If you think 9/11 didn’t have a direct impact on the Midwest, you might have an argument. But if you think post-9/11 Midwest isn’t shaped differently than before, you’re quite wrong. Taking the setting to my home state, the novel Chicago by Alaa Al Aswany paints the climate of the Windy City by examining several Middle-Eastern descendants at the University of Illinois Chicago and their relationships with each other, those of different backgrounds, and their connection to the ebb and flow of Chi-Town. When ethinicity is brought to the forefront, the characters in this book are displayed, examined, and challenged to illustrate the emphasis on diversity, customs, traditions, and traits that each tries to rid themselves of or hold on to.
