New Members of the Group

Although I was creating this blog solo before, that is no longer the case. Rachael Maggiani and Katrina Idreos are joining the group, and will be contributing to the posts. I'm looking forward to their input and we will all be working together now to improve the blog and provide advanced analysis of the novel along with discussion topics for you to answer.

Thanks!
Katherine

Welcome!

Welcome to my new "What is the What" blog! Anyone, whether you have read the book or not, is encouraged to respond. Thanks!

Analysis of Chapters 1 and 2

The first two chapters of Dave Eggers' "What is the What" give an introduction to what is to come in the novel. The action starts out immediately with the main character, Valentino, being robbed. It was somewhat of an unexpected start to the novel, but as the chapter goes on, the author ties in more and more information that gives the reader a taste of the subject matter that may be included in the biography.

Eggers' diction is not particularly unique, but is powerful. He uses very to-the-point sentences, and this increases the reality of Valentino's harsh past in Sudan. The vocabulary is somewhat simple, and this makes it feel as though you are hearing the story from Valentino himself rather than the author.

Discussion Topic

What do you know about Sudan? Could you locate it on a map if asked?

Image found at http://ec.europa.eu/echo/images/photos/sudan/sudan_01.jpg