FWS 10 Spring 2016 @fwsamerdreamsp16 - Tumblr Blog

Option #2: So Who’s the Hero?

When reflecting on the novel Zeitoun, it easy to look at the novel’s namesake and label him, Zeitoun, the hero. However, it is worthwhile to consider the role other character’s play in the plot, and if this constitutes them as being labeled the “hero” of the story.

For the purpose of this conversation, I am going to operate based on the Merriam-Webster definition of “hero,” being both “a person admired for achievements and noble qualities” and also “one who shows great courage.” When keeping these definitions in mind, I believe Zeitoun is confirmed as a hero, but Kathy fits the definition as well. This novel does not have a single hero, rather it has multiple.

I believe Zeitoun is a hero because he most definitely does show great courage. From the beginning, Zeitoun is characterized by his stubbornness and apparent lack of fear. He is shown to repeatedly refuse to leave New Orleans with his family during hurricanes, opting instead to stay home. This by no doubt was the more comfortable option, yet is the way Zeitoun consistently made. This choice is what placed him in Katrina ravaged New Orleans, and what led him to other instances in which he illustrated courage. It took bravery to help people around town, and it took even more bravery to survive his traumatic experiences throughout Camp Greyhound and prison. However, I believe this courage doesn’t necessarily make him an ideal character, or a character that is illustrated as the standard to which others should aspire. Hios courage is paired with stubbornness. Perhaps Zeitoun should have left New Orleans, and been there to help his family. Zeitoun’s bravery was needed to survive, and once he was jailed he could no longer help others.

Kathy’s situation and characteristics define her as a hero, but in a different sense. Kathy gets a lot done, and does have noble qualities. Kathy hyas agency in all of her situations, and makes things happen starting from the beginning of the novel. She stands up to the grocery market bullies early on, but does even more impressive things as the novel progresses. Kathy is the one who realizes her and the children need to leave, and without that the whole family may have been much worse off. Kathy also takes action regarding Zeitoun, doing everything in her power to both attempt to locate him and release him. Kathy simply doesn’t sit around and relax while Zeitoun is still in New Orleans. Kathy is constantly working to make things happen, for her children, husband, and friends.

These observations are interesting when paired with Martha’s reflection. It is interesting to consider how Eggers wants us, the readers, to feel regarding Zeitoun and Kathy. I am unsure if Eggers would consider both Zeitoun and Kathy heroes in the way I do now.

Topic #3: Different American Dreams and the Struggles with them

I think for my third essay topic, I want to look at how different characters from the different books we’ve read all have different reasons for pursuing the American dream.

For Marty, the American dream is about pursuing her passion. She wants to make costumes and allow other people to transform themselves for a night. I think her idea of the American dream is a particularly important one because she has already established herself pretty well in life in terms of living essentials. She has an apartment she can pay for (until she gets fired), makes a decent amount of money, and loves to go around the New York City exploring. For some, Marty can be seen as already having achieved the American dream. But the American dream is multifaceted and it is the opportunity of doing something she loves that Marty buys into.

For Lourdes, the American dream is about escaping Cuba and making money. When talking with Ivanito, she constantly brings up money and how much more of a living he can make in America instead of staying in Cuba. For Lourdes, America saved her from her past in Cuba. No longer being reminded of her rape or of her poverty, Lourdes gouged out a life for herself in New York. Her stern attitude and cutthroat personality highlight the traits that are sometimes needed to get to where one wants to be. In America, competition is a key aspect in achieving a dream.

For Zeitoun, the American dream is about making anything possible. We’ve talked about how much he buys into the American dream, as the person who posted before Melanie reminds us, and Zeitoun embodies so many American values through his firm belief in it. He puts in endless work, establishes a family, a company, and built everything he has coming from a background with nothing. He is the model example of what it means to “make it” in America.

