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.