Zeitoun

Though eventually dismissed as the reason for Zeitoun’s incarceration, Islamophobia did play a part in the way Zeitoun was treated both before and after the storm. Both he and Kathy recall times when their beliefs set them apart from others. Zeitoun not only has to deal with attitudes to his religious beliefs, his name and appearance also provoke intolerance in others. Sometimes, customers cancel or are displeased when they find out where Zeitoun is from. Kathy comes into constant conflict with her family over her decision to wear a hijab. They imagine that, when Zeitoun isn’t around, she can take it off and “be herself,” not realizing that the hijab is a part of her “self.” And though Zeitoun is not told why he’s been arrested, he’s accused of being a member of both Al Qaeda and the Taliban by the soldiers holding him captive. 

The distortion of reality by the media is another theme evident throughout the narrative. Both Zeitoun and Kathy know that reports of the events in New Orleans can’t be taken at face value. They live in New Orleans and know how racism works; they have seen it in action. The portrayal of the predominantly African-American population that was left behind in the aftermath of Katrina was a largely negative one. The media presents itself as an objective source of information, yet the coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath demonstrate how subjective and distorted such information can be. One particularly damning example of the media’s response to Katrina is when Zeitoun realizes that what he thought was a rescue helicopter searching for people is actually carrying a reporter who is photographing a body in the water before they leave, not searching to see if help is needed or even trying to retrieve the body.

From the very first page of the narrative, the reader is made aware of the importance of home. Zeitoun dreams of his home in Jableh and recounts incidents from his childhood there throughout the narrative. When Hurricane Katrina hits, Zeitoun refuses to leave, wanting to stay and protect his home. It’s not simply because he’s a builder, it’s because he’s built a home through success and hard work. Home isn’t simply a place you’re born in, it’s a place built from love and dedication. Home holds and protects memories, so much so that even after their ordeal, the Zeitouns return to New Orleans and build again. Kathy notes of the importance of home as well. Staying at her family home after fleeing the hurricane, she isn’t at peace. Home isn’t simply a house, a place, it’s the feeling of peace and belonging that accompany it, so much so that when Kathy thinks Zeitoun might be dead, she imagines moving the family to Syria to be with Zeitoun’s family. The love they’d receive there would be vital for the children to have a sense of home and belonging.