However, in all of their pursuits, all the characters face something that hinders them in their obtaining the American dream. For Marty, she can’t seem to escape the grip of her mother for a majority of the book. Her mother constantly berates her, puts her down, and laughs at her dream, creating this tension for Marty that makes her question her passion for the costume work she wants to do. Lourdes can’t seem to escape her ties to Cuba no matter how far away she moves. She constantly refuses to ever go back and even when she finally does, she can’t stop complaining about the people and living conditions there and how much she hates it. Zeitoun is faced with racism as he pursues his dream. Sometimes clients don’t want to hire Zeitoun, and then he is arrested and sent to camp greyhound where he faces much, much more blunt racism.

All the characters pursue different aspects of the American dream and all of them face different struggles in doing so. While it’s not entirely fleshed out yet, I did find it to be an interesting topic and would like to find a way to explore it.

-Justin

Righting Wrongs, Or not.

In thinking about what I want to do with this third essay, I’ve tried to reflect on many of the subthemes of the course under the umbrella of the American Dream. One topic that has come up in relation to numerous books and characters is the idea of redemption, or righting past wrongs. One may argue that some people can’t be redeemed, perhaps the cop in Southland who killed the boys in the freezer. In this paper, I want to explore the idea that some wrongs can’t be righted.

Zeitoun is undoubtedly a story of personal growth, self-exploration, and struggle. One could easily make the case that every character is mentally/emotionally stronger at the end of the book than they were when we were first introduced to them. However, the central characters in the book—Zeitoun and his immediate family—are irrevocably changed by the events that have transpired. In the first half of the paper, I want to discuss how each character is left partially broken, with pieces of their old selves missing. Zeitoun is physically gaunt, haunted by nightmares, shoved into an even deeper/more conservative spirituality, and somewhat hardened against America. His children must live with the humiliation that their father was reduced to a terrorist suspect in his own neighborhood, and the fear that it could happen again at any time. Kathy, who most intensely internalizes what happens to their family, literally develops physical ailments due to the trauma. For the foreseeable future, Kathy is stricken with PTSD and recurring bouts of forgetfulness and ineptitude.

In the second half of the paper, I want to discuss the actors and systems that created the conditions that allowed these wrongs to happen—and the significance that they never made an effort to fix their mistakes. Although America is certainly a country that has a mixed history of kindness and cruelty, backwardness and progress, it has always been one of compensatory justice. Even if Zeitoun and Kathy had sought monetary relief to counterbalance Zietoun’s stolen time spent in a torturous jail, the government cannot fix them in the ways they are most hurt. In thinking about this section of the paper, I was inspired by the sentiment expressed in the quote, “His frustration with some Americans was like that of a disappointed parent. He was so content in this country, so impressed with and loving of its opportunities, but then why, sometimes, did Americans fall short of their best selves?” Zeitoun realizes how close this nation is to making the American Dream possible for his family and his peers, but it simply falls short.

I do hope to frame this essay to fit the research prompt, and I’ve been looking into scholarly articles to attach some facts and figures to what Matt called “an egregious miscarriage of justice” in his tumblr post. I’m interested in many of the same post-Katrina issues that Matt discusses, like “buried racial tensions and prejudices” that pervaded the rescue effort, and I want to see what legal experts have to say on these issues outside of the context of the narrative in Zeitoun. With a better understanding of the institutional underpinnings and circumstances that led to Zeitoun’s miscarriage of justice, I hope to better understand and explain how this country committed so many un-right-able wrongs.

-Melanie

More About American Dreams

In my final essay, I plan on talking about Zeitoun and the American Dream. More specifically I plan on talking about how he buys into the American Dream and what that returns for him. Along with this, why Eggers portrays Zeitoun’s life like this and what he is trying to say about equality in America.

I believe one of the most important parts of the American Dream is buying into it and Zeitoun believes in it more than most. However, with this belief, there seems to be a constant lack of return. I am going to talk about instances in which he exemplifies qualities with which we associate the American dream, and instances, which he gets no return. Examples of these are when he ran with his bike to work when he stayed to rescue people, and the largest example of him getting no regard is being sent to prison. With these examples, Eggers is making a commentary on the value of the American Dream. He is showing that often stereotypes and racism can get in the way of the American Dream.

This topic is very close to what I wrote about in my last essay, how for Serena Williams achieving the American Dream was harder. I hope to build off that essay as this is a topic I am very interested in and would love to explore deeper.

I found Nick’s topic particularly interesting as it significantly changes my image of Zeitoun. In the book he is portrayed as an unsung hero, however, in reality, he may have been less of a hero. I am interested in finding out more about this and would love to find why Eggers left something that seems crucial to his character out. It feels now as though this book may have romanticized him a little in order to get across the ideas Eggers wanted to.

Essay 3 Topic

How achievable is the American Dream? In my third essay, I will explore the reality of the American Dream. Building off my second essay, which discussed class and white privilege, I am going to compare the reality of the American Dream for the various characters in the texts we have read throughout the semester. I observed over the semester that different characters throughout the texts had different realities of the American Dream. We met characters this semester from a number of different backgrounds. Some were immigrants, other the children of immigrants; we met many minorities, and a few white characters. All of these backgrounds that are presented to us can teach us something different about the reality of the American Dream. I will discuss the factors that affect one’s ability to achieve the American Dream, all within context of our readings from this semester. There are a number of factors I am considering including race, age, socioeconomic background, gender and identity. I suppose I could also explore the different barriers faced (or not faced) by the different characters in their road to the American Dream. I am confident that I will be able to incorporate aspects of every novel, especially Zeitoun. I’ll likely start off with Zeitoun as a baseline simply because I believe it is one of the most diverse novels we have read this semester (at least from the perspective of the American Dream). I find that the experiences and backgrounds of both Kathy and Zeitoun are incredibly diverse, having molded them into what at first seems like a quintessential American Family. I am especially interested in digging deeper into Kathy’s character because of her unique background and story of identity. It is not everyday that we see a native U.S. Citizen who converts to Islam. Some of the characters from this semester that I’d like to explore who may have been affected by their age include Pilar and Marty. From Not A Self-Help Book: The Adventure of Marty Wu, I’d like to discuss the dynamic between Marty and her boss (blanking on his name at the moment). Anyway, I think their dynamic can teach us a lot about how gender differences can affect one’s ability to achieve the American Dream.

I really like Eunice’s topic that she’ll be writing about in her paper. I think it definitely has overlap with what I am exploring. She mentions how Zeitoun and Kathy’s family “depicts the typical All-American relationship and budding family.” I think this is definitely worthy of more digging into, so I will definitely consider it examining their achievement of the American Dream.

-Bryan L

Religion and Sexuality in Zeitoun

Miscarriage of Justice

Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster in American history as well as one of the deadliest. The Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana, faced the brunt of the havoc wrought by the hurricane. The hurricane weakened and compromised levees surrounding the city of New Orleans which led to around eighty percent of the city being flooded. It was this flooding of the city that caused a majority of the deaths that occurred in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina was a disaster of biblical proportions. It changed the lives of millions of people and became painfully etched into American history. Despite this, the disaster brought by Hurricane Katrina is not the disaster that Dave Eggers explores in Zeitoun. The disaster that Eggers explores is the egregious miscarriage of justice that occurred in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the hurricane, thousands of national guardsmen, government agents, and private security forces flooded into the city. With unclear and conflicting orders, these forces began rounding up hundreds of civilians that remained in the city in an attempt to reduce looting and other crime that was supposedly ravaging the city. Makeshift prisons, like Camp Greyhound, were set up to temporarily house those convicted of crimes by whoever brought them in. In Camp Greyhound, prisoners had their right to habeas corpus stripped and were shown a lack of human decency. The hurricane and the immense amount of unchecked power that had been handed to many of the forces that entered the city seemed to have brought out an animalistic nature in some of the individuals. Individuals did things that in any other circumstance they would never have done.

Dirt, oil, and muck were not the only things that the hurricane had washed up. The hurricane brought to the surface years of buried racial tensions and prejudices that reared its ugly head in the days following. Days after the hurricane struck, Henry Glover, an African American male, was shot and his body burned while five officers of the New Orleans Police Department were charged in his death and attempted cover-up. Not long after that, two African American males were shot to death at the Danzinger Bridge while five NOPD officers were charged with their deaths and attempted cover-up. These cases, along with what happened to Zeitoun and his friends, are just a few examples of the systematic failure of government that occurred at every level as well as the massive miscarriage of justice that Eggers explores in his novel.

