I really love the movie, the Namesake starring Kal Penn. It is long, but it really helps one understand the experience of transnational young men and women. Transnationals are those individuals who live among two cultures, sometimes caught between them. Their ancestry might be in one part of the world, but they live in another. Their parents might represent their country of origin, but the children are a blend of the two.
Sometimes these individuals are referred to as cultural marginals and third culture kids. They sometimes struggle with finding a balance between the culture at home and the culture at work or school. The Namesake captures the complexity of living among two worlds.
For more information check out the webinar Cultural Marketing and Belong or Bust: Third Culture Kids.
I've talked to Jhumpa Lahiri's sister who btw is a poly sci prof here at UA and she told me they used a lot of her real family in the movie. Parts of the book and movie felt as if I was a fly on the wall to my very own story. She really captured the experience and put in such a lovely prose that it took my breath away just reading it.
ReplyDeleteMira Nair did a great job with the movie but it focused more on his parents which was great because I had such a better understanding of my parents who are also Bengali after watching it.
I'm reading her lastest collection of short stories right now Unaccustomed Earth.
I highly reccomend it to you...You can get on Amazon or in any bookstore.
-Ranita
Thanks Ranita. I didn't realize there was an Alabama connection. I would love to hear more about your experiences as a transnational.
ReplyDelete