logo

50 pages 1 hour read

What Is The What

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2006

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

The second “What” of the title represents the unknown in the novel. What examples from Deng’s own life demonstrate the meaning of the “What?”

2.

Deng spent an extraordinary amount of time in the refugee camp before finally being given passage to America. Why did he have to wait longer than the rest of his friends? What qualities or choices may have contributed to this?

3.

How does Eggers use the presence of Michael, Julian, and the members of the club as a rhetorical device to tell the story? Is this effective? Why does Deng direct his story at characters who are not physically listening to him? 

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 50 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools