4. What is the what

Pgs. 188- 227

The Nile is ironic in the sense that it is supposed to represent hope and a new path to freedom but instead, it is filled with dead bodies and mosquitoes that fed on the already malnourished Dinka. The same is for the Gilo River, which is infested with crocodiles. The other side of the Gilo river is described by Valentino as "....it looked very much like the side of the river we were on..." And just as Valentino says, later on when they do reach the other side, they find nothing that they hoped for.

Also, it is in the dark, that Valentino reunites with his best friend, William K. Rain is also mentioned and it has dual purposes; as it is the sign William K recognizes for when he will return home and it also creates a swamp that the boys have to trudge through.

There is a part on pg. 194 that makes me think back to U.S History again as they discribe how southern Sudan and northern Sudan can't unite and that the chiefs of both sides couldn't possibly reconcile. This relationship resembles the Union and the Confederacy at the time of the Civil War.

When a boy died, "...his head touched the tree, the life in him would fall away and his flesh would return to the earth." This reminds me of the Oversoul cycle, or Walt Whitman's poem, Leaves of Grass.

The man that refers to himself as "nobody" is symbolic for something, but I'm not quite sure for what...
The color red is commonly associated with the sun and the bicycle is mentioned again and it seems like another symbol of freedom for Valentino.

Also, its ironic how Ethiopia seems like heaven for William K and Valentino but turns out to be nothing like they imagined. Instead of having a new life with school, supplies, and homes, they are met with death and no food once again.