The Thief and the Dogs – Narrative Style Analysis

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


First of all, what is stream-of-consciousness? According to Britannica, it is a, “narrative technique in nondramatic fiction intended to render the flow of myriad impressions–visual, auditory, physical, associative, and subliminal–that impinge on the consciousness of an individual and form part of his/her awareness along with their rational thoughts”. In a novel, it is often described as a technique used to create an interior monologue. 

In Naguib Mahfouz’s novel, “The Thief and the Dogs”, he utilizes this through the psychological projection of the main character, Said, that permits the audience to gain an understanding of the character’s mental process. Furthermore, this ability to probe the complexities of Said’s thoughts also grants analysis into the character’s mental state as he deals with the challenges of his external reality such as dealing with unstable feelings such as revenge and betrayal. 

This can be seen throughout the novel as Said’s experience is told both by third-person omniscient as well as text that details his personal thoughts. An example of this can be seen when Said had just been released from prison and he had gone to meet his daughter, Sana. The narrator describes Said’s reaction to Sana’s rejection using hyperbolic language in stating that, “Said knew now that prison lashings had not been as cruel as he used to think.” This reference to physical torture further enhances the deep sadness this rejection brings upon the main character as it emphasizes that this scene is a form of extreme emotional torture that has rendered him both weak and vulnerable. Additionally, when plotting to kill “the dogs”, that being Nabawiyya and Ilish, Said’s thoughts ask, “but who’ll look after Sana?” of which allows for the character, even amongst his path of revenge, to be humanized by illustrating his devotion and care for his daughter. This point is solidified when he then thinks, “[Sana] rejected me, but I still love [Sana]” of which displays the complexities of his emotions.

Furthermore, it is evident that the longer Said walks on this path of revenge, the more unstable his mind becomes and, as a result, renders his emotions volatile. For example, when he thinks, “Your turn will come, Nabawiyya. There’s no escape from me. I’m the devil himself. I’ve granted you life, thanks to Sana, but I’ve enclosed you in a punishment greater than death; fear of death, the unrelenting terror” he is describing himself as if having complete power over the lives of those who betrayed him; placing himself in the same hierarchy as godly religious figures. This delusion of power shows that he has no real grasp of his limitations which, as a result, can be seen as a contributing factor to his downfall. Instances of failure such as killing two innocent people prove this statement as it demonstrates that he is in fact not invincible to failure. By employing a stream of consciousness to describe this mental deterioration, the reader is able to view Said through his personal narration and therefore develop a more in-depth analysis of the character’s motivations by the exposure of his subconscious state. 

On another note, the use of interior monologue also grants insight into the context that the novel was written. How? Mahfouz had also experienced confusion after the Egyptian revolution as he was faced with a new reality. This can be compared to Said’s experience as, upon being released from prison, he too is dissatisfied with the new world. And, by this access to his internal experience, this shapes the reader’s understanding of his external reality. As, the stream of consciousness was used as a tool to show the disappointment in Said’s reality of which mirrors Mahfouz’s (as well as other Egyptians during that time) dissatisfaction with Egypt’s new government. Therefore, this novel served as a political statement that, through this surrealist type of narration, explored the theme of existentialism on an individual as the central character deals with a corrupt and insufferable society. 

Extension – Mahfouz’s novel differs with Achebe’s novel, “Things Fall Apart” as one of the most prominent aims of the novel was to assure that there was a duality.  Achebe had achieved this through the use of third-person omniscient of which allowed for each character’s perspectives. The reason for this was because, previous to this, stories regarding African culture where mainly written by those who were not African and therefore displayed an unauthentic portrayal that depicted Africans as subaltern to Europeans. Therefore, it was necessary to have this duality in order to highlight the untrustworthiness of a single story. 

In terms of the aspects both novels share, they were influenced by the context of which they were written in.