Children fantasize about heros, often those they see in movies or on the shelves at toy stores. The possibility of having superpowers that grant the opportunity to save lives baffles the young mind. These heros become idols. If only they were real life heros, ones that could rescue them and their families. For many children left in the wrath of Hurricane Katrina a hero was difficult to come upon but greatly appreciated when found. For one said to be hero, his story has been made public displaying a superhero in reality. Zeitoun depicts a brave man who refuses to evacuate New Orleans in order to provide aid after the storm. Despite the possible horror the Hurricane would leave behind, Zeitoun channels his inner man and sticks out the storm in …show more content…
It was only right that the man stay behind as the wife and kids evacuate and live happily for a couple of months. The men who remained in New Orleans are practically superheros, but what about the women who stayed and those who left to take care of their children? Feminist criticism in literature denounces male domination that implements expectations on women in addition to men perfectly demonstrated by the male author of Zeitoun, Dave Eggers. Taking into consideration the writer’s identity, feminist criticism inspects the representation of women in literature. There was a time when women had no opportunity to defend themselves without resulting in extreme punishment. Literature grants females the possibility to recognize discrimination and take action against it. The “first wave” of feminist criticism began in the late 1700s and lasted through the early 1900s (Brizee et al.). Throughout this time women wrote and spoke out about equality in all parts of society. …show more content…
Despite her ability to have a career and leave home, Kathy remains trapped in a male dominated chokehold the author Dave Eggers portrays in the novel. Zeitoun treats her with respect, but the limit to her freedom relates to the history of anti-feminism all around the world. For example, “Kathy was the business’s secretary, bookkeeper, credit department, public-relations manager- she did everything in the office, while her husband handled the building and painting” (Eggers, 6). Her role in Zeitoun Painting Contractors was a typical one for a woman. The fact that she stayed in the office handling all of the behind the scenes work as her husband interacted with people and performed the physical labor stresses a female oppressed society. Furthermore, her role as a parent conveys a traditional female persona. In addition to being kept in the office for work, Kathy was expected to balance work and family much more than Zeitoun who was allowed to focus on work with a dedicated hand. When it came time to decide whether or not to evacuate, Kathy’s mind went directly to her children’s safety even though Zeitoun wished to stay behind in the path of Katrina. “Kathy drove away, knowing they were all mad. Living in a city like this was madness, fleeing it was madness, leaving her husband alone in a home in the path of a hurricane was madness” (Eggers, 54). Kathy had to leave to