The story of Ashima and Ashoke continues as their lives in Boston move on. Their son Gogol is also growing up, becoming a teenager, as in chapter 4 he is fourteen years old. Gogol begins realizing things about the world around him and questions what and why things are happening. One of his biggest questions throughout the chapter is why is his name Gogol. He wonders why he is named after someone who is Russian as his name becomes a bigger part of his life in school. It is Gogol’s birthday and is celebrated at his house along with his friends and neighbors. Unexpectedly at night Gogol and his father Ashoke share a moment together. Ashoke surprises him by bringing him a Russian book by the author Gogol. Confused, Gogol accepts the book, but it still does not answer the question of what is the meaning of his name. He decided to put the book on his shelf instead of reading it out of confusion and anger. During the moment, Ashoke considers telling Gogol about the event in which he almost lost his life and the whole meaning behind Gogol’s name but decides that it would not be the right time just yet. The day comes to an end leaving Gogol in confusion, and soon the parents make an announcement to both Gogol and his sister. The family then decides to travel to India to visit family in which they don’t have any in Boston. They plan to travel for 8 months, which does not excite Gogol knowing he won’t have any friends or his stereo system with him as he looses out in half a year of school as he is in India with his family. The 8 months go on as Gogol must live through the heat as he studies in his geometry and U.S history textbooks. After the 8 months, they return to Boston and Gogol begins his classes in honors in the eleventh grade. He then attends a party in which he meets a girl named Kim. Afraid to share his name Gogol he decides to tell her his name is Nikhil. The chapter ends with him finally using the name Nikhil, giving this one character two names.
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