Stream of consciousness is a writing technique used by the author in order to show the inside of the main characters mind. In The Thief and the Dogs, the readers are given the opportunity to view ideas and certain opinions about certain situations through the mind of the main character, Said. Mahfouz uses stream of consciousness as a way to develop the main character and the overall theme of the novel swell as help the audience relate to the main character in a more efficient way. When the novel gives us an insight on what is going on inside the main characters head, the audience is able to understand the theme of revenge and hatred on a level that could not simply be understood through simple narration. Mahfouz wanted to give us a greater insight on the main characters hunger for vengeance as well as his eagerness to see his daughter an also the pain he feels and all the thoughts going through the main characters mind through the main characters point of view. From the first page of the novel, the change in text to italics tell the audience that the main character is thinking and that we are now inside the main characters head. Throughout the novel, italics are used to go inside Said’s head. Being released from jail marks his quest for hate fueled revenge. It is important to know that the original book in Arabic did not have italics. The English translation then used the italics to switch from indirect to direct monologue, thus zooming into the stream of consciousness that is present in the novel. Through being able to go in his head, the reader is able to relate to Said better. The stream of consciousness technique used in the novel by Mahfouz is generally different then Naguib Mahfouz’s other work which tends to be grounded in a more realistic fiction idea.
In the novel "The Thief and the Dogs", Naguib uses this narration to express Said's thoughts as mentioned before. By shifting and changing between different styles, it allows the audience to dive deeper into the main characters thoughts and significantly bring them back to the reality of his situation. This develops Said as a character due to the fact that several traits and emotions are clearly expressed in a more efficient manner. It also allows the readers to relate to the main character with his position and his situation in the story. For example, Mahfouz uses this type of narration during Saids first confrontation with his daughter as a free man. His daughter's rejection brings to him the feelings of humiliation and anger. Another example would be every time Said think about his betrayal, which brings back Saids intentions for revenge and retaliation, and serves as an elucidation for these motives. moreover, it creates a larger significance on the reader as they are exposed to Said's distinctive situation. This technique is successfully exposed throughout the whole novel. Through the use of internal soliloquies and sudden drifts to different types of third person narration, the main characters story is revealed in a circular plot. There is a clear line presented between past and present, which aids the reader to sense that Said can possibly be in a certain state of remembrance especially during the start of the novel. Saids choices and motives are highly influenced from past events, so it was critical for Mahfouz to include the shift to the past in order to show us the root to all of Saids troubles as well as where all his ideas originate in order to relate to Said and help develop Said's character more efficiently.
Good job bro. You demonstrate a good understanding of the text, as showcased in your "creative" blog post.
ReplyDeleteI like your use of the introductory definition and explanation of the technique that the you are going to be focusing on. This gets the reader hooked and wanting to read more. Could have possibly used many small paragraphs instead of two large ones just to keep the reader paying close attention to what you are saying rather than losing concentration. I think the use of examples from the text are good as they help to relate what you are saying to the novel at hand.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog. You provided good understanding of context in relation to the narrative technique used by Mahfouz. I agree with Oakley, your response would better maintain the attention of the audience had you shortened your paragraphs. All in all, very good job
ReplyDeleteYou have a solid introduction on the definition of stream of consciousness as well as a good understanding of the novels plot and character analysis. However , this post would could be improved by adding some quotations from 2/3 chapters and describing what technique was used (direct/indirect monologue, soliloquy). This is a good point :"Saids choices and motives are highly influenced from past events, so it was critical for Mahfouz to include the shift to the past in order to show us the root to all of Saids troubles as well as where all his ideas originate in order to relate to Said and help develop Said's character more efficiently. " This shows your understanding of the novel. :)
ReplyDelete