The last chapter of The Namesake caused my opinion of it to become more positive. I felt that most people would be unhappy with this ending, like many were with The Kite Runner, one of my favorite books. I especially liked the ending of that book because the repetition of "For you a thousand times over" creates a parallel between the protagonist's childhood disappointments and tragedies to the new hope he creates in the last scene, by growing and changing who he is. During The Namesake, I was constantly reminded of this book because each protagonist has difficulty letting go of his past, and has a hard time becoming an independent adult. I love the conclusion to each of these books because neither of them have the perfect fairy-tale ending that most people want. Yet, they show a sliver of hope that gives the characters something to work towards in achieving happiness. The last sentence of The Namesake, "For now, he starts to read," ironically signifies a new beginning and leads the reader to believe that Gogol will somehow, through perseverance, learn to become, for the first time, satisfied with his life.
Lizzie! This is so coincidental because 2 hours ago I just finished a college essay where I wrote about The Kite Runner! I also used that exact quote in my essay! I agree with your feelings on the end of both books, and I, too, felt that a slightly optimistic ending to a novel can change someone's overall attitude towards the story. I think the last sentence "For now, he starts to read" serves as a perfect ending to The Namesake.
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