Summary Of Dave Eggers s Zeitoun - 1028 Words

Joshua Ng Mr. Dwyer AP Language 5 ° 8/28/17 The American author, Dave Eggers, addresses the endeavors of Zeitoun during and after Hurricane Katrina in his book â€Å"Zeitoun.† His goal is to educate the audience about the prejudices and troubles experienced during the disaster. A formal, yet sympathetic tone is used in the book to not only inform the audience about the hardships experienced by Zeitoun, but to also encourage sympathy among the audience. One struggle he focuses on is Islamophobia and how it negatively affects Zeitoun and his family. He shows this through the family’s battles with social and family relations, issues with the New Orleans Police Department, and the negative connotations that come with its stereotypes. One way†¦show more content†¦It states â€Å"Her Family was not easy to deal with...any visit could take a wrong turn quickly and irreparably...It started with her hijab† (57, Eggers). Through this quote, it can be seen that Kathy’s family disapproves Kathyâ€℠¢s conversion to Islam. This is indirectly influenced by Islamophobia, as the disapproval is a method of rejecting others’ religious belief. This is similar to homophobia today. Those of the conservative party often have prejudices placed on the LGBTQ community, resulting in homophobic slurs and in some extreme cases, acts of prejudices such as attacks and vandalism. Another form of Islamophobia is represented through the New Orleans Police Department. Zeitoun and his roommates were arrested during Hurricane Katrina with no reason. Additionally, the group was mistreated during their stay at prison. On page 218, it states â€Å"Zeitoun was in disbelief. It had been a dizzying series of events†¦.arrested at gunpoint...impromptu military base..accused of terrorism...It surpassed most the most surreal accounts he’d heard of third-world law enforcementâ€Å" (Eggers, 218). These events not only demonstrate Zeitoun and his group’s encounter with the police, who most likely hold a prejudice towards Muslims, but also establishes the feelings of tragedy and injustice in the audience. In other words, Eggers is appealing to pathos in attempts to get the audience to re-evaluate any Islamophobic views. To add on to the