What Is the What: A Novel by Dave Eggers

Dave Eggers' 2006 novel, What Is the What, is a powerful and moving story about a young Sudanese refugee who flees his war-torn country and embarks on a perilous journey to the United States.

What Is the What

by Dave Eggers

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	French
File size	:	1718 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	14 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

The novel is narrated by Valentino Achak Deng, a lost boy who was separated from his family during the Second Sudanese Civil War. Valentino's journey takes him through treacherous terrain, refugee camps, and eventually to America, where he must confront the challenges of adapting to a new culture and building a new life.

Valentino's Journey

Valentino's journey is a harrowing one. He witnesses the horrors of war, including the murder of his family and the destruction of his village. He is forced to flee his home and spend years in refugee camps, where he is subjected to violence and abuse.

Despite the hardships he faces, Valentino never gives up hope. He dreams of a better life for himself and his fellow refugees. He learns to speak English and begins to rebuild his life in America.

Themes

What Is the What explores a number of important themes, including the horrors of war, the plight of refugees, and the power of hope. Eggers also explores the challenges of assimilation and the importance of finding a place to belong.

The novel is a powerful indictment of war and its devastating effects on innocent people. Eggers vividly depicts the horrors that Valentino witnesses, including the murder of his family and the destruction of his village. The novel also shows the long-term effects of war, as Valentino struggles to adjust to life in America and is haunted by the memories of his past.

The plight of refugees is another important theme in the novel. Eggers shows the challenges that refugees face, including violence, discrimination, and poverty. He also shows the resilience of refugees, as they struggle to rebuild their lives in new countries.

Hope is a powerful theme throughout the novel. Despite the hardships he faces, Valentino never gives up hope. He dreams of a better life for himself and his fellow refugees. He learns to speak English and begins to rebuild his life in America.

The novel also explores the challenges of assimilation and the importance of finding a place to belong. Valentino struggles to adjust to American culture and is often lonely and isolated. However, he eventually finds a place to belong in a community of other Sudanese refugees.

Writing Style

Eggers' writing style in What Is the What is simple and direct. He uses clear and concise language to tell Valentino's story. However, Eggers also uses vivid imagery and sensory details to bring the story to life.

The novel is written in the first person from Valentino's point of view. This gives the reader a unique insight into Valentino's thoughts and feelings. Eggers also uses a variety of literary devices, such as flashbacks and foreshadowing, to create a complex and engaging narrative.

Critical Reception

What Is the What was a critical and commercial success. The novel was praised for its powerful storytelling, its vivid characters, and its important themes. The novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2007.

Legacy

What Is the What is an important novel that has had a lasting impact on readers and critics alike. The novel has helped to raise awareness of the plight of refugees and the horrors of war. It has also inspired other writers to tell the stories of refugees and immigrants.

What Is the What is a powerful and moving story that deserves to be read by everyone. The novel is a reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of hope and resilience.

What Is the What

by Dave Eggers

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	French
File size	:	1718 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	14 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE