Study Guide

A Hologram for the King Chapter 5

By Dave Eggers

Chapter 5

Alan learns from Yousef that there's really no development happening at KAEC, despite what Alan has been told.
Moreover, Yousef doesn't believe that the city will ever really be developed. He doesn't think that women will want to come live in Saudi Arabia because of the restrictions.
There are supposed to be more freedoms for women at KAEC, but Yousef doesn't believe those promises will be kept.
It all boils down to economics: globally, too many huge Middle Eastern cities are going bankrupt. Without money, nothing can progress.
This definitely drags Alan down. However, he puts his faith in King Abdullah and his money.
Yousef questions the stability of this. What if the old king dies?
Alan suffers here. He's seen the conceptual drawings for the new city and it looks magnificent. How could it not happen?
When they arrive at KAEC, Yousef's point of view seems confirmed. There's just nothing happening.
They see workers on the desolate road into the city futilely sweeping the desert sand off the sad road.