Stream Of Consciousness, Narrative Style Analysis

How, why, and to what effect does Mahfouz use stream-of-consciousness narration in the novel?

The Thief and The Dogs is an Egyptian novel written by Naguib Mahfouz, and it is a pioneer of psychological realistic novels in Arabic literature. Mahfouz uses modernistic conventions, particularly the stream of consciousness in his novel to produce a unique piece, with the purpose to enhance the characterization the novel’s protagonist, Said Mahran. Mahfouz aims to reproduce a continuous flow of Said’s mental processes throughout the novel to be able to further understand Said as a character and the way his mind works that has led him to do what he does, thus justifying for his actions and behavior. Mahfouz creates the illusion that the reader is within Said’s mind, which is done through Said’s interior monologue. An example is “I suppose I'd find nothing but betrayal there: Nabawiyya disguised as Rauf, Rauf disguised as Nabawiyya, or Ilish Sidra in place of both--and betrayal would cry out to me that it was the lowest crime on earth.”. In this moment, Mahfouz’s anger and drive for revenge continues to grow as he realizes that he has been betrayed by the people he was close with at one point, which will soon justify for Said attempting to kill them, to an extent that would allow the reader to understand Said’s own perspectives and external reality, and why he did what he did. Through this, the reader is able to understand the complexities of Said as a character by exposing his motivations and inner thoughts, ultimately humanizing Said and evoking an emotional response from the reader.For instance, “To kill them both--Nabawiyya and Ilish--at the same time, would be a triumph. Even better would be to settle with Rauf Ilwan, too, then escape, go abroad if possible. But who'll look after Sana?” sees Said’s motivations to kill the people who has betrayed him, yet he continues to be concerned for his daughter despite her disowning Said, which humanizes Said as a father figure for looking after his daughter, thus evoking empathy from the reader. Mahfouz also does this through the use of flashbacks, particularly the one of his mother dying, where Said “flew into a real adult's rage, screaming and cursing in protest, smashing a chair to the floor with a crash, so the veneer wood on its back broke to pieces”. The fact that Said was a young boy when he experiences his mother’s death continues to humanize Said and calling for empathy from the reader, which also justifies for Said’s aggression at the moment and for his behavior and actions as an adult, after having traumatized and deeply impacted by that experience. Mahfouz also uses the stream of consciousness technique by having Said imagining what would happen if he is caught in chapter 15 “I am the hope and the dream, the redemption of cowards; I am good principles, consolation, the tears that recall the weeper to humility. And the declaration that I'm mad must encompass all who are loving.”. In this quote, the reader is able to understand how Said views himself in relation to the crimes he has committed, exhibiting his behavioral patterns, ideologies and principles, thus enhancing Said’s characterization, and intensifying the novel’s conflict because Said does not assimilate in the post Egyptian revolution society. At this point, the reader, having access to Said’s mind, begins to see Said lose his sanity as he reaches closer to his death. Furthermore, Mahfouz has used the stream of consciousness narrative technique on Said to reflect his own stance and mindset in relation to the novel’s context of production. The novel was written 9 years after the Egyptian revolution and has resulted into a dictatorial political government where intellectuals, such as Mahfouz himself, have been heavily oppressed and censored. Mahfouz’s writing is influenced by the social changes in contemporary Cairo which also displays his critical stance within the conflict and towards the Egyptian government. By writing a psychological realistic novel, Mahfouz is able to portray human reality more accurately through Said’s stream of consciousness, rather than the use of external observations. 


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