He, too, loses his dignity when he is unjustly imprisoned, refused his civil rights, strip searched, etc. Zeitoun, tells the story of abdulrahman zeitoun, a syrianamerican, who lived with. Zeitoun rescues several people and thinks it is gods will that he stays and helps during the catastrophe rather than take care of his. Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter of zeitoun. Abdulrahman zeitoun, owner of a painting contractor business, lives in new orleans, louisiana with his wife kathy and their four children. Does the story of what happened to zeitoun have more impact as it is told by both of them and by dave eggers in a rather matteroffact narrative instead of a histrionic tabloid style piece. Dave eggerss zeitoun is a frightening book, telling a story of terrible and unexpected consequences of the terrorist threat to the united states. Zeitoun by dave eggers meet your next favorite book. At the beginning of the book zeitoun was very apt to helping people and wanted to help everyone during this. The hurricane was among the deadliest hurricanes in the usa. Zeitoun study guide contains a biography of dave eggers, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide. Zeitoun eventually settled in the united states and made his way to new orleans.
A lot of ebook has printed but it takes a different approach. Zeitoun is set in new orleans, louisiana, and begins with the protagonist abdulrahman zeitoun known by his last name and his wife kathy preparing to send their children nademah, aisha, and safiya to school. Zeitoun is a family man, hard working, and he is very stubborn. Zeitoun quotes by dave eggers meet your next favorite book.
Zeitoun is a nonfiction book written by dave eggers and published by mcsweeneys in 2009. The fact that zeitoun owns a construction company takes on symbolic resonance in the book. The captain was taken with the beauty of the metaphor, and let his silence imply surrender. Zeitoun, on the other hand, was sold as nonfiction, because of the greater ability to factcheck witness accounts. That book, about valentino achak deng, a survivor of the civil war in southern sudan, gave birth to the valentino achak deng foundation, run by mr. Jonathan demmes animated film based on eggerss book might have to be put on hold, considering zeitoun. It tells the story of abdulrahman zeitoun, the syrianamerican owner of a painting and contracting company in new orleans, louisiana, who chose to ride out hurricane katrina in his uptown home after the hurricane, he traveled the flooded city in a secondhand canoe rescuing neighbors, caring for. He is arrested with zeitoun under terrorism and looting charges. Zeitouns middle daughter, who is seven years old during hurricane katrina. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. The books bottom line is that zeitouns ordeal could happen to anyone in this country under the right circumstances. Here he chronicles the kafkaesque tribulations of syrianamerican abdulrahman zeitoun in the wake of hurricane katrina. Charlie saucier, his boss at the time, saw zeitoun running to get to work on time with his bicycle on his back.
Jul 09, 2009 a major achievement and eggers best book yet. The couple bickers, with kathy growing frustrated by zeitouns stubbornness about everything, but they clearly have a loving relationship. He met kathy, an american woman who was a single mother and had converted to islam after going through a bitter divorce. The miami herald zeitoun offers a transformative experience to anyone open to it, for the simple reasons that it is not heavyhanded propaganda, not eatyourpeas social analysis, but an adventure story, a tale of suffering and redemption, almost biblical in its simplicity, the trials of a. It was unlike any depiction of katrina i saw on the news when it happened. The protagonist of the book, zeitoun, as he is usually called, is originally from jableh. After a few years of apprenticeship in the syrian port city of jableh, zeitoun spent twenty years working. We have learned a lot from both of these devastations. Originally from jableh, syria, zeitoun successfully started a contracting business with his wife kathy. 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. More than that, though, was the feeling that i was being overtly manipulated into having certain opinions or feelings toward the main character and his situation. Eggerss zeitoun is a loving family man peaceful, calm, and devoted to his wife.
The book fostered a wonderful discussion and many admitted that they knew little about hurricane. He builds the characters well katrina does not arrive until a quarter of the way through the book and then. A work of nonfiction, zeitoun takes a look at hurricane katrina and how one syrianamerican man and his family are swept into a terrible storm of a different kind in the aftermath of the natural disaster in new orleans. The heroic, harrowing, and ultimately tragic story of abdulrahman zeitoun is told in the nonfiction book by david eggers, zeitoun. Some of the characters and situations are recognizable to. The media depictions of katrina were so skewed, and they were aided and abetted by a lot of people on the ground. The miami herald zeitoun offers a transformative experience to anyone open to it, for the simple reasons that it is not heavyhanded propaganda, not eatyourpeas social analysis, but an adventure story, a tale of suffering and redemption, almost biblical in its simplicity, the. Discussing dave eggers zeitoun earlier this month my book group discussed dave eggers zeitoun. He doesnt try to dazzle with heartbreaking pirouettes of staggering prose. Abdulrahman zeitoun abdulrahman goes primarily by zeitoun and he is the main character in this book. The first half of the book is heartwarming, though, as zeitoun paddles around in a canoe saving people. In what ways does zeitoun represent the ideal immigrant.
The book s bottom line is that zeitoun s ordeal could happen to anyone in this country under the right circumstances. One day, his bike got a flat tire and zeitoun panics. Some of the characters and situations are recognizable to me because they read as real. Its simplistic style and important message make it a good choice for just about any type of reader, including young adults. Scan an isbn with your phone use the amazon app to scan isbns and compare prices. As a child, zeitoun and his brothers were always around water, and after spending time at sea with his brother ahmad, zeitoun landed in houston, tx, and then moved to new orleans.
You can choose the most beneficial book for you, science, comedy, novel, or whatever simply by searching from it. Obviously katrina was not a terrorist attack, but they both caused major destruction, and so many people lost their lives. What zeitoun manages to avoid is the pitfall of most postkatrina books about new orleans which is the forced insertion of every new orleans personality, location, authors favorite bar, food, and stereotype. In general, zeitoun fits into a broader trend of creative or narrative.
Earlier this month my book group discussed dave eggers zeitoun. This study guide consists of approximately 33 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of zeitoun. One of the interviewees for a katrina book was abdulrahman zeitoun. Zeitoun characters from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Zeitouns wife, kathy was raised in a workingclass, southern baptist family. The miami herald zeitoun offers a transformative experience to anyone open to it, for the simple reasons that it is not heavyhanded propaganda, not eatyourpeas social. Significance zeitoun drives the plot of the novel because the story focuses on the. Determine how long your zeitoun unit will be, then use one of the calendars provided to plan out your entire lesson. Andrew ervin, miami herald eggers sympathy for zeitoun is as plain and real as his style in telling the mans story. Jun 22, 2010 a major achievement and eggerss best book yet. The major characters are the small handful of principal players in your novel, the protagonist included. Zeitoun and his family encounter racism from some people in new orleans after 911. One of his books, what is the what, is the true story of one of the lost boys from south sudanthough it was marketed as a novel. After hurricane katrina, zeitoun remarks that many of the people he encounters have lost their dignity because of the storms affects.
Zeitoun observes looters and people taking advantage of the destruction from hurricane katrina as he navigates new orleans in his canoe. Zeitouns ordeal is the main subject of this harrowing nonfiction book, while eggers. Deng and dedicated to building secondary schools in southern sudan. Not by the story the characters, primarly the eponymous name character, abdulrahman zeitoun, are nuanced, courageous individuals who captura the at once deeply personal and universal nature of katrina and its aftermath. Zeitoun summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Zeitoun is a nonfiction narrative recounting the trials and ordeals of the zeitoun family during hurricane katrina and its aftermath.
The protagonist of the book, zeitoun, as he is usually called, is originally from jableh, a small coastal town in syria. In a nutshell, the single biggest difference between them is that major characters are threedimensional and minor characters only twodimensional. Ahmaad and yuko reassure kathy that zeitoun is stubborn and pluckyits. Any vessel, any carrier of humans, needs a captain, yes. Zeitoun is certainly a notable book and deserving of all the praise its received, but its not flawless. As he attempts to help those stranded in new orleans after katrina, his efforts become another kind of rebuilding. Zeitoun s syrian friend who he finds while canoeing in new orleans. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. Book groups will also find good fuel for discussion here. Eggers was one of three ted prize recipients in 2008. Everyone else except for the extras, who really dont count will be minor characters. Therefore it need a free signup process to obtain the book. Abdulrahman and kathy zeitoun run a housepainting business in new orleans.
