Zeitoun Lesson Plan

Why do the Zeitouns stay in New Orleans? Do you think you would have stayed?

On a practical level, the Zeitouns stay in New Orleans because their business and clients are there. After the storm, they are able to buy and renovate several of the properties around their neighborhood (seeing as many residents do not want to return), presumably for a profit. But there must also be a deeper reason, seeing as Zeitoun and the rest of his family still have severe trauma from their ordeal. As expressed in the final pages, Zeitoun finds it meaningful to watch the city rebuild itself and to be a part of this process. Students' responses will vary to the second part of this...