At one point Ashima Ganguli is trying to make a spicy Indian snack from American ingredients — Rice Krispies and Planters peanuts — but "as usual, there's something missing." How does Ashima try and make over her home in Cambridge to remind her of what she's left behind in Calcutta?
How is food and clothing used to explore cultural transitions?
How does Gogol try to remake his identity, after choosing to rename himself, and what is the result? How do our names precede us in society, and how do they define us?
What moments define us more — accidents or achievements, mourning or celebration?
These quotes are from author of the book from which the film is based:
"The question of identity is always a difficult one, but especially for those who are culturally displaced, as immigrants are . . . who grow up in two worlds simultaneously."
"America is a real presence in the book/film; the characters must struggle and come to terms with what it means to live here, to be brought up here, to belong and not belong here."
“It was always a question of allegiance, of choice. I wanted to please my parents and meet their expectations. I also wanted to meet the expectations of my American peers, and the expectations I placed on myself to fit into American society. It's a classic case of divided identity, but depending on the degree to which the immigrants in question are willing to assimilate, the conflict is more or less pronounced. My parents were fearful and suspicious of America and American culture when I was growing up. Maintaining ties to India, and preserving Indian traditions in America, meant a lot to them.”
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