The other day in class we extensively discussed Moushumi's decision to keep her maiden name instead of adopting Gogol's last name, Ganguli. Many of people in the class felt Moushumi's choice was a sign of her disconnect from her husband or her trepidation about settling into a marriage. I would also speculate that a majority of the population agrees; a woman who refuses to change her last name to her husband's shows too much independence and obviously does not fully appreciate the "bond" that marriage implies. I could not disagree more. If marriage symbolizes a bonding or forever joining of two individuals, shouldn't the last name of the couple represent both the husband and wife? A woman adopting the last name of her husband remains an archaic relic of a time when men viewed their wives as basically property. The name adoption represents possession and control, not equality and love. Of course, marriage today differs significantly from marriage in Biblical times. Nowadays, women can actually choose who they marry! Or file for divorce if their husband abuses them! Or, if they so choose, decide not to take the last name of their husband, without facing criticism or scorn! Oh, wait...
I do not have a high opinion of Moushumi. Her adultery, her attitude towards Gogol and her marriage, and her weird obsession with her hipster friends all bother me. But I do respect Moushumi's independence and self-sufficiency, both of which she possesses in ample amounts. Coming from a sheltered Indian household, I would expect Moushumi to exhibit the characteristics of a good, obedient Indian housewife, like Ashima or her own mother. The fact that she broke free from the stereotype her parents prepared for her and "vowed [to] never grow fully dependent on her husband" shows that she strives for a more furfilling life than her mother had (247). Her refusal to change her name reflects her pride in herself as an individual and shows that she sees herself as more than simply Mrs. Nikhil Ganguli, and I admire Moushumi for her independence.
Mariel, I also can respect Moushumi for her willingness to deviate from her "obedient" role in a stereotypical Indian marriage. On the other hand, more times than not her independent lifestyle causes her to betray Gogol and their bond of marriage: "She wonders if she is the only woman in her family ever to have betrayed her husband, to have been unfaithful"(266). In this case, her independence becomes less respectable to me.
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