Paper 2 Perspective Outline

How can examining a literary text from different perspectives enrich our understanding of both the work and the techniques used by the writer? Base on two works studies. 

Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and Naguib Mahfouz’s “The Thief and The Dogs” can both be read from a different perspective lenses, A post-colonial lens and a Marxist lens respectively. These unique lenses allow for each of these text’s tragic hero’s to be examples of victims of a changing social-political context. In effect, through these lenses both authors are able to make comments on the necessity of change in an every changing world 

Both authors create their protagonists as being tragic hero's, who’s actions which resulted in their downfall are justified through the different perspectives. Through a different perspective, victimization is used as a means to comment on the contextual powers which lead their protagonists to their downfall 

Through a post-colonial lens, Okonkwo can be seen as being a victim to a colonial invasion of his homeland as he attempts to protect his tradition and values 

Through a Marxist lens, Said can be seen as being a victim to the bourgeoise and the tensions between the social classes 

Both authors are unique structural techniques which can be explained and justified through a different perspective. These structural can be seen as reflection of the social context each of the authors are writing in 

Achebe uses different structures in the first and second parts of the book to reflect the colonial invasion of Umuofia 

Naguib uses SoC with Said as means of reflecting the paranoia under Nasser, a leader who gave up previous values for a more populist rule 

Lastly, both author’s themes can be seen as a critical comment on contextual issues when observed from different perspectives, that the necessity of change in a changing world is necessary for survival  

Characterization Analysis

This Passage reveals Said’s interpretation of the actions he has committed in the novel so far, which creates an element of characterization of Said as he slowly descends into madness. This characterization through his inner monologue uses the literary technique of stream of consciousness, which taps into the protagonist's unfiltered thoughts. The significance of this scene to Said’s character is that his Hubris reaches a climax as he acquits himself of his crimes in a mock trial, as he can only see himself as justified in his path of revenge. 

Through the use of stream of consciousness Said addresses the mock hurry in his mind, with a question that the reader most likely also has at this point, “You must assert that the treachery has become a silent conspiracy”. As up until this point in the novel, Said has killed two innocent men on his path to vengeance, and we the reader hasn’t seen any critical reflection by Said on his actions. As such, Naguib utilizes the stream of consciousness to answer this question. “. Rauf Ilwan's servant was killed because, quite simply, he was the servant of Rauf Ilwan” this characterizes Said’s hubris. As Said sees that his actions are justified on the basis that it was off revenge. Preventing the character from having any form of an anagnorisis, making his coming downfall more a message for the flexibility of change for the current Egyptian context.  

This is furthermore explored through the use of imagery of a courtroom. “Yes, these words will glitter; they'll be crowned with a not-guilty verdict. You are sure of what you say. And apart from that, they will believe, deep down, that your profession is lawful, a profession of gentlemen at all times”. This furthers Said's inner conflict as he is driven more into madness. Additionally, it provides an element of characterization as the reader sees Said's delusion of his actions and his senseless flawed moral code backed by his belief in revenge. 

Lastly, Naguib uses a third person narration to further characterize Said’s Hubris. “Then the verdict came down: that he was a great man, truly great in every sense of the word. His greatness might be momentarily shrouded in black”. Naguib shows how Said has slowly descended into a state of madness. He sees himself as a great man for his actions which contradicts his actions of killing. Naguib comments on though he is somewhat morally justified for the actions of which he has committed, he is still lead down a tragic hero path for his inability to recognize his moral flaw.

Stream of Consciousness

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

• the stream of consciousness narrative technique and how it is used to characterize Said Mahran 
• specific elements of language and style and its effect  
• Mahfouz’s context of production 
• Mahfouz’s literary context 

• “The thief and the dogs” by Naguib Mahfouz is an Egyptian modernism novel, following the tragic hero of Said Mahran and his inability to change. Naguib's novel employs the style of stream of consciousness narration in the novel. This narrative style creates a unique piece of psychological realis, which taps into the protagonist unfiltered thoughts and motivations. Highlighted in Italics, stream of consciousness is a structural shift from a third person omniscient narration to a first-person recollection of thoughts. The unfiltered thoughts primarily allow for significant characterization as well as revealing events that are still undisclosed to the reader. Additionally, the styles provide clues to the character’s mental condition, intellect, and emotional stability. An example of the use of this technique is from the very beginning of the book in chapter one. Just getting released from jail, Said’s reactions and initial responses to being released are revealed. His betrayal and resentment towards Ilish and Nabawiyya are reveal through these streams of consciousness. Thus, provides an effective exposition into the story, while at the same time revealing Said’s motivations as a characterization of his overall character. Another significant event of this use of style comes in chapter 17, where Said is contemplating his actions after he killed an innocent man. The stream of consciousness used provides further characterization for Said Mahran. It expresses Said's feeling of guilt for the killing of an innocent man. He also is shown to be somewhat even more critical about his own future, worrying about his fate. Surprisingly he doesn't worry about how he is prosecution, but rather he is more concerned with how he will deal with Ilwan. Lastly, Said still sees he actions as being justified and necessary in his own flawed moral code. The shifting between stream of conscious and third person narrative create a portrayal of the madness which Said is being driven into. He is described as talking to himself and playing out his trial within his head. The tone of his inner consciousness is that of a vindictive tone, reflecting Said's clear motivation of revenge against his perpetrators. The trial imagery can reflect how Mahfouz himself feels like he is being treated with injustices. Lastly, in terms of context the stream of consciousness is a reflection of the suppression of intellectuals by Nasser’s domestic policies. Mahfouz said in an interview that “A simple crime tale became a philosophical meditation on the times! I subjected the main character, Sayyid Mahran, to all my confusion, my perplexities.” Thus, the stream of consciousness is reflective of Mahfouz’s own suppression under the Nasser regime, and how he uses the stream of consciousness. All in all, Mahfouz utilizes streams of consciousness to allows for further characterization, effective exposition, and to reflect the contextual suppression of Mahfouz in the time writing the book.

