In the novel, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, the main character, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, is an immigrant of Syria who stays in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and is arrested due to the suspicion of looting, but really is arrested because of his race and how he looks. Zeitoun’s faith and loyalty to his community and home is tested through the many obstacles of Hurricane Katrina and including his religion, racism, and his very own dignity. The author, Dave Eggers who is also the speaker in novel, proves all examples of Zeitoun’s challenges credibly in the text.
Quote 1: “Zeitoun 's grandmother had stayed put during countless storms in her home on Arwad Island, and he planned to do the same. A home was worth fighting for.” (Eggers, 70)
Eggers shows in this quote how Zeitoun refuses to leave his home of New Orleans with his family. Eggers portrays that even though a house may seem replaceable, Zeitoun still chooses to not leave his home like his family who did not leave their home land of Arwad Island. The author also shows the symbolism of Zeitoun’s refusal to leave is like his assimilation coming to America. The symbolism of Zeitoun’s refusal to leave also shows how dedicated he is to his new country of America and refuses to give up when faced with discrimination. Eggers proves that Zeitoun continues fighting for his home in the United States.
Quote 2: “Look above you, at the stars and moon. How do the stars keep their place in the sky, how does the moon rotate around the
Several agents and factors of racial projects construct the many different ways human bodies and social structures are represented in New Orleans. Specifically, the aftermath of Katrina in New Orleans not only reflected a catastrophic disaster for those stranded but also disclosed the failure of federal, state, and city government in terms of providing relief and response services. To support my claims, I will consider how stories and pictures viewed white and black people after Katrina and the plan to close down the city’s public housing projects as documented in Naomi Klein’s The Shock Doctrine in Action in New Orleans.
In his national bestselling novel Zeitoun, author Dave Eggers draws sympathy from his audience by applying the three appeals during the documentation of a muslim family’s experience with racial prejudice in post 9/11 Katrina. Eggers’ purpose calls upon painting a vivid picture of the discrimination towards the protagonist and his family before and after Hurricane Katrina. His tone is often sentimental and builds emotional appeal.
Zeitoun is a book, written by Dave Eggers, that focuses on the 2005 disaster, Hurricane Katrina, through an Islamic family. Zeitoun and has wife Kathy live in Baton Rouge with their four children. Once Kathy discovers the severity of the storm she leaves with her children, and Zeitoun stayed behind. After staying behind, he was thrown into a makeshift prison, then later transported to a high security prison. Throughout his imprisonment he was denied his basic rights any American citizen deserved. Zeitoun was held in prison for a month, leaving his family panicking and clueless of his whereabouts. The only explanation for being denied his rights, and traumatizing the Zeitoun family, was due to the Federal Emergency Response Agency, more commonly
In this article the author, Howard Rheingold, describes his experience when he decided to visit the amish communities. There he discussed why they put self-imposed rules upon themselves. He realized it was not because they resented technology, the Amish love fancy barbeques and electric saws, but they saw that in the “english” world, people are being separated from their community. The amish decided they would try their hardest to avoid this separation caused by technological advances, “Look Who's Talking” by Howard Rheingold, convinces the reader to analyze the pros and cons of technology; to decide whether or not certain devices are beneficial towards people and their community.
In the book “Zeitoun” Dave Eggers is educating his readers about the racial discrimination against muslims and other groups in the United States. While, I was reading this book I was blown away that even though Zeitoun was helping people and still got treated badly from the government. This book is based on the true story. It talks about the real world problems. The book is mainly talking about the fear of muslims living in the US. Eggers showed us how badly the government treated Zeitoun while he was rescuing people from the hurricane Katrina. Eggers suggested people to live together without any discriminations and make a good society.
Zeitoun is willing to do anything, even risk his life or risk losing his family in order to follow the steps of his ancestors. In the meeting it was also discussed that Zeitoun has a family history that pushes him to prove himself all the time, for example his brother Mohammad, this larger than life figure who had achieved international recognition for his long distance swimming. While in New Orleans during the Katrina hurricane Zeitoun also hopped that his siblings might see him in water like a sailor again, being helpful and serving god, would show his siblings that he is a good man just like his brother Muhammad. It can also be said that Zeitoun is an immigrant, and a Muslim. When he decided to his country for another one, he always had the need to prove that he is as good as other civilians in New Orleans, and therefore he wanted to stay back and help out others. I can connect Zeitoun’s loyalty to his family and city to
During Mr. Rosenberg’s leave we learned different dramatic elements such as script analysis, stasis and intrusion, dramatic conflict, etc. This helps us to understand the different elements so one day when we have to apply the elements we will already be mindful of them. Additionally, we also learned about the beginning of theater dating back to ancient Greece and their different ways of displaying theater.
