Zeitoun is a 2009 non-fiction novel by American author Dave Eggers, which details the experiences of a Syrian-American family in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina The novel follows Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun, a married couple living in New Orleans at the time of the hurricane, as they struggle to survive the storm and the aftermath of its destruction. Through the story, Eggers seeks to critique the U.S. response to the crisis, highlighting the racism and xenophobia experienced by the city’s Syrian-American community, as well as the terrible blight of poverty and displacement that lingered after the storm.
The five best examples of topics that could be written about Zeitoun include:
1. An examination of the racism and xenophobia that the Zeitoun family faced during and after Hurricane Katrina, and how it affected their experience of the storm.
2. A discussion of the Zeitoun family’s commitment to the rebuilding of the city of New Orleans and the role of faith in their story.
3. A comparison of the U.S. government’s response to Hurricane Katrina versus other large-scale natural disasters, such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
4. An analysis of the narrative techniques used by Eggers to bring the Zeitoun family’s story to life, such as the use of flashbacks, foreshadowing, and narration.
5. An exploration of the themes of resilience, hope, and faith that are central to the novel.