2. What information about Moushumi and Gogol's relationship do we learn from the
thoughts in Ashima's mind? Why does she seem reconciled to the fact that Moushumi
and Gogol, while resorting to the use of American common sense" (276), did not feel it
was their duty to remain married, as her generation would have done?

From Ashima's thoughts it is learned that the relationship between Moushumi and Gogol was not a completely happy or satisfactory one.

She is reconciled to the idea of their divorce because she knows continuing a marriage under their circumstances will not be the wise decision for both of them.

Explanation:

After Gogol discovers that Moushumi was having an affair and she confessed to everything, they decided to get a divorce.

Ashima feels guilty for being the one to convince Gogol to meet Moushumi in the first place, and since she realizes that their marriage has never been a wholly happy one she is reconciled to the idea of their divorce.

In Ashima's generation Moushumi and Gogol would have felt it a duty to remain married despite everything that happened, and she thinks, "Fortunately they have not considered it their duty to stay married, as the Bengalis of Ashoke and Ashima's generation do." In her view, the pressure to settle for less than "their ideal of happiness" has given way to "American common sense." And so, Ashima is pleased with this outcome, as opposed to an unhappy but dutiful marriage for her son.

explanation:

the intellectual community is a place like a university where people with high marks, or original thought or an outstanding interest in something gather. they take classes together. they discuss things. they argue sometimes, and not always in a friendly way. but if they argue, it is because they are passionate about something, and there is nothing the matter with that.

lately i've been hearing rumors that it is not the way it was when i went to school. the one thing all schools used to have was free speech. the 1st amendment rights were sacred. now i'm hearing they are not. students can be reported and disciplined for giving an off the wall opinion.

that is shameful.

intellectual ideas are meant to be discussed. they are meant to be chewed up and worked on. that is the primary responsibility of every intellectual community. if that is not the way it is, then that is not a school to go to.

social media, in my opinion, and this is just an opinion. i wouldn't take it too seriously, complicates everything to do with human communication. you can want to share things and others feel they have the right to be very critical or sarcastic or mean about what you share. lack of respect is an immeasurable intolerable condition and social media abounds with that sort of thing.

one of the things i really like about is how careful people are because they must have some idea that the mods are exactly what the word says they are. they police this board very well, and what is so remarkable about them is that they are no older than the average grade 12 student.

my hat goes off to them (which means i respect them quite a bit).