Have you even judged someone on who he or she is or what they looked like? And have you ever had a bad experience or traumatic experience happens and you looked for someone or something to blame, but in reality there was nothing to blame? Well, a natural disaster can be blamed on no one, but in times like that emotions run wild and blame can be put on someone who fits a certain profile. Racism and Hurricane Katrina were two forces that clashed together to create an even bigger problem for the victims. This is caused by an insecurity of the situation at hand. In the book Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, racism and racial profiling is the underlying themes in the story. These themes are also the underlying themes of people who are subjected
The world is in a constant state of change. There is no moment on Earth that is stagnant, and America is no exception. Even in the small recesses of the United States, a change is rolling in and sweeping little towns into a whirlwind of activity. One such town is explored in Outcasts United by Warren St. John. The residents of the “sleepy” town of Clarkston, Georgia, a town that has become a hub of cultural diversity thanks to refugee resettlement programs, live in a state of liminality that eventually allows xenophobia and contempt to flourish amongst its citizens. This is primarily because the “old” Clarkston residents fear the change and differences that their refugee counterparts bring with them in their search for a safe place to call
Specifically, he illustrates the unorganized process and effects of Camp Greyhound after the unavoidable and atrocious, Hurricane Katrina. Hopeless, “the men had few options: they could stand in the center, they could sit on the cement, or the could lean against the steel rack” (222). This precise detail demonstrates that Eggers has indeed done extensive research, and proves himself to be a credible source. Furthermore, as Zeitoun is taken to Camp Greyhound, he is discriminated against for the prime reason that he is Muslim. Indeed, Eggers describes all aspect of Zeitoun’s journey from the time he is arrested, to the process of him being bailed out. Eggers’ use of logos displays his knowledge and genuine concern for those affected by the hurricane. Nonetheless, Zeitoun constantly asks the guards if he is allowed a phone call, but none provide him with the opportunity to call Kathy. Regardless of the reason, “Every time a guard passed, they begged for access to this or any phone. At best they got shrugs and glib answers” (222). Even more, an unsettling part of the novel that
Renowned journalist and author, Dave Eggers, in his famed novel, Zeitoun, recounts the mistreatment of the Zeitoun family in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina based on their racial and religious profiles in a post-9/11 America. His purpose is to reveal the unwarranted injustices faced by Muslim-American Hurricane Katrina victims through a description of the Zeitoun family’s experiences, in order to educate his readers of the impact discrimination has on emergency response. Eggers adopts a sympathetic tone towards the protagonists as they fall victim to the government’s unpreparedness, and maintains a critical tone to address the American government’s failure in protecting the rights of the hurricane’s victims.
The book Zeitoun basically talks about a Syrian American family’s experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. It was mainly divided into two story lines, one of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, the main character, a Syrian American contractor; and one of Kathy, his wife, a white woman converted Muslim. Zeitoun had an extraordinary life, also an extraordinary experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. He was a successful well-known businessman in local area. When everyone else was fleeing their hometown before Katrina came, Zeitoun chose to stay to protect his house and business. Later then when the city was flooded, he travelled around with his small canoe, delivering help and resources. However, he was wrong
The film A Village called Versailles presents the story of vietnamese Americans after the occurrence of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The film begins by introducing some of the historical events to which the vietnamese community have experienced. One of the most relevant topics in accordance to the course material, is the meaning of religion for the vietnamese community. In correlation to the natural disaster, the vietnamese community utilized the religious space as a space where they discuss issues like the rebuilt of their structural community. This tight-knit community was determined to rebuild their community through organized activism.
The most obvious is Zeitoun and his friends’ unfair arrest and cruel treatment. In Camp Greyhound, Zeitoun and Nasser were strip searched and especially segregated among the prisoners by the National Guard because of their race; they were also labelled as terrorists without any proof. Eggers keenly picked details of Zeitoun comparing Camp Greyhound to Guantanamo Bay, which would undoubtedly provoke uneasy feelings after just reading about Zeitoun’s innocent and selfless actions. Eggers even noted Zeitoun comparing the guards and prisoners at Camp Greyhound to a dog kennel, which contrasts with Zeitoun’s relationship with the abandoned dog, Eggers points out the worst of human nature like the desperateness of the arresting officers and the callous reactions of National Guardsmen when Zeitoun asked them for help. The harsh conditions Zeitoun had to endure juxtapose how Zeitoun should have been treated after doing honorable deeds. Eggers, by distinctly contradicting Zeitoun’s good actions and unfair consequences, shows how he intended to have the audience feel anger and frustration to Zeitoun’s unfair treatment and eventually even shame after realizing it happened at
Jews and Syrian refugees have been through many stages of prejudice and hardships through their lives, but they’ve also received hospitality from others that want to reach out a helping hand. Both articles demonstrate critical ways they're in similar, but also contrasting situations. The striking similarities that both share are how they fled their country to find a new home, looking out for people to help and understand them along with gaining their trust, and getting dragged into ghastly camps just for inspection. Even with similarities comes with distinctive parts for example, what event cause them to leave their homes and what tragic affairs they went through. Going through disastrous times, these people deserve to receive a welcoming invitation and a heart-warming greeting from everyone that can assist these people in every way they can.