Characterization of Said Mahran - Passage Analysis

Passage: Chapter Sixteen- The disappearance of Nur

Once there he found it as empty as when he'd left, with only more loneliness, boredom, and worry there to meet him. He took off his jacket and threw himself down on to a sofa in the dark. His own sad voice came to him audibly: "Nur, where are you?"

All was not well with her, that was obvious. Had the police arrested her? Had some louts attacked her? She was bound to be in some sort of trouble. Emotions and instincts told him that much; and that he would never see Nur again. The thought choked him with despair, not merely because he would soon lose a safe hiding place, but because he also knew he'd lost affection and companionship as well. He saw her there in the dark before him--Nur, with all her smiles and fun-making, her love and her unhappiness--and the terrible depression he felt made him aware that she had penetrated much deeper within him than he had imagined, that she had become a part of him, and that she should never have been separated from this life of his which was in shreds and tottering on the brink of an abyss. Closing his eyes in the darkness, he silently acknowledged that he did love her and that he would not hesitate to give his own life to bring her back safe. Then one thought made him growl in anger: "And yet would her destruction cause so much as a single ripple anywhere?"

No, definitely not. Not even a pretense of grief would be made for loss of Nur, who was only a woman with no protector, adrift on a sea of waves either indifferent or hostile. And Sana, too, might well find herself one day with no one who cared to look after her. These thoughts scared and angered him and he gripped his gun and pointed it in front of him in the dark, as though warning the unknown. In deep despair, delirious in the silence and dark, he began to sob; and sobbed until late in the night sleep finally overcame him.

Analysis:

This passage is an extract from chapter 16, wherein Nur did not return home and Said anxiously waits for her. To his dismay her disappearance incites mental anguish, as he feels helpless not knowing her whereabouts or safety. These feelings progressively worsen and intensify, which reveals the psychological complexities of Said’s character. Throughout the novel the readers are exposed to his yearning for reckless revenge. However, here we are able to see Said’s exposure to the path of love and new beginnings.

This passage is a significant moment and contributes to the characterization of Said Mahran as it reveals his vulnerable nature, which deviates from his constant fixation with revenge and longing for agency. The reader’s learn that Said fears “loneliness, boredom, and worry.” He additionally fears the loss of “affection and companionship.” This fear is somewhat ironic, as it is common knowledge that prison is a consequence for committing a crime. A crime with a magnitude as large as murder places individuals behind jail bars alone, which will make him feel more isolated from normal life. Hence, his actions will deepen the extent of his misery.

This passage reveals the theme of remorse through Said’s character through the constant use of rhetorical questions or hypophora, such as “Had the police arrested her? Had some louts attacked her?” These questions fuel doubt and anxiety in Said, which in turn leads him to feel great insecurities in himself and his relationships.

This passage also highlights the theme of despair and loneliness as Mahfouz intentionally utilizes adjectives that reference “darkness” to symbolize loss of hope. Through the use of imagery, it is revealed that he does love Nur. This love was previously taken for granted and neglected. But, in this instance he is able to recognize his need for her. The narrator mentions that Said closes “his eyes in the darkness, he silently acknowledged that he did love her and that he would not hesitate to give his own life to bring her back safe.” And, in this instance of dreaming, “he saw here there in the dark,” making Nur seem as if she is only an illusion and that she no longer exists. This makes the idea of Nur’s disappearance permanent, which causes more psychological distress for the protagonist. Said had been in denial of his love for Nur as he was very much immersed in the desolation he experienced caused by betrayal. Said may also be experiencing hallucinations, which describes the peak of his mental anguish as he envisions Nur’s “smiles and fun-making, her love and her unhappiness.”

This passage brings to light the theme of realization, as through Said’s mental journey he comes to realize that Nur “penetrated much deeper within him than he had imagined.” In this instance, the pace begins to slow down as he comes more reflective and aware of his feelings. However, this awareness is heightening his suffering, as now he is completely alone with nobody to resort too. In a sense, this acts as another betrayal.

The theme of realization is furthered as he realizes Nur’s depression and finally sympathizes with her, as she was “only a woman with no protector, adrift on a sea of waves either indifferent or hostile.” The use of imagery here describes Nur as a character who has endured a lot of suffrage with poverty and abuse. She grew very fond of Said, but he did not return the affection. As they say, you never know what you have until it’s gone, and now Said is realizing. He became consumed in overwhelming loneliness and realizes her value. He then becomes scared that his daughter Sana may encounter the same struggles. Finally, Said begins to cry. Said is characterized as a vulnerable individual. This vulnerability has developed throughout the course of the novel as a result of numerous betrayals and the disappearance of Nur heightens this.

Dana's Theories 

1. Nur reported Said to the police in order to gain some sort of reward and attempt to flee from her misery.
2. Nur died as foreshadowed by when the fortune-teller told her she would achieve “security [and] peace of mind."

Stream Of Consciousness Narration

Why does Mahfouz employ stream of consciousness narration in the novel and to what effect?

