April Littrell
The Thief and the Dogs
Whilst the mutual exchange of intellectual conceptions so gaily transpired, many a pungent potato of thought was heartily unearthed. Even though half the class did not speak, those who did speak had discovered the beautiful nugget that is perspective. Said is set up as this awful, treacherous, inhuman piece of rubbish, left to wander the streets with a vendetta after his release from incarceration. As the reader, one experiences an influx of emotional gravity towards him as the novel progresses. He is, after all, a human being, and our protagonist. He appears externally cold, yet intrinsically compassionate. This is evident in the numerous ventures of his past whereupon he had aimed to court Nabawiyya. I conjure the notion of the two having never been in love at all, for it is mere infatuation that brings them together under the symbolic, overseeing tree.
Nur… Nur is a different story. She greatly contributes to the tragedy that is Said’s life by giving it color. The kind prostitute is beautifully portrayed as hospitable, loyal, and mysterious. The mysteriousness is the kicker, for her absence is of greater metaphorical and psychological value than her presence. Said ponders many a time over his concealed love for Nur while he sits alone in her apartment. This period of reflection is a direct comparison to the trials of Sisyphus, which we read about in a previous class. Sisyphus’s endurance was challenged more so mentally than physically, which was also true for Said. He cannot handle being alone for so long because he is left to lament the loss of his daughter, his unsuccessful attempts at revenge, and his unconfessed love for Nur. In the end, the class did not come to a conclusion about his death. It was not outwardly stated whether or not he died, but it was safe to assume so.
Written for a high school class.
The Thief and the Dogs by Naguib Mahfouz