The Comparison

The most striking differences between What is the What, Of Beetles and Angels, and God Grew Tired of Us is the selection of tone. In God Grew Tired of Us, there is a humorous atmosphere. The directors chose to include moments such as the refugees learning to eat potato chips for the first time, which inspired light-hearted laughter and a sense of innocence into the film. The film found a nice balance between addressing the emotional voids felt by the featured refugees and illuminating the optimism present in their every day actions. Of Beetles and Angels, in contrast, contains a sweet sentiment. Its overall message is that ‘angels’ can be found in the most unusual of places and that recognizing angels in one’s life can be a powerful motivator toward life success. Of Beetles and Angels focuses largely on the people in Mawi’s life rather than Mawi himself; throughout the novel, Mawi describes how the work and words of his father and brother helped him strive to reach a better life. Finally, in What is the What, there is a large aura of resentment, prejudice, and hate. During the first pages, Valentino tells the story of his life to a boy named Michael, the boy holding him hostage in his own home. Throughout the story of Valentino’s suffering in Sudan, he makes jabs at Michael; he notes that Michael must have experienced pain in his life but that that pain will never equate the suffering of the lost boys because at least Michael had clothes, food, and shelter during his hardship. The tone of resentment present in What is the What was surprising and unnerving because it hadn’t been prevalent in the other two refugee stories; however, this tone was also refreshing because in my opinion, it made Valentino seem more human. His flaws and his prejudices, specifically against the Arab people, made him relatable because he openly showed how he was far from perfect- far from an ideal manifestation of the America Dream. Through this tone, Valentino was able to drive his story away from the mold of a ‘universal suffering’ account; his raw honesty revealed an edge of darkness that hadn’t been approached in the other stories.

While the tones between these stories may have differed, the goal of each story remained the same: to reveal a truth. By reading these stories, I have adjusted my definition of truth. Truth is not merely the accuracy of historical events, facts, or even, emotions; it is the dedication to making a point greater than one’s self. It is a devotion to exploring impossible wonders and unfathomable pain while remaining loyal to one’s duty to paint the larger picture. This is what truth is to me, and the stories of these refugees constantly warp and expand this new interpretation.