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ammg, 266 - days ago
What is The What?
By Dave Eggers
Book I
The main character of the book is Valentino Achak Deng he is Dinka from Sudan, a lost boy and a victim. He is the son of Deng a wealthy stores man. Mr. Deng, joined the group of many men who had many wives, but Achak (as Valentino was mostly called) believed that his father adored his birth mother far more then his other wives. But that is the past; this story begins when Achak is all grown up, in his new struggle in becoming a man in America; as a foreigner. The story begins with Achak in present day; he now lives in Atlanta and is a student at a community college. He lives with a fellow lost boy. He is a victim of a robbery; he is insulted and called “Africa”. The hands and feet only left to watch all the things he had earned by work, and the gifts he was given, being taken away from him in the spur of the moment, tie him. Achak then starts to remember his childhood, those memories that stung as much as newly burned skin. The stories pour in two his clouded mind, as he is not able to grasp the fact that he is being robbed. After all the wandering he had to endure and all the pain and suffering, he could be destroyed by these to ill equipped robbers. He lies not by favor but by force, his head is throbbing and in his thoughts he is close to death. Yes, Achak the lost boy, a legend shall we call him, was about to die in the hands of others. He who had faced starvation and fought lions, and rebels all. He was about to be killed for his material objects. Achak blackouts varies times, once to wake-up and see that he is being guarded by a young boy he refers to TV boy, and later finds out that this boy’s name is Michael.
As the story progresses Achak begins to tell Michael his life story; though Michael is less than interested, Achak continues. He tells Michael of the day his village, Marial Bai, was burned down by Arab men. The day he lost his mom, dad, and all of his family. And finally the day he became a Lost Boy.
In these harsh conditions Achak found a friend, Deng,. Deng and Achak walked together, slept next to each other, and were each other’s guard. They became best friends, and lived through the rough days of walking from village to village. Deng was the first to die out of the Lost Boys in Achak’s group; he died of a diseases that no one was aware of. He was the first to die but surely not the last; with his death followed many more.
The days amounted, and the boys continued on walking, many of them close to being naked. They had traded there possessions in for food, and that included their clothes. Their nakedness cause them to develop new diseases, and this cause even more deaths.
The lost boys had one goal, and that was to get to Ethiopia. While crossing the Nile that would lead them to Ethiopia in a week, Achak reunited with William K; his best friend from his home village. William K like Achak also ran out of the village and joined many other people on the run. Since their first reaquiantance William K and Achak became inseperable; even during the bad times they stuck to the other and supported each other. Unfortunately, William K “fell away and his flesh returned to the Earth”. Achak buried William K.
The days went by, and all that Achak wanted to do was die. He had no one he could really trust, because they were all scared they might catch a diseases from a wound he had
earned in later days. But the leaders of the Lost Boys or Red Army as they were also called kept them with hopes of Ethiopia.
They had to cross a river. And crossing that river would take them to Ethiopia. To their surprise, it was a big disappointment.
ammg, 266 - days ago
What is the What, In What is the What?
What is the What is explained in the book, as a story many Dinka believe. It is said that the Dinka men were made first, and that God gave them a choice of either choosing a cow, or a "what". The Dinka men were puzzled by God's offerings, and asked God what the "what" was; but God responded saying that by knowledge they should by able to pick the right choice. The Dinka men chose the cow knowinng, that it would be foolish for them to choose the "what" because God was giving them the choice between having a clear future or a murky one. The Dinka men also believed that the "what" was given to the Arabs and that is why there is a hostile enviroment between Dinkas and Arabs.
ammg, 266 - days ago
"What is the What" is the story of a Darfur Surviver. It tells his compelling story, and he survived. How a little boy who led a normal life, until Arabs entered his village, and turned everything upside down. Losing everything he has nothing to do but run. The story goes through he's journey to the "promised land"; and like all journeys it is never easy. When he finally reaches the promise land he is in a refuge camp for three years. He after many relocation, is then moved to Atlanta and faces the prejudice remarks from his peers. He learns that life is a journey that will never end. In the end Achak teach us all a lesson: That life is about, wanting to live; and that taking everyday by day is what is is all about. Life is about wanting more than just fate, and that is what Achak wanted.
ammg, 266 - days ago
In the end even after the robbery and all the flashbacks, Achak continues his normal life and takes everyday as it comes.
