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Analysis Of The Book ' Zeitoun ' By Dave Eggers

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I am currently a Junior at Mills High School and I’m also enrolled in the AP Language and Composition class. For our summer assignment, we were assigned to read Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, which recounts the story of a Muslim-American man named Abdulrahman Zeitoun who remained in New Orleans during 2005’s deadly Hurricane Katrina. While trapped in the city, Zeitoun paddles in his canoe in the flooded streets aiding those who are in danger; however, Zeitoun is suddenly arrested under accusations of being affiliated with an Al-Qaeda Terrorist Cell. Throughout the novel, Zeitoun is portrayed as a gentle and compassionate man who puts his own life on the line to save others. Through Zeitoun’s actions he defies the harsh stereotypes that surround Muslim-Americans following 9/11. While Zeitoun certainly redefines the views of the reader on Muslim-Americans and portrays a real struggle for Muslims in our America today; would you still appreciate this story’s message and meaning if I informed you that the real Abdulrahman Zeitoun was a man known for committing domestic violence to his wife? Mr. Zeitoun has indeed abused his wife and has been under trial several times and was convicted of domestic violence and later faced allegations of hiring attacks on his wife, Kathy. This controversy divided my class into two distinct advocates: some of my classmates support Zeitoun to be remain in the AP Language and Composition curriculum. While others, including myself, agree that by reading,

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