(FIRST!!!!!!) I feel as if there are a number of messages and themes throughout this novel. However I think the biggest in modernization. In the very beginning of the novel we are introduced, briefly, to a poet beginning his recitations in a café. He is soon told he is no longer needed, that he is being replaced by a radio. This represents modernization, and how the population of a small Arab community is being taken in by the novelties of the Western World. Some of the citizens are also learning English, which shows their desire to fit in with the Western populace, whom they perceive to be richer and wealthier and living more lavish lifestyles. The concept of modernization (really hope that is a word) is also characterized by the prostitution. This enterprise is set up specifically to make money off the Western visitors.
The characters in this novel seem to be stuck between the joys of the "Modern world" and the type of lifestyle they have always known. The audience can sense the religious belief in the citizens of Midaq Alley and see that they play a very important part in their lives, slowing their rate of modernization.
I agree with BPye. Cairo, more specifically Midaq Alley is changing. It is getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. Read Brittany's and add a few spelling mistakes and take out the piece about the Western populace and you have mine.
Another theme is patience. The residents of Midaq Alley are waiting for their lives to change. They complain about where they live, how much they work and how little money they have. They are not willing to take action to improve their lives. They are stuck in a rut and are patiently waiting for someone else to dig them out. It is easier for them to wait (be patient) and let the others change their world rather than do it themselves.
I agree with Brittany that modernization is an important theme of the novel. However, prostitution is sometimes named "the oldest profession" on earth, and I think it occurred even before the British troops came to "unwind". Another example of modernization is the fact that the girls are able to work in factories (Hamida's friends) with the loss of men due to the war. This would be one of the first times in history where women entered the workplace, and thus this action shows modernization. I think there are various themes which are equally presented, and are not more frequent than others (so I'll only talk about two more here...).
One of the main themes of this novel (as Brittany mentioned) is religious observance. To me at least, the mention of God is more frequent in this book than others. In addition, there was a large section about Hussainy's journey to Mecca, which is very connected to religious observance. However, could the theme of religious observance be mistaken for tradition, for religious activities are usually associated with tradition?
Another eminent theme is war. War seems to be presented in a positive light in Madaq Alley. For example, when Abbas and Hussain Kirsha are discussing Hilter's defeat, they state: "How can the war end so quickly? ... Everybody hoped Hitler would be able to prolong it indefinitely" (Mahfouz 247). There are other times where war is shown as a positive thing, when Abbas and Hussain are discussing combat soldiers. " '...like to be a heroic soldier, plunging from one glorious victory to the next. Imagine being in airplanes and tanks attacking and killing...spending money, getting drunk, and raising hell...' " (Mahfouz 247). The characters perhaps think of war (or more specifically WWII) as a positive occurrence because their country has only seen a commercial boom and not necessarily the death and destruction (although Egypt was invaded by Nazis/Italian troops in 1940) war brings.
Hey guys, Another theme is abuse. Husniya beats her husband; Jaada for unreasonable reasons while others look on and say nothing. In 2009, over 38,000 incidents of spousal violence were reported to police across Canada according to the Canadian Spousal Abuse Statistics. Out of those 38,000 incidents, most are not reported. The theme of abuse in this novel brings attension to these statistics, and it made me realize just how many cases are not reported.
Olá, The most prominent theme throughout the novel that I found was selfishness. Hamida did not consider the effect on Abbas or Umm Hamida when she decided to leave Midaq Alley to be with Ibrahim Faraj. Nor did Kirsha consider the pain he was causing his family by continuing his...hobby.....These characters were solely focused on their desires, goals in life etc.
with love, saffron aka really expensive spice aka catherine xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxo
Another theme I found in Midaq Alley is love. Thoughout the novel there are different situations where people in the alley fell in love with eachother.
One example from the book is Abbas Hilu and Hamida when they agreed to get married.
Hai guiz, Totes mcgoats stealing Jen's theme idea. Mostly because in my opinion, love is the main theme of the novel. Really, what was the main conflict? The Abbas/Hamida/Salim Alwan/pimp love story.
It's not sappy romantic love though, except for a few brief sections. Midaq Alley /=/ The Notebook. There are so many conflicts created by love in this novel, such as the one-sided romance of Abbas and Hamida, Hamida's golddiggin' ways, and Ibrahim Farhat's pimpery. All of these conflicts add to the main theme, as well as other themes, e.g. a character's identity being determined by place in society. This theme relates in particular to Hamida, whom I felt to be the truly MAIN character in Midaq Alley. Hamida definitely feels that her place in society determines her identity. She despises living in Midaq Alley and feels that her life could be so much greater, that SHE could be so much greater if only she was on a higher societal standing. It is this belief that leads to her less-than-desirable relationship with Ibrahim Farhat.