- Matt May

Paper topic #3 American Subjects

Like Eunice, my paper discusses the American dream and American ideology in Zeitoun. My paper is focused on Zeitoun’s experience as a minority. How his appearance and his past affect the way he is viewed and views others. I plan on relating his self-perception and the view of his peers to Marty Wu from Not a Self Help Book. These two characters share many similarities in the way they are viewed in American society. However, their perception of themselves is very different. I plan on looking into this further and examine why each character reacts the way they do.

I want to show the difference between two minorities in the land of the free. Marty Wu is a Taiwanese woman trying to raise through ranks in advertising. Zeitoun is a middle eastern immigrant trying to make a living as an entrepreneur in New Orleans. Marty Wu’s goals are very clear as she explicitly tells the reader what motivates her. Zeitoun however, is more reserved with his motivations. This may be because of the style the two texts are written in, but it also might be each character’s pasts influencing them.

I also want to examine whether America is a home to each character. Zeitoun seems more comfortable in America, able to roll with whichever injustices are thrown his way. Marty, however, is much less resilient. I want to talk about how Zeitoun makes America his home. He works tirelessly and with great determination. Marty, a character raised in America, doesn’t handle adversity as well as Zeitoun. I believe this happens for a couple of reasons. First, Zeitoun is family driven. Marty only has her mother to try to impress and she crumbles at that challenge. Zeitoun has a wife and children to support. Second, Zeitoun is a newcomer to the states. Being brought up in Syria, he has a much different outlook on the land of opportunity than Marty does.

I also would like to entertain whether geography has a role in each character’s road to their American dreams. American ideology is universal throughout the nation, however, different regions of the nation produce different beliefs, fears, and rules. I will attempt to analyze the different challenges each individual faces in the Northeast and the South. I am interested to see how each character’s geography impacts their happiness professionally, and personally. If the characters traded places would their stories be the same?

-Max W

Final Paper: Comparing Two True Stories... Which Left Them Better Off?

For my final essay topic, I am interested in examining the way in which Zeitoun is portrayed as a hero and why his actions to stay in New Orleans are considered as heroic in comparison to the decision to flee the city and avoid Hurricane Katrina. Like Dhara, I am looking to utilize the strategy of comparing two individuals to highlight the different approaches to successful, and ultimately to prove which proved more effective.

At first I plan to present the narrative of Zeitoun and analyze his motivations behind staying in New Orleans. Despite constant familial pressures to leave because “why not go, just to be safe?” Zeitoun insists on staying in New Orleans. This is because he personifies a character of stubbornness with an, “unwillingness to bow before any force, natural or otherwise” (Eggers 22). His innate determination to succeed at the highest level in anything he sets his mind to is his reason for abandoning his family during this disaster, which consequently causes Kathy and his children detrimental emotional dress. Despite Kathy’s worrying and pleading for Zeitoun to escape, Eggers continues to portray him as such a heroic savoir. His decision to stay is depicted as heroic, remarkable and selfless as he glides through the streets of New Orleans on his canoe saving stranded individuals.

However, I plan to argue that Zeitoun’s decision to stay was in fact selfish and irrational. After being arrested, locked up, and emotionally tortured he feels, “ashamed. Ashamed that his hubris, if that was what it was, had caused all of this. He wanted it all erased from their lives” (Eggers 296). To compare Zeitoun’s experience of staying which consequently led to feeling of distress and brokenness, I plan to present the story of Laura Aaman, a close family friend whom I interviewed and escaped New Orleans three days before the hurricane. Her story could not be more different than Zeitoun’s experiencing staying and more similar to Kathy’s motherly instinct to flee. Through the narrative of Laura, I hope to argue that a united familial unite is truly what ensured mental stability within the Aaman family, and that because the Zeitoun’s lost that during their disaster experience, their family momentarily fell apart and has struggled to come back together. I also hope to demonstrate that Laura and Kathy’s decisions to leave was much more ration and noteworthy because they could transcend their own doubts about fleeing the city to ensure safety for not only themselves but also for their families.