Literature is multi-faceted and acts as the foundation of humanity’s cultures, beliefs, and traditions. It serves as a reflection of reality, a product of art, and a window to an ideology. An author can choose to impersonate a certain ideology with animadversion or approbation. The author Naguib Mahfouz chose to present the circumstances in Egypt using the scream of consciousness narrative technique, in the book The Thief and the Dogs.  Stream of consciousness narration provides an interior monologue to show the character’s emotion, mental stability and thinking process. This is often scattered or disorganized. This narrative technique gives the readers a direct insight into the thoughts of the protagonist. This interior monologue can either be direct or indirect. A direct interior monologue mimics the character’s continuous stream of thoughts directly. While, indirect monologue is aided by the author or narrator; who presents the character’s thoughts.

            This type of narration greatly impacts the delivery of Mahfouz’s ideology. The plot may be deemed less suspenseful and enthralling in comparison to novels written in third person omniscient. This is because it is less structured in order to wholly reveal the psyche of the main character as opposed to the development of the plot. In this case, plot is not the driving force of the novel, but it is more based on the characters and their experiences. A panoramic-like portrayal of events is abandoned when adopting this technique; this is because it is predominantly limited to one perspective. Hence, this may hinder the reliability of the narration as the character’s biases are transferred to the reader. This particular character internalizes their circumstances differently than other characters might. The text may lose authenticity, as it does not authentically engage with a reality. Novels that apply this type of narration take a psychoanalyst standpoint in order to display the psychological reality of the individual. Finally, this type of narration defies traditional archetypes. The reader becomes so closely involved in the protagonists thoughts, thus it is difficult to label them to a specific archetype, holding a traditional “good” or “evil” role. For example, in Naguib Mahfouz's novel The Thief and the Dogs, the protagonist, Said Mahran, is a thief which is traditionally noted as “evil.” However, the readers are able to empathize with his internal conflicts, thoughts and emotions, which allow them to recognize his “good” intentions towards justice.

In The Thief and the Dogs, Mahfouz cunningly employs an amalgamation of a realist style and the stream of consciousness style. The narrative shifts between direct and indirect monologues, third person narration and soliloquies. Ultimately, the author aims to engage with the changing social and political realities in relation to the way the Said Mahran, the protagonist, interacts with them. The readers view Mahran struggling to control his circumstances and his emotions become increasingly more volatile.

This novel was published in 1961, which is several years after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. This rebellion involved overthrowing the government and implementing Nasser’s regime. This new legal system negatively impacted the intellectuals, as they were censored and tortured for deprecating the government. Mahfouz was the first to use this technique in Arabic literature. He did so in order to display the suffrage of the intellectuals and their ability to adjust their lives post-revolution. Mahfouz illustrated both sides of the spectrum. Characters such as Rauf Ilwan sacrificed his Marxist ideologies in order to attain wealth. While characters such as Said Mahran remained rebellious in order to fight for his ideals. The uninhibited access to Mahran’s mind unleashes his deep thoughts and emotions in order to gain the audience’s sympathy.

Examples of uses of different narrative techniques:

1)    Indirect Interior Monologue:

"Once more he breathed the air of freedom. But there was stifling dust in the air, almost unbearable heat, and no one was waiting for him; nothing but his blue suit and gym shoes." (Chapter 1)

• This acts as the exposition of the story.
• The actions and thoughts of Said Mahran are revealed through a narrator (the author)
• This distances the readers from the character in order to create an impartial first encounter with the protagonist.
• The effect of this on the reader is that they are able to sympathize with the protagonist, while recognizing his circumstances of exiting jail.

2)    Direct Interior Monologue

"You might perhaps be thinking you've got rid of me forever now, Rauf! But with this revolver, if I have any luck, I can do wonderful things. With this revolver, I can awaken those who are asleep." (Chapter 9)

• This type of narration allows the readers to engage with Said Mahran’s psychological state. This is noted as psychological realism.
• The viewers are directly exposed to his inner turmoil and inability to control his surroundings.
•  This creates a disparity between Mahran and traditional archetypes, as the readers are able to understand his character on a more personal level, rather than merely a thief.
• Said Mahran’s emotions and yearning for revenge are exemplified.
• Often times this type of narration dismisses narrative structures to display the chaotic thought process of the characters. The portrayal of their emotions and thoughts are “raw.”

3)    Soliloquy

"Where have all your principles gone now, Rauf? Dead, no doubt, like my father and my mother, and like my wife's fidelity... All those graves out there, immersed in the gloom, don't jeer at my memories!" (Chapter 11)

• The main difference between direct internal monologues and soliloquies is that in soliloquies there is recognition of the presence of an audience. Therefore, there is no need for assistance in narration from a narrator. While, direct internal monologues are very much a pure manifestation of the types of thoughts that occur in one's mind. Hence, they are unrefined and may be difficult to follow. This requires some clarification from a narrating voice.

In conclusion, Mahfouz utilized a stream of consciousness technique in conjunction with a realist style in order to fulfill his political agenda. These techniques reveal the past and the possibilities for the future. The readers are provided with a unique insight into the mind of Said Mahran and are able to figuratively engage with his inner struggles and psychological instability as a result of his circumstances.