Thief and the Dogs | Paper 2 Outline | Structure

‘With regards to Thief and the Dogs, explain why Naguib Mahfouz may have chosen to depict events in a particular sequence or order.’ 

The specific structural choices in the “Thief and the Dogs” allows Mahfouz to effectively write Said’s descent in madness and ultimately his tragic death. Which reflect Mahfouz's paranoia as an intellectual writer living in a value shifting Egyptian society. 

Mahfouz utilizes flashbacks as a means of further characterization of Said’s motivation for revenge against his enemies, in order to blend methods of western literature with unique elements of Arabic literature (Don’t know too much about context to say anything critical) 

Mahfouz structures the events and conflicts of the novel as a very fast paced, causing both the reader and Said to have little to no time to reflect on the conflict, this allows for Mahfouz to mirror the paranoia of living in an Egyptian society which oppresses Egyptian intellects 

Lastly, Mahfouz creates tension through his structural choices to create an impactful tragic death for his protagonist Said, revealing Mahfouz's theme that decisions driven off of revenge will lead to the downfall of a person 

Texts In Translation

Your task is to write a response that examines the study of literature in translation. Your response should demonstrate an awareness of specific benefits and challenges through references to today’s readings, as well as making tangible connections to the learning outcomes from Part 3 of the course. 

In a growing interconnected world, the literature produced by a multiplicity of languages is appreciated by cultures all over the globe. The translated of literature from one language to another contains inherent benefits and flaws due to its methodology. The first and most apparent benefit of the study of literature of translation is the consumption of knowledge from a cultural context which is divergent from an individual. In most cases, a translated text is from a different social context. Hence, the text intrinsically embodies the culture and socio-political atmosphere in the context its written in. Thus, allowing a reader to experience a cultural context differing form their own. A debatable positive or negative that translated texts contain is the lack the ambiguity which the original pieces of texts had. As in instances of poetry, language and specific play a huge role in the ambiguity of the conveyed message. Hence the messages/themes conveyed in translated pieces are more direct and straightforward than the original piece of text. This can be inherited as a positive or negative, depending on the intended effect of the ambiguity. Lastly a large negative of the study of translated literature is that literary devices typically don’t take on the same effect as they did in their original language. As on example is certain idioms and metaphor that are unique to specific cultures. An example is the Arabic idiom “على قد لحافك مد رجليك”, which has the literal translation of “Stretch your legs as far as your blanket extends”, this doesn’t make much sense in as a western society. Though the understood meaning is “Live within your means.” Hence, showing how certain idioms and figurative devices are altered significantly to find the true meaning of the text. These are significant to part 3 of the course as we see how the translated text is unique and effect by the social context that it was written in.

TEWWG Style Commentary

Example #1 Chapter 2

How? Why? It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again. What? How? Why? This singing she heard that had nothing to do with her ears. The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through all her waking moments and caressed her in her sleep. It connected itself with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh. Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness.

She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto. chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage! She had been summoned to behold a revelation. Then Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid.

Example #2 Chapter 5

So Joe Starks and his cigar took the center of the floor.

 “Ah thanks you all for yo’ kind welcome and for extendin’ tuh me de right hand uh fellowship. Ah kin see dat dis town is full uh union and love. Ah means tuh put mah hands tuh de plow heah, and strain every nerve tuh make dis our town de metropolis uh de state. So maybe Ah better tell yuh in case you don’t know dat if we expect tuh move on, us got tuh incorporate lak every other town. Us got tuh incorporate, and us got tuh have uh mayor, if things is tuh be done and done right. Ah welcome you all on behalf uh me and mah wife tuh dis store and tuh de other things tuh come. Amen.”

Tony led the loud hand-clapping and was out in the center of the floor when it stopped.

Example #3

“What she doin’ coming back here in dem overhalls? Can’t she find no dress to put on?— Where’s dat blue satin dress she left here in?— Where all dat money her husband took and died and left her?— What dat ole forty year ole ’oman doin’ wid her hair swingin’ down her back lak some young gal?— Where she left dat young lad of a boy she went off here wid?— Thought she was going to marry?— Where he left her?— What he done wid all her money?— Betcha he off wid some gal so young she ain’t even got no hairs— why she don’t stay in her class?—”

When she got to where they were she turned her face on the bander log and spoke. They scrambled a noisy “good evenin’ ” and left their mouths setting open and their ears full of hope. Her speech was pleasant enough, but she kept walking straight on to her gate. The porch couldn’t talk for looking.

The men noticed her firm buttocks like she had grapefruits in her hip pockets; the great rope of black hair swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume; then her pugnacious breasts trying to bore holes in her shirt. They, the men, were saving with the mind what they lost with the eye. The women took the faded shirt and muddy overalls and laid them away for remembrance. It was a weapon against her strength and if it turned out of no significance, still it was a hope that she might fall to their level some day.

Example #4 Chapter 8

“Dis sittin’ in de rulin’ chair is been hard on Jody,” she muttered out loud. She was full of pity for the first time in years. Jody had been hard on her and others, but life had mis-handled him too. Poor Joe! Maybe if she had known some other way to try, she might have made his face different. But what that other way could be, she had no idea. She thought back and forth about what had happened in the making of a voice out of a man. Then thought about herself. Years ago, she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass. It had been a long time since she had remembered. Perhaps she’d better look. She went over to the dresser and looked hard ather skin and features. The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there. She took careful stock of herself, then combed her hair and tied it back up again. Then she starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see, and opened up the window and cried, “Come heah people! Jody is dead. Mah husband is gone from me.”