In conclusion I hope to have proven that Zeitoun’s bullheadedness, work related excuses, and religious obligations which necessitated him staying was less admirable compared to the decision of Laura and Kathy to flee, and that him staying actually did more harm than good to the people he should be loving and caring for the most; his family.

-Martha

Final Paper: Does Empathy Exist?

In both Nina Revoyr’s Southland and Dave Eggers Zeitoun, the idea of empathy has been explored, or rather the ability lack thereof of to “understand and share another person's experiences and emotions,” and is most prominently revealed during times of struggle or disaster (Merriam Webster). These instances force divisions--racial, cultural, and religious--to arise. Intolerance never truly disappears; it only subsides. During conflict, acts of bigotry and hatred occur more prominently because the general masses search to blame a specific group of individuals, defined by a single set of characteristics. By setting this group of individuals apart from the rest of the society, they are deemed the scapegoat for both the faults and disruptions within society. Similar to Dhara, I will explore the similarity of experiences between characters under the basis of intolerance that each identity experiences during the time of conflict.

Intolerance is often a result of identical social bubbles, wherein individuals only interact with people of the same color, religious views, and cultures. Look around your neighborhood, your communities, your schools, your social groups, and ask yourself, is this true? Does most everyone that you surround yourself align similarly, and are those that are different pointed at as the problem within society?

In Southland, the Japanese Americans are personally blamed for problems abroad and as a result are imprisoned within internment camps. Through propaganda and hate speech, Japanese Americans were classified with an entire set of characteristics, or stereotypes. This created the basic foundation necessary in order to isolate an entire group from the rest of society and deem them as dangerous, and thus necessary to remove; it made it okay to treat people poorly and give them the same rights as animals.

Eggers’ Zeitoun shows how Muslims were unfairly treated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, more specifically during post-911 angst in America surrounding terrorism. Despite the fact that the Hurricane was a natural disaster, and a tragedy that every single citizen regardless of identity, would face similarly, much of the blame for incidents occurring post-disaster were directed at Muslim Americans. For example, Zeitoun was racially profiled, arrested, and called Al Qaeda and the Taliban solely because he’s Muslim (Eggers 212-213). During the time he spent in jail, the lack of empathy and understanding for other cultures was further revealed. Zeitoun’s meals were based in pork, a food Muslims are forbidden to eat due to religious reasons. It is important to note, that the guards neither cared to adjust his food, a basic human need, to his religious standards, nor understood even the basis of Muslim religion. Nonetheless, they were so quick to detain and remove the rights of Zeitoun and other Muslims without even forming a basic comprehension of this group.

-Jenny

Paper Topic: Religion

For my final paper, my proposed topic focuses on the use of religion as a coping mechanism. Zeitoun turns to his religion to fuel a hope to persevere through all situations and continue onward. Towards the end of the text, Zeitoun relies heavily upon his religion and prayer as a way to remain sane when locked away in Hunt. Through a research paper, I plan on delving into the topic of religion and hope during crisis. My paper will utilize scholarly sources to develop the overall ideas that Zeitoun brings up.

Both Kathy and Zeitoun rely heavily upon religion as a support mechanism throughout their lives and especially during difficult times. But, I find their use of religion as a beacon of hope after Hurricane Katrina as an interesting thing to explore in greater depth. Even after the separation of their family, a ruined home and more, Zeitoun and Kathy continue to turn to God as a guide to lead them through the obstacles put in front of them. The major source of interest stems from the last few pages of the text where Eggers describes Zeitoun’s motivation in life. I intend on exploring in greater detail Zeitoun’s call from God to fix the broken system that includes all aspects of his life. Zeitoun’s religion is a guiding “light” after the “dark time passed over this [New Orleans] land” (Egger, 325). To Zeitoun, his religion brought him out of the darkness and endowed him the hope to continue making a different and have a cause in life. I am fascinated that Zeitoun manages to stay religious after his incarceration. After traumatic incidents, many individuals turn away from religion, questioning why a benevolent God would put someone through the experience. However, Zeitoun’s religion is strengthened during his trials. Furthermore, I intend to discuss the distinction between Zeitoun’s spirituality and religious nature. To me, most of the hope that Zeitoun maintains derives from a sense of spirituality and a core set of principles that Zeitoun lives by. I do not personally believe that Zeitoun could only have had the same reaction to Katrina as a Muslim. Many principles that Zeitoun cites are fundamental to all religions and center on a spirituality, rather than the specifics of a certain religion. Zeitoun, as well as Kathy, both employ coping mechanisms that focus on religion in order to establish hope to push onward against all obstacles.

-Nick Pibl

Not a Happy Ending: Essay Prompt #3

While I was reading the final portion of Zeitoun, I was curious if I could find the news reel footage of Zeitoun in his canoe. What I ended up finding in my search was far worse. I quickly discovered several newspaper articles pertaining to Zeitoun, but instead of detailing his experiences during Hurricane Katrina, the articles were about his messy divorce with Kathy following Katrina. Zeitoun was also indicted on multiple charges of domestic abuse, and even attempted murder of his ex-wife Kathy. While it seems he was found innocent of the attempted murder, sadly from the findings of the investigators it is clear that Zeitoun was in fact physically abusing not only Kathy but his kids as well. I found these findings to be immensely disturbing considering how Eggers portrays Zeitoun in the book. Reading these articles before finishing the last few dozen pages of the book greatly changed my perspective on the ending, and I think there are a few inklings in the text that may connect to Zeitoun’s disturbed life following the events of the book.

Towards the end of book, the reader sees both Zeitoun and Kathy struggle to reckon with their past experiences during Katrina, and I think that perhaps these troubles contributed to Zeitoun’s violent behavior. On page 313, Eggers writes about Zeitoun, “it wasn’t every day that the arrest came to him, but late at night it was sometimes difficult to send away his anger.” After being subjected to unimaginably cruel treatment by his own government, it is understandable that Zeitoun feels a certain sense of rage when looking back on the whole endeavor. It is quite possible that Zeitoun developed a form of PTSD after Katrina, and he was never able to truly move on. I also found an interesting quote from Kathy in one of the articles I found: “it was as if he blamed me for everything that had happened to him. Every anger, every hatred that he had for anybody else, he focused it on me” (check the link down below for the full article). By reexamining the text through the lens of this quote, it is easy to see how Zeitoun could be projecting his frustrations and rage over what he was forced to endure onto Kathy.

Anyway, I only recently found these articles, so I don’t know the full story yet. For my final paper, however, I hope to take a deeper look into Zeitoun’s life after the novel, and I want to take a critical look at how his experiences in the book could have had an effect. I think I may also try to connect it to the reality of the American Dream—that failure is a very real possibility even for people who have been resilient and built a life for themselves.

Nick Sage

Article Link: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/07/kathy_zeitoun_interview.html

Essay #3: Kathy vs. Marty

For my final essay I plan on comparing and contrasting Kathy and Marty, specifically their relationships to the American dream. Although Kathy is lower class and Marty is Taiwanese, both characters begin their journey accepted in typical American culture. By this I mean that they are not often discriminated against because certain aspects of their identity go against what is the norm in America. But that is not the acceptance that they are ultimately striving for, and they both end up turning away from a more typical American lifestyle towards other aspects of their identities.

I want to touch on the fact that both Kathy and Marty are not fully supported by their families, and because of this they look to other people for acceptance. Growing up, Kathy lived in a house where “Nine kids shared a one story, 1,400-square-foot home, sleeping three to a room and squabbling over one bathroom” (Eggers 59). Although her relationship with her mother is not as explained as Marty’s is, and as a reader it’s impossible to know the reality of it, it is clear that at the very least she is not able to receive the emotional and physical support that she needs. This is illustrated by her relationship with Yuko’s mom, who bathes her and takes care of her. There is a similar sort of lacking in Marty’s relationship with her mom, and Marty also turns to outside resources to find acceptance.

