author
Who is originally supposed to name Gogol?
His grandmother
Where does Gogol go to college?
Yale
What does it mean to have empathy for someone?
Having the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
What is the name of the event when a baby eats certain foods for the first time and is asked to grab items placed in front of them?
In the book, when does Ashoke finally tell Gogol the meaning behind his name?
When Gogol's train is late getting as he comes home for Thanksgiving
What is Ashoke's response to Gogol when he says he is going to change his name? Is he happy, sad, etc.
Bonus points if you can remember exactly what Ashoke says!
Ashoke says it is fine, but he seems disappointed and a little sad.
He says, "It is America, anything is possible. Do what you wish."
What state does Sonia live in?
California
When Ashoke and Ashima come to America, they ____ from the plane
Disembark
Moushumi
How does Gogol feel when they are reading Nikolai Gogol, the author, in English class?
He feels embarrassed because he worries that people are making fun of him. He is also upset because he doesn't like his name and by reading the author in class, it is drawing attention to it
List three ways that Nikhil is different than Gogol
- Rebellious
- More confident
- Risk-taker
- Distant from parents
What is the name of the man who tells Ashoke to travel before the train accident?
Gosh