The Sudanese Civil War: A Novel by Dave Eggers
1. Introduction
Dave Eggers named his astonishing and heartbreaking work What Is the What a novel so that the book does not claim to be serious historical research. However, as he was finishing the book, he realized that “it was based on facts so incredible that they had to be true.”
What Is the What is the story of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who were forced to flee their homes during the civil war in Sudan (1983-2005). Valentino’s story is based on the real-life experiences of Deng, who was interviewed by Eggers and became a close friend during the writing process.
Eggers has transformed Deng’s story into a touching novel about loss, love, friendship, and redemption. Though Eggers took some liberties with the details of Deng’s life, the novel is essentially true to his story. Eggers has said that he wanted to write a novel that would bring attention to the plight of the Sudanese people and to the lost boys in particular.
2. The Sudanese Civil War
The Sudanese Civil War began in 1983 and ended in 2005. It was fought between the government of Sudan and rebel groups in the southern regions of Sudan. The war resulted in the death of over two million people and the displacement of over four million people.
The conflict began as a result of economic, social, and political tensions between the Arab-Muslim north and the African south. The war escalated when rebel groups began fighting for independence from Sudan. The government responded with a brutal campaign of violence against civilians in southern Sudan.
The war ended with a peace agreement between the government and rebel groups. However, tensions between the north and south remain high, and conflict continues in Darfur, a region in western Sudan.
3. Valentino Achak Deng
Valentino Achak Deng is one of the lost boys of Sudan. He was born in 1972 in a small village in southern Sudan. When he was seven years old, civil war broke out in Sudan. His village was attacked by government troops, and his family was killed. Valentino fled with a group of other children, walking for weeks through the jungle to reach Ethiopia.
Valentino spent several years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya before being resettled in the United States in 2001. He now lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and two children. Valentino works as an advocate for refugees and has dedicated his life to helping others who have been affected by war and violence.
4. Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers is an American author, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (2000), which chronicles his experience as a young widower raising his younger brother after their parents died of cancer within five weeks of each other when Eggers was 21 years old.
Eggers is also known for his work as the editor of McSweeney’s, an independent publishing house he co-founded in 1998. McSweeney’s publishes books, magazines, and online content. In 2002, Eggers founded 826 Valencia, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center for students aged 6-18 years old.
5. The Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War began in 1983 and ended in 2005. It was fought between the government of Sudan and rebel groups in the southern regions of Sudan. The war resulted in the death of over two million people and the displacement of over four million people.
The conflict began as a result of economic, social, and political tensions between the Arab-Muslim north and the African south. The war escalated when rebel groups began fighting for independence from Sudan. The government responded with a brutal campaign of violence against civilians in southern Sudan.
The war ended with a peace agreement between the government and rebel groups. However, tensions between the north and south remain high, and conflict continues in Darfur, a region in western Sudan.
6. Art, Fiction, and History
What Is the What is a work of fiction based on facts. Eggers took some liberties with the details of Deng’s life, but the novel is essentially true to his story. Eggers has said that he wanted to write a novel that would bring attention to the plight of the Sudanese people and to the lost boys in particular.
Eggers has said that he wants his work to be considered “art” rather than “history.” He has said that he sees his role as an author to be one of “a translator or an interpreter” of Deng’s story, rather than “a historian.”
7. The United States and the Lost Sons of Sudan
When Valentino Achak Deng arrived in the United States in 2001, he was one of 3,800 lost boys resettled in this country. The resettlement of the lost boys was organized by the United States government and various nongovernmental organizations.
The lost boys have had difficulty adjusting to life in the United States. Many have struggled to find jobs and housing, and have struggled with loneliness and isolation. However, they have also been able to build new lives for themselves and have made significant contributions to their new communities.
8. Conclusion
What Is the What is an important novel about the Sudanese Civil War and its aftermath. Eggers has done an admirable job of bringing attention to this little-known conflict and its human cost.