For Marty, she finds that her dream is not necessarily finding success within the confines of the American Dream. She realizes that she feels most at home, and successful, when she embraces the Taiwanese aspect of her identity, and embraces where she is from. Kathy comes to this same sort of realization, but it is about her religion, not her ethnicity. She realizes that Christianity, the most “American” religion, is not giving her what she needs and so she turns to another religion. Islam is not what is often pictured in the typical American dream of the white family of 4 with a white picket fence, but for Kathy, being a part of that community becomes her dream.

The significance of this comparison is that their journey and decisions to embrace certain aspects of their identity illustrate that although the “perfect” American lifestyle is one that is idealized, it is not necessarily the dream that everyone has. Although I will have to work to go farther into that idea.

In Eunice’s post she discussed how “Zeitoun and Kathy’s beliefs, work habits, sense of humor, and reliance on one another depicts the healthy, typical All-American relationship and budding family” (Song). And while I agree with most of this, I do think that their beliefs are different from the way that American’s beliefs are typically presented.

-Dhara Singh

Essay 3 Topic

For my last and final essay, I plan on discussing Zeitoun and the implications of the American Dream throughout the text. Much like my previous Tumblr post, I will focus on Zeitoun and Kathy’s relationship as well as their relationship with their children, the values they instill in them, and Kathy’s influence. Zeitoun and Kathy’s beliefs, work habits, sense of humor, and reliance on one another depicts the healthy, typical All-American relationship and budding family. Not only have they overcome struggles together regarding the business and their personal beliefs, but they have helped each other grow. The upbringing of their children are focused highly on school and future goals because Zeitoun’s principles are deeply rooted in education. Kathy mentions that “the man, [Zeitoun], was school-obsessed,” which shows his zeal for learning (Eggers 16). Kathy also has many influences on her children. This is shown when Eggers mentions that “she was determined to give [her children] the kind of carefree childhood she hadn’t had” (Eggers 7). This is yet another aspect of the American Dream implied in the text. It was common for those who immigrated to America to want a better, more privileged life for their children and the generations following.

I will also expand more upon Zeitoun’s background and his motives that help shape his decision making during Hurricane Katrina. He feels a sense of urgency to help those affected by the Hurricane and uses his drive and determination to keep pushing to be of service to others. Zeitoun is a character that displays great agency in the novel, and perseveres to a task once it has been decided. This is shown in the text when Eggers states that “in New Orleans, Zeitoun was invigorated. He had never felt such urgency and purpose. [...] He was needed” (Eggers 106). His determination to stay in the city to help stems from the fact that Zeitoun had grown up and created a business in this city that meant a great deal to him.

Familial pressures are also a big topic in the novel that I would like to take apart in my last essay. I will break down Zeitoun’s relationship with his brother and the expectations that their father had on them as children. I agreed with Cam’s post when he talked about how Zeitoun, growing up in the presence of such a successful and well-known brother, feels pressures not only to bring honor to his family, but also to not bring them shame. I also thought it was interesting how Cam mentioned that Zeitoun’s “desire to make his family proud seems to have clouded his judgements” (Finley).

- Eunice Song

Paper #3 Topic: The importance of home

At the end of Zeitoun, the Zeitoun family returns back to New Orleans, rebuilding their personal lives again and the life of their city. Zeitoun remains attached to his home even when it is evident that his city will not survive the hurricane. My proposed paper three topic is discussing the importance of home, specifically in regards to Zeitoun, the protagonist of the novel.

Eggers suggests that home is a place in which one has a personal connection: it does not necessarily have to be the place a person is born. In the case of the Zeitouns, New Orleans cannot be replaced in their lives, as they end up returning there at the end of the novel. Alone in the city, Zeitoun “was certain he had been called to stay, that God knew he would be of service if he remained” (Eggers 110). With these words, Eggers highlights the fact that Zeitoun feels as though it is his duty to stay in the city and help those in need: supplying resources, feeding the dogs, rescuing people from their drowning houses. This moment and in many moments throughout the whole novel emphasizes Zeitoun’s devotion to giving to the people of his town, and putting everyone else before himself even in dangerous and risky circumstances.

