What is the What #2

Throughout my reading, I have noticed repetitions of these colors:

• Red (sometimes referred to as the color of blood)
• Orange (fires or the color the rebels wear)
• Blue (the blue dog and the woman in the blue dress who is ran down by the murahaleen.
• White (the color the Arabs wear; the boy in the town who towers above Valentino and Deng)
• Yelllow (the dress Valentino's mother wears; the candy the Arab offers Valentino)
• Black (the color of the murahaleen's horses and weapons)

I do not know what these colors mean, but they stand out to me and I have a strong feeling that they have a purpose in the story.

Pages 57-87:
On page 59, Valentino is sitting on top of a horse, towering over his father and Sadiq. He feels so high up- it reminds me of the Greek Gods atop Mt. Olympus. Soon after feeling high and mighty, he is disturbed from his fantasy when the horse bites him, sending him back down to the ground. The novel has repetitive references to being up high and being down to the ground. Sometimes, when Valentino is playing in the market, he is way on the ground and the Arabs come in, voices in the sky, towering over him.

I like the story that Valentino's father tells the Arabs about the creation of the earth. Finally, the title of the novel is explained.It tells me more about the conflicts between the Dinka people and the Arabs. It seems sad how the Dinka see the Arabs as inferior, for they have the "What", and the Arabs see the Dinka as inferior. But now the Arabs are stealing the cattle from the Dinka. Does that mean the Dinka are now left with the "What"?

On page 74, Valentino sees helicopters for the first time and describes them as crickets. This seems reminiscent of the plagues sent by God. The Dinka's land is no longer fertile for it is being burned by the murahaleen. Men, women, and children are all dying and the survivors are left to watch the destruction of the land.

When Moses and William K tell Valentino about the death of Joseph, they both push their fingers into the middle of his throat. I think there is a reason why this action was repeated in the chapter. Once again, I do not know what it is.

Pages 88-134:
The paragraph at the top of page 105 stands out to me. The emotions that the author expresses are very strong. I feel distraught, reading about Amath accepting her fate, especially since I know that she will not end up well in the north. I also relate to Valentino's anger when he watches his friends and neighbors passively stand by, not fighting back. This anger helps him survive and to escape. If I were in his place, I do not know what I would do. Perhaps I would have accepted my fate, even if it is nicer to believe that one would fight against it.

"No one was important enough to fly away from the war, not in those days." (p.108)

 This line in the book stood out to me. It really stresses how dangerous the situation was and how hopeless everyone felt.
On page 114, Valentino describes his connection with children. It is a "Christ-figure quality". He is good with children and enjoys spending time with them. So now I will be trying to look for more qualities.