Absence In Gogol's Life

In the Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, Gogol lost his father a year ago and sincerely heart broken from the death of his father and losing Maxine. "The only significant difference in his life, apart from the permanent absence of his father, is the additional absence of Maxine"(Lahiri 188). It's ironic that he says "the only difference in his life" when it is a dramatic life changing experience losing your dad from a heart attack and then for grieving with your family too much, Maxine, his girlfriend breaks up with him. It was a big difference, is he trying to be strong? It is interesting, that is the reason she broke up with him because in my opinion she seemed to support his decision all the time but really was just pushing him away from his family and background and the second he goes back she is jealous. She wanted Gogol all to herself and not share him with his family. This shows Maxine's real sense of character and the person she really is. You shouldn't break up with someone for spending more time with their family after the death of someone they loved, that is just horrible and wrong. He is better off without her. Having so much absence and losing two people that were special in his life all at once must be really hard on him, will this be another reason to be rebellious or change back to his normal self?