The creators of sparknotes zeitoun characters from litcharts. The miami herald zeitoun offers a transformative experience to anyone open to it, for the simple reasons that it is not heavyhanded propaganda, not eatyourpeas social analysis, but an adventure story, a tale of suffering. Humanistic, that is, in the highest, best, least boring sense of the word. Minor characters and major characters novel writing help. I am approximately 23 of the way through this book and am thus far underwhelmed. He comes from a highachieving family who live all over the world. Which characters make decisions that run contrary to civil law but seem morally permissible. Zeitoun themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. After spending years as a sailor traveling all around the world, zeitoun moved to read full character analysis. Zeitoun is a syrianamerican man with a growing family and a thriving business in new orleans.
Throughout the ordeal, he trusts that something good will come out of both his efforts and those of othersefforts that counter the corruption of the authorities. How did including the perspectives of both kathy and abdulrahman affect the way you read the book. The book notes the emotional problems faced by kathy and zeitoun in the years after the storm, and their marriage fell apart by the beginning of 2012. Friday, august 25, 2005, is a normal day for the family. They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of important characters. Zeitoun also perceives some of the police officers and national guardsmen as corrupt because of their racist tendencies and the fact the nasser and ronnie, two of his friends who had money on their. He decides to stay in new orleans to ride out the storm, and pays the consequences. This 44page guide for zeitoun by dave eggers includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 15 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Information and suggestions for teachers who want to incorporate the book or references to zeitoun in their classes zeitoun by dave eggers is an amazing true story about the lead up to and aftermath of hurricane katrina and one mans attempt to help. The story is told primarily from the perspective of its protagonist, abdulrahman zeitounwho simply goes by zeitoun. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like bearing witness and islamophobia. A man who had been using the telephone in zeitoun s house, and was arrested along with the others for looting.
Zeitoun study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Jul 22, 2009 the first half of the book is heartwarming, though, as zeitoun paddles around in a canoe saving people. His story is a moving testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Zeitoun was a family man and had a great desire to begin his own family. Without someone guiding us, zeitoun finished, wouldnt the stars and moon fall to earth, wouldnt the oceans overrun the land.
Celebrated hero in zeitoun book faces murder charges in new. In the days following the storm he travels the city by canoe, feeding abandoned animals and helping elderly neighbors. How do you think these characters made these decisions. Kathy s son from her first marriage, zachary, is already there. Dec 09, 2012 eggerss zeitoun is a loving family man peaceful, calm, and devoted to his wife. Zeitouns youngest child during the period covered in the book. Eggers met the zeitouns through the mcsweeneys oral history human rights imprint, voices of witness. This guide is intended to enhance your groups reading and discussion of dave eggerss zeitoun, a harrowing nonfiction account of what happened to one man, and his family, in the chaotic aftermath of hurricane katrina. As a child, zeitoun and his brothers were always around water, and after spending time at sea with his brother ahmad, zeitoun. James wolcott, vanity fair a major achievement and eggerss best book yet. It tells the story of abdulrahman zeitoun, the syrianamerican owner of a painting and contracting company in new orleans, louisiana, who chose to ride out hurricane katrina in his uptown home. A hard working syrianamerican man living in new orleans who owns a contracting business. If it available for your country it will shown as book reader and user fully subscribe will benefit by having full.
Unable to afford a car, he rode his bicycle to a his jobs at construction sites. His arrest was a jarring twist for the main character of the acclaimed book. In what ways does zeitouns experience challenge the. Dave eggers is the new york times bestselling author of the critically lauded a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. In august of 2005, as hurricane katrina approaches, kathy evacuates with their four young children, leaving zeitoun to watch over the business. I found much of it plodding and poorly written disappointing in light of eggers considerable literary talent. Zeitoun study guide from litcharts the creators of.
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