I think one of the major themes in the novel is community and the relationships one develops with their neighbours. Looking back, this novel was basically a collection of memoirs based on the lives of a handful of characters. However, each of these characters interacted with each other,either on a small or large scale,causing the lives of the other character to change. If you think about it, many of these characters were not close and had a pretty weak relationship, yet their lives would not be the exact same. While each chapter is based on a different character, they mention other community members and how they interact. For example, in the beginning of the book, Umm Hamida and Hamida were the topic of discussion, as the two ladies talked about their wealth and lifestyle. Later in the novel, Mrs. Afify talks about her relationship with the woman and how they have become closer. To put a "real life" example with this theme, it would be like if an outside author came into the school and penned a novel based on the lives of the IB class. While each chapter would be based on separate students, it would be neat impossible to describe our lives, or at least our school lives, without mentioning a classmate here or there. While we may not realize it, our lives are so intertwined that the absence of one person would entirely change each of our lives in some shape or form.
Hello! I totally agree with Kara and Jen that the theme of love was very central in the novel. Lol at what Kara said, ‘Midaq Alley /=/ The Notebook’. Very true. It’s not a make-your-heart-melt tale, or a Romeo and Juliet tale. But then again, Abbas does die as a result of his love for Hamida, however it was because she betrayed him and his anger was his demise. I think another theme in this novel was envy. It is brought up quite often by the residents of Midaq Alley, for example when Radwan confronts Kirsha to counsel him about his ‘habits’, Kirsha says “It is really envy which eats at their hearts” (Mahfouz 95). It is also apparent that many characters envy each other for one reason or another, mostly because of their financial or social standing, for example Hamida envies anyone who has more money or has a better reputation than her. I think this relates to what Catherine said about the characters being selfish; because their envy makes them jealous of others therefore they will try and do anything to gain advantage. In other words, they will do anything to be envied, no matter what the outcome to other people is. This is what makes them so selfish. - Anna
Oi, I’m very sorry for being late to post this. However, I definitely agree with Catherine in this matter. The major theme in this novel, to me, was selfishness. Although I do agree with many others that love is a major theme, I believe that ‘love’ in this novel is primarily caused by selfishness. The sole case of love throughout this novel that I can think of that wasn’t born from selfish reasons was Abass’ love for Hamida. For example, Hamida’s ‘love’ for each of the three men she became involved with was selfish. Her only reason for wanting to marry any of these men appeared to be their money.
In fact, Hamida as a character could be considered a symbol for selfishness. Another example, Ibrahim Farhat’s love for Hamida was selfish as well, as he only wanted to own and sell her. Furthermore, Salim Alwan’s love for Hamida was also of selfish nature, as he only desired her for her youth and sexual attraction. In general, nearly every romantic or friendly relationship portrayed in the novel had selfish roots and every character’s personality and actions were fueled by selfishness.
I agree with Kati and Catherine in that selfishness is the main theme of the novel. Throughout the entire text, each character was merely attempting to better their own situation. For example, Hamida barely had to think twice about ditching Abass for Salim because Salim was much more capable of supporting Hamida financially. Hamida knew that the only thing she yearned for was money and power – two things that she knew Salim could give her. Abass’s feelings were not of concern to her – she merely wanted to get ahead.
The same selfishness holds true for other characters in the novel as well, such as Kirsha. Kirsha didn’t care if he was hurting is wife by pursing young men – he simply wanted to satisfy himself. He knew that by staying out all night smoking with young men that his wife would feel hurt and betrayed, but her feelings were of no importance to him. Kirsha is also selfish in the sense that he is going against God’s wishes by being homosexual. Since Kirsha, among other inhabitants of the alley, were constantly praising God and praying to Him, one could argue that by pursing homosexual activities, he was acting selfish for not obeying his God, who condemns these activities.