And as it comes, Achak is defying What is the What....
What is The What?
By Dave Eggers
Book I
The main character of the book is Valentino Achak Deng he is Dinka from Sudan, a lost boy and a victim. He is the son of Deng a wealthy stores man. Mr. Deng, joined the group of many men who had many wives, but Achak (as Valentino was mostly called) believed that his father adored his birth mother far more then his other wives. But that is the past; this story begins when Achak is all grown up, in his new struggle in becoming a man in America; as a foreigner. The story begins with Achak in present day; he now lives in Atlanta and is a student at a community college. He lives with a fellow lost boy. He is a victim of a robbery; he is insulted and called “Africa”. The hands and feet only left to watch all the things he had earned by work, and the gifts he was given, being taken away from him in the spur of the moment, tie him. Achak then starts to remember his childhood, those memories that stung as much as newly burned skin. The stories pour in two his clouded mind, as he is not able to grasp the fact that he is being robbed. After all the wandering he had to endure and all the pain and suffering, he could be destroyed by these to ill equipped robbers. He lies not by favor but by force, his head is throbbing and in his thoughts he is close to death. Yes, Achak the lost boy, a legend shall we call him, was about to die in the hands of others. He who had faced starvation and fought lions, and rebels all. He was about to be killed for his material objects. Achak blackouts varies times, once to wake-up and see that he is being guarded by a young boy he refers to TV boy, and later finds out that this boy’s name is Michael.
As the story progresses Achak begins to tell Michael his life story; though Michael is less than interested, Achak continues. He tells Michael of the day his village, Marial Bai, was burned down by Arab men. The day he lost his mom, dad, and all of his family. And finally the day he became a Lost Boy.
In these harsh conditions Achak found a friend, Deng,. Deng and Achak walked together, slept next to each other, and were each other’s guard. They became best friends, and lived through the rough days of walking from village to village. Deng was the first to die out of the Lost Boys in Achak’s group; he died of a diseases that no one was aware of. He was the first to die but surely not the last; with his death followed many more.
The days amounted, and the boys continued on walking, many of them close to being naked. They had traded there possessions in for food, and that included their clothes. Their nakedness cause them to develop new diseases, and this cause even more deaths.
The lost boys had one goal, and that was to get to Ethiopia. While crossing the Nile that would lead them to Ethiopia in a week, Achak reunited with William K; his best friend from his home village. William K like Achak also ran out of the village and joined many other people on the run. Since their first reaquiantance William K and Achak became inseperable; even during the bad times they stuck to the other and supported each other. Unfortunately, William K “fell away and his flesh returned to the Earth”. Achak buried William K.
The days went by, and all that Achak wanted to do was die. He had no one he could really trust, because they were all scared they might catch a diseases from a wound he had
earned in later days. But the leaders of the Lost Boys or Red Army as they were also called kept them with hopes of Ethiopia.
They had to cross a river. And crossing that river would take them to Ethiopia. To their surprise, it was a big disappointment.
What is the What, In What is the What?
What is the What is explained in the book, as a story many Dinka believe. It is said that the Dinka men were made first, and that God gave them a choice of either choosing a cow, or a "what". The Dinka men were puzzled by God's offerings, and asked God what the "what" was; but God responded saying that by knowledge they should by able to pick the right choice. The Dinka men chose the cow knowinng, that it would be foolish for them to choose the "what" because God was giving them the choice between having a clear future or a murky one. The Dinka men also believed that the "what" was given to the Arabs and that is why there is a hostile enviroment between Dinkas and Arabs.
"What is the What" is the story of a Darfur Surviver. It tells his compelling story, and he survived. How a little boy who led a normal life, until Arabs entered his village, and turned everything upside down. Losing everything he has nothing to do but run. The story goes through he's journey to the "promised land"; and like all journeys it is never easy. When he finally reaches the promise land he is in a refuge camp for three years. He after many relocation, is then moved to Atlanta and faces the prejudice remarks from his peers. He learns that life is a journey that will never end. In the end Achak teach us all a lesson: That life is about, wanting to live; and that taking everyday by day is what is is all about. Life is about wanting more than just fate, and that is what Achak wanted.
In the end even after the robbery and all the flashbacks, Achak continues his normal life and takes everyday as it comes.
And as it comes, Achak is defying What is the What....