The phrase what is the what carries a distinct weight that shifts depending on whether you are looking at it through a philosophical lens or searching for its famous literary origin. At its core, the expression serves as an inquiry into the fundamental nature of existence, suffering, and human purpose when faced with overwhelming adversity.
Most readers encounter this phrase because of Dave Eggers' acclaimed 2006 novel, What Is the What, which chronicles the life of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the "Lost Boys of Sudan." Understanding the true meaning behind the title requires looking closely at Dinka folklore, the realities of civil war, and how language attempts to make sense of trauma that defies description.
The Literary Origin: Dave Eggers and Valentino Achak Deng
To understand what the phrase means in context, you have to look at the real-world story that inspired it. Valentino Achak Deng survived the Second Sudanese Civil War, walking thousands of miles across East Africa as a child before eventually immigrating to the United States. When Dave Eggers collaborated with Deng to write his biographical novel, the title was drawn from a specific piece of Dinka cultural heritage.
In Dinka folklore, the creator god, Manut, created humans and offered them a choice of gifts. Manut presented a series of items—cattle, land, and tools—and eventually asked humanity to choose "the what." In the traditional story, "the what" represents the unknown, the mystery of life, or the ultimate essence of creation itself.
By titling the book What Is the What, Eggers and Deng frame a life of profound displacement not just as a political tragedy, but as an existential journey. Deng's survival forces him to constantly confront the fundamental question of what life actually means when everything familiar has been stripped away.
Philosophical Interpretations of the Question
Outside of specific literary references, the phrase operates as a timeless philosophical prompt. When people ask "what is the what," they are usually trying to bypass surface-level details to get to the absolute core of a situation.
- The Search for Inherent Purpose: Existentialist philosophy argues that existence precedes essence, meaning humans must create their own purpose. The question "what is the what" mirrors this struggle, asking whether an objective reality exists beneath our subjective interpretations.
- The Limits of Language: Sometimes, language fails to capture the magnitude of human experience. Just as Deng's wartime trauma resists simple explanation, the phrase points to realities that words can only approximate rather than fully define.
- Reflective Introspection: In casual or psychological contexts, the question urges individuals to strip away social facades and confront their core motivations, fears, and truths.
Common Misconceptions About the Phrase
Because the phrasing is unusual and repetitive, readers and searchers often misinterpret its intent. Clearing up these confusions helps clarify why the term resonates so deeply in modern culture:
- It is not a grammatical error: While the double phrasing sounds awkward at first glance, it is an intentional stylistic choice drawn directly from oral storytelling traditions.
- It is not a generic idiom: The phrase doesn't have a standardized definition in everyday English slang; its meaning is anchored entirely to its literary and philosophical roots.
- It is distinct from general nihilism: While the question arises from a chaotic world, the story behind it emphasizes resilience, memory, and the ongoing human drive to find connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the book What Is the What structured as a hybrid of fiction and nonfiction?
While the events in the book are based on the true life experiences of Valentino Achak Deng, Dave Eggers structured it as a novel to protect real individuals, reconstruct dialogue from memory, and create a narrative flow that captures the emotional truth of surviving a civil war.
Who are the Lost Boys of Sudan?
The "Lost Boys of Sudan" is a term used to describe a group of over 20,000 boys of the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War. Thousands undertook perilous journeys on foot to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya.
How does the Dinka creation story frame the title?
In Dinka tradition, God offers humans a choice between material wealth and the unknown mystery of creation—referred to as "the what." Choosing the unknown represents wisdom, curiosity, and an acceptance of life's inherent unpredictability.
Is the book part of a series?
No, What Is the What is a standalone biographical novel. Its narrative begins with Deng's modern life in Atlanta, Georgia, and unfolds backward and forward through flashbacks detailing his childhood in Sudan and his years in refugee camps.