I see the theme of selfishness as very promenent in this novel as well as the modernization within the alley and how it is being protested. At the beginning, the poet who read every day at Kirsha's cafe is replaced by a radio, a sign of the developement, but as the novel progresses, it is seen that nothing is going to change in the alley permanently for a long time. I see the selfishness in the novel as Mahfouz's impression of human nature; he is capable of seeing the world through the eyes of many characters and the reader gets a full understanding of the ulterior motives associated with the actions of every character. There does not exist a character who doesn't put themselves first in one way or another in this novel and this shows the author's perception of human nature.
p.s. sorry i'm late.. I always forget about this, maybe you could send me a direct message Mrs. Hanley? HannahmHarrison on twitter :)
(FIRST!!!!!!)
ReplyDeleteI feel as if there are a number of messages and themes throughout this novel. However I think the biggest in modernization. In the very beginning of the novel we are introduced, briefly, to a poet beginning his recitations in a café. He is soon told he is no longer needed, that he is being replaced by a radio. This represents modernization, and how the population of a small Arab community is being taken in by the novelties of the Western World. Some of the citizens are also learning English, which shows their desire to fit in with the Western populace, whom they perceive to be richer and wealthier and living more lavish lifestyles. The concept of modernization (really hope that is a word) is also characterized by the prostitution. This enterprise is set up specifically to make money off the Western visitors.
The characters in this novel seem to be stuck between the joys of the "Modern world" and the type of lifestyle they have always known. The audience can sense the religious belief in the citizens of Midaq Alley and see that they play a very important part in their lives, slowing their rate of modernization.
Good for you Britt Pye...
ReplyDeleteI agree with BPye. Cairo, more specifically Midaq Alley is changing. It is getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. Read Brittany's and add a few spelling mistakes and take out the piece about the Western populace and you have mine.
ReplyDeleteLaura May...there are other themes evident in this novel...
ReplyDeleteGetting rid of what ? bringing in what?
Another theme is patience.
ReplyDeleteThe residents of Midaq Alley are waiting for their lives to change. They complain about where they live, how much they work and how little money they have. They are not willing to take action to improve their lives. They are stuck in a rut and are patiently waiting for someone else to dig them out. It is easier for them to wait (be patient) and let the others change their world rather than do it themselves.
Hello Captain and Classmates,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brittany that modernization is an important theme of the novel. However, prostitution is sometimes named "the oldest profession" on earth, and I think it occurred even before the British troops came to "unwind". Another example of modernization is the fact that the girls are able to work in factories (Hamida's friends) with the loss of men due to the war. This would be one of the first times in history where women entered the workplace, and thus this action shows modernization. I think there are various themes which are equally presented, and are not more frequent than others (so I'll only talk about two more here...).
One of the main themes of this novel (as Brittany mentioned) is religious observance. To me at least, the mention of God is more frequent in this book than others. In addition, there was a large section about Hussainy's journey to Mecca, which is very connected to religious observance. However, could the theme of religious observance be mistaken for tradition, for religious activities are usually associated with tradition?
Another eminent theme is war. War seems to be presented in a positive light in Madaq Alley. For example, when Abbas and Hussain Kirsha are discussing Hilter's defeat, they state: "How can the war end so quickly? ... Everybody hoped Hitler would be able to prolong it indefinitely" (Mahfouz 247). There are other times where war is shown as a positive thing, when Abbas and Hussain are discussing combat soldiers. " '...like to be a heroic soldier, plunging from one glorious victory to the next. Imagine being in airplanes and tanks attacking and killing...spending money, getting drunk, and raising hell...' " (Mahfouz 247). The characters perhaps think of war (or more specifically WWII) as a positive occurrence because their country has only seen a commercial boom and not necessarily the death and destruction (although Egypt was invaded by Nazis/Italian troops in 1940) war brings.
Yours Truly,
Stuart Thompson
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteAnother theme is abuse. Husniya beats her husband; Jaada for unreasonable reasons while others look on and say nothing. In 2009, over 38,000 incidents of spousal violence were reported to police across Canada according to the Canadian Spousal Abuse Statistics. Out of those 38,000 incidents, most are not reported. The theme of abuse in this novel brings attension to these statistics, and it made me realize just how many cases are not reported.
Olá,
ReplyDeleteThe most prominent theme throughout the novel that I found was selfishness. Hamida did not consider the effect on Abbas or Umm Hamida when she decided to leave Midaq Alley to be with Ibrahim Faraj. Nor did Kirsha consider the pain he was causing his family by continuing his...hobby.....These characters were solely focused on their desires, goals in life etc.
with love,
saffron aka really expensive spice aka catherine xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxo
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteAnother theme I found in Midaq Alley is love.
