Sunday, 7 February 2016

Sheikh Ali al-Junaydi

Within the novel The Thief and the Dogs , characters tend to extend beyond themselves into a much greater form of symbolism. Just as certain characters in the novel could be considered representations of particular social classes, the character of Sheikh Ali al-Junaydi also plays a certain role in the story. The Sheikh acts as the soothing presence for the main character Said Mahran. After Said is rejected by his daughter Sana he seeks the company...

Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Thesis Statements

Through Said's quest for  revenge within the novel , Mahfouz explores the definition of justice and its highly subjective nature through stream of consciousness narrative, thereby raising the question of who can be responsible for determining what is deemed as 'jus...

Monday, 1 February 2016

The Tragic Hero

Fatal Flaw (Hamartia) Said's fatal flaw is that he is unable to forgive all those who he feels have wronged him in some way. As with all tragic heroes, Said's fatal flaw is what ultimately leads him to demise as he begins a rapid downward spiral. His quest for revenge is unstoppable as Said actively makes his situation worse. This insatiable thirst for revenge is evident directly from chapter 1 as Said's inner monologue revealed that "The...