Immigration Lit Circles!

What is The What
Dave Eggers
Reading Time: 2 hours, Pages read: 103
Date: March 7th

Quote #1 Valentino Achak Deng, page 160: “It is very easy for a boy to die in Sudan”

Significance: This quote demonstrates the extreme circumstances that the people of Sudan were forced to endure. Valentino, growing up in Sudan, lived a pretty normal lifestyle. Later, when the war hit his life, he was forced into the “average” state of living in Sudan. Although many people live normal lives in Sudan, and Africa, there are many very unfortunate people.

Character Judgment: For this judgment I will not judge Valentino Achak Deng, who said the quote, but rather reflect on the the actions of Monynhial whom the quote was pertaining to. Sick of the endless danger and fear, Monynhial committed “suicide”, by living his final days in a hole, created by a bomb. I found this particular section of the book disturbing, and I was surprised that he would actually commit suicide. For me, it would be better to die a quick death (From bombs, or other weapons) then dying of starvation, or just being trapped in a hole, all alone and slowly dying.

Question: My question is...............
If you were in Valentiono's, or Monynhial's situation, always in danger of death, would you want to commit suicide, just to be over with life?

Quote #2 Valentino Achak Deng Page 185: “And after all this, I am still in Atlanta, and I am still on the floor of my own apartment, tied with the telephone cord, still kicking the door. “

Significance: This quotation pertains to the to hardship that Valentino is enduring in his own home, in America! After all the trouble it took Valentino to escape his home country, and immigrate to the United States, he is forced into a ridiculous situation, where he is held captive by a white boy named Michael, who believes he can silence Valentino by dropping a phone book on him. Considering how he is tied by a telephone cord, Valentino's situation seems downright rude!

Connection: I hope that I will never experience the unlikely incident of getting robbed, and imprisoned in my own home. Well, since I have never felt that, I can't connect too well. After reading about that I felt sorry for Valentino, because after all the trouble he got to get to America, he experiences more unfair hardship.

Question: My question is about Michael, the boy who is guarding Valentino, as Valentino is imprisoned and bound. My question is.....................
If you were Michael, and you were guarding Valentino, what would you do?