Zeitoun’s Canoe Symbol in Zeitoun

A simple, unadorned piece of corrugated iron, the canoe that Zeitoun bought several years before Hurricane Katrina reminds him of where he came from. He was born in a small coastal town in Syria, but also was part of a family of seamen, sailors, and ship captains. This symbol of Zeitoun’s past also becomes a symbol of his stubborn determination to help others in the days after Katrina, as he paddles around the flooded city of New Orleans assisting trapped residents and animals. The canoe stands in contrast to the military fanboats and motorboats prowling around the city, transporting officials that seem more concerned about maintaining “security” and “order” than about helping those left behind. Because the canoe is so quiet, Zeitoun is able to hear cries for help that these larger machines cannot.

At one point Zeitoun thinks back to the story of Noah’s Ark, which is an important religious story for Muslims, as well as for Christians and Jews. In some ways Zeitoun’s canoe is a kind of ark, protecting him and those that he helps, and saving them from a destruction so vast that it seems divine in origin. As a modern “Noah,” Zeitoun takes on responsibility for rescuing and saving whomever he can, according to what he believes is God’s will. Indeed, Zeitoun comes to think of his entire ordeal as a test from God.

Zeitoun’s Canoe Quotes in Zeitoun

The Zeitoun quotes below all refer to the symbol of Zeitoun’s Canoe. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

But there was the canoe. He saw it, floating above the yard, tethered to the house. Amid the devastation of the city, standing on the roof of his drowned home, Zeitoun felt something like inspiration. He imagined floating, alone, through the streets of his city. In a way, this was a new world, uncharted. He could be an explorer. He could see things first.

Related Characters: Abdulrahman Zeitoun

Related Symbols: Zeitoun’s Canoe

Page Number and Citation: 94-95

Explanation and Analysis:

Had they been in a fan boat, the noise overwhelming, they would have heard nothing. They would have passed by, and the woman likely would not have survived another night. It was the very nature of this small, silent craft that allowed them to hear the quietest cries. The canoe was good, the silence was crucial.

Related Characters: Abdulrahman Zeitoun, Frank Noland

Related Symbols: Zeitoun’s Canoe

Page Number and Citation: 109

Explanation and Analysis:

Zeitoun’s Canoe Symbol Timeline in Zeitoun

The timeline below shows where the symbol Zeitoun’s Canoe appears in Zeitoun. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...dawn, it occurs to Zeitoun that a flood isn’t impossible, so he drags his secondhand canoe from the garage and ties it next to the house. (full context)

Faith, Perseverance, and Dignity Theme Icon

Zeitoun had bought the canoe, an old aluminum model, from a client a few years before for 75 dollars. He... (full context)

...Orleans, the weather calms in the afternoon and Zeitoun leaves the house to find his canoe floating in the backyard. He paddles around an uprooted tree and through the silent street,... (full context)

...he’s salvaged from the kitchen, but then feels restless and trapped. Then he remembers the canoe, and he imagines exploring the new, uncharted world of the submerged city streets. As he... (full context)

...in their seventies leaning out of their window. They can’t fit the couple in the canoe, so Zeitoun and Frank promise to send someone as soon as they get to Claiborne,... (full context)

...gently and pulls her out the front door, but they can’t lift her into the canoe, and even if they could it would capsize. They tell her they’ll quickly reach Claiborne... (full context)

Crime, Justice, and Injustice Theme Icon

...look their way, and the fan boat fails to stop, its wake nearly tipping the canoe. Over the next 20 minutes, ten more fan boats barrel by, all ignoring their cries... (full context)

...approaches, and this one does stop. They throw a line to Zeitoun and tow the canoe to the woman’s house with the motorboat. The woman directs them to the garage, where... (full context)

...from the houses. Zeitoun drops Frank off at his house and heads back, tying the canoe to the back porch. He cooks a small dinner on his grill, then cleans with... (full context)

...There are tents, military vehicles, and police officers and soldiers. Zeitoun steps out of his canoe and asks one officer to help a handicapped man be evacuated. He gives the man... (full context)

Zeitoun and Nasser decide to check Uptown to see if anyone needs help. The canoe goes faster with two men paddling, and they whiz by the submerged houses. Nasser spots... (full context)

...calls Kathy back and tells him about Zeitoun, whom Raleigh has just seen in his canoe on the local news. Raleigh tells her that he’s been working with prisoners from a... (full context)

Zeitoun sometimes recalls the beauty of the canoe, which allowed him to move and listen carefully. The canoe was gone when he finally... (full context)

Zeitoun

Dave Eggers

Zeitoun’s Canoe Symbol Analysis

Zeitoun’s Canoe Quotes in Zeitoun

Zeitoun’s Canoe Symbol Timeline in Zeitoun