After Zeitoun is released from prison, he “works too hard now” (Eggers 320). Zeitoun feels as though he needs to make up for the lives of humans and animals lost when he had to serve time in prison. He is not in the healthy state that he used to be in, but he “works whenever he can” (Eggers 320). His devotion and determination is admirable, and he never fails to serve his family and the people of his city. His love for New Orleans is greater than after the hurricane. He reflects on how “every person is stronger now” (Eggers 324). By experiencing the traumatizing hurricane, the people of New Orleans have grown to be better and bigger individuals who have witnessed anything and everything in this world. Zeitoun also explains that “there is no better way to prove to God and neighbors that you were there and are there, than to build” (Eggers 325). The emphasis on Zeitoun’s want to rebuild the city reveals his unconditional love for his town and the people.

I resonate with Cam’s topic about the family pressures in the novel. He states “Zeitoun has felt a pressure to [bring pride to the family” just like Mohammed did (Finley). Living up to these standards puts extreme strain on Zeitoun.

-Lina Aluzri

Paper #3 Topic - Family Pressure?

My proposed paper topic for paper #3 is discussing Zeitoun’s family (specifically his brother, Mohammed) and how this affects him during the events that occur during Hurricane Katrina. In my last Tumblr post, I talked about how Zeitoun has a desire to know what his purpose is. After growing up with a brother like Mohammed, who was extremely successful and who brought pride to their family, Zeitoun has felt a pressure to do the same. Along with this pressure to make his family proud, there is a pressure to not bring them shame. There are instances, especially after his arrest, where Zeitoun feels as though he has shamed his family.

I find it interesting how after Zeitoun was interviewed by the news crew, he immediately thought about his family and how they might possibly see him on TV. It states that “perhaps [Zeitoun’s siblings] would see what he was doing, that he had done something good by staying in his adopted city” (Eggers 167). This shows how although Zeitoun may not admit it, part of the reason he stayed is possibly because he wanted to show his family how he is needed. This is the perfect opportunity for him to do something they deem as being great. Yet, it seems as though him staying behind brought more shame to his family than pride. After being arrested, Eggers mentions how “[Zeitoun] had risked too much in the hopes that he might do something to match the deeds of his brother Mohammed... somewhere in his gut, was there not some hope that he, too, could bring pride to the family, as Mohammed had so many years ago” (Eggers 264)? His desire to make his family proud seems to have clouded his judgment. I find it interesting, also, how when Zeitoun is described, it seems that he is doing very well. He is more than able to provide for his family, has a good career, and an admirable character. Yet, he still feels as though he hasn’t brought enough pride to his family already.

Lastly, there is an interesting moment in the novel where one of the guards insinuates that Zeitoun and Nasser are having sexual relations. Eggers mentions how “that was it for Zeitoun. He let loose a barrage of expletives and threats to the guard. He didn’t care what happened” (Eggers 247). When first reading this, I immediately noticed how this is a different side of Zeitoun we’ve never seen. After taking some time to think, I think this is another instance where that family pressure comes into play. Being gay or bisexual is not accepted in Syria. The guard insinuating that Zeitoun is bisexual brings shame upon Zeitoun and his family. This is another example of how important it is to Zeitoun to not bring shame to his loved ones.

I feel as though this is still a broad idea that needs a lot of work, but I definitely know what direction I am going in. I will just have to take some time to create a thesis and focus on a specific aspect of this “family pressure” idea.

- Cam Finley

Zeitoun, conclusion

Option 1: The disaster explored by Eggers in his book Zeitoun is not Hurricane Katrina. Discuss.

Option 2: In David Copperfield, Charles Dickens writes, “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life... these pages must show.” Who is the hero in Zeitoun?

Option 3: Tell us about your proposed paper #3 topic.

Happy reading and writing, all!

#disaster #hero #theend #americandreams

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

FWS 10 Spring 2016