Thoughout the novel there are different situations where people in the alley fell in love with eachother.
One example from the book is Abbas Hilu and Hamida when they agreed to get married.
Hai guiz,
ReplyDeleteTotes mcgoats stealing Jen's theme idea. Mostly because in my opinion, love is the main theme of the novel. Really, what was the main conflict? The Abbas/Hamida/Salim Alwan/pimp love story.
It's not sappy romantic love though, except for a few brief sections. Midaq Alley /=/ The Notebook. There are so many conflicts created by love in this novel, such as the one-sided romance of Abbas and Hamida, Hamida's golddiggin' ways, and Ibrahim Farhat's pimpery. All of these conflicts add to the main theme, as well as other themes, e.g. a character's identity being determined by place in society. This theme relates in particular to Hamida, whom I felt to be the truly MAIN character in Midaq Alley. Hamida definitely feels that her place in society determines her identity. She despises living in Midaq Alley and feels that her life could be so much greater, that SHE could be so much greater if only she was on a higher societal standing. It is this belief that leads to her less-than-desirable relationship with Ibrahim Farhat.
might as well get on dis...
ReplyDeleteI think one of the major themes in the novel is community and the relationships one develops with their neighbours. Looking back, this novel was basically a collection of memoirs based on the lives of a handful of characters. However, each of these characters interacted with each other,either on a small or large scale,causing the lives of the other character to change. If you think about it, many of these characters were not close and had a pretty weak relationship, yet their lives would not be the exact same. While each chapter is based on a different character, they mention other community members and how they interact. For example, in the beginning of the book, Umm Hamida and Hamida were the topic of discussion, as the two ladies talked about their wealth and lifestyle. Later in the novel, Mrs. Afify talks about her relationship with the woman and how they have become closer.
To put a "real life" example with this theme, it would be like if an outside author came into the school and penned a novel based on the lives of the IB class. While each chapter would be based on separate students, it would be neat impossible to describe our lives, or at least our school lives, without mentioning a classmate here or there. While we may not realize it, our lives are so intertwined that the absence of one person would entirely change each of our lives in some shape or form.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Kara and Jen that the theme of love was very central in the novel. Lol at what Kara said, ‘Midaq Alley /=/ The Notebook’. Very true. It’s not a make-your-heart-melt tale, or a Romeo and Juliet tale. But then again, Abbas does die as a result of his love for Hamida, however it was because she betrayed him and his anger was his demise.
I think another theme in this novel was envy. It is brought up quite often by the residents of Midaq Alley, for example when Radwan confronts Kirsha to counsel him about his ‘habits’, Kirsha says “It is really envy which eats at their hearts” (Mahfouz 95). It is also apparent that many characters envy each other for one reason or another, mostly because of their financial or social standing, for example Hamida envies anyone who has more money or has a better reputation than her. I think this relates to what Catherine said about the characters being selfish; because their envy makes them jealous of others therefore they will try and do anything to gain advantage. In other words, they will do anything to be envied, no matter what the outcome to other people is. This is what makes them so selfish.
- Anna
Oi, I’m very sorry for being late to post this. However, I definitely agree with Catherine in this matter. The major theme in this novel, to me, was selfishness. Although I do agree with many others that love is a major theme, I believe that ‘love’ in this novel is primarily caused by selfishness. The sole case of love throughout this novel that I can think of that wasn’t born from selfish reasons was Abass’ love for Hamida. For example, Hamida’s ‘love’ for each of the three men she became involved with was selfish. Her only reason for wanting to marry any of these men appeared to be their money.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, Hamida as a character could be considered a symbol for selfishness. Another example, Ibrahim Farhat’s love for Hamida was selfish as well, as he only wanted to own and sell her. Furthermore, Salim Alwan’s love for Hamida was also of selfish nature, as he only desired her for her youth and sexual attraction. In general, nearly every romantic or friendly relationship portrayed in the novel had selfish roots and every character’s personality and actions were fueled by selfishness.
From Sarah Cooke
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kati and Catherine in that selfishness is the main theme of the novel. Throughout the entire text, each character was merely attempting to better their own situation. For example, Hamida barely had to think twice about ditching Abass for Salim because Salim was much more capable of supporting Hamida financially. Hamida knew that the only thing she yearned for was money and power – two things that she knew Salim could give her. Abass’s feelings were not of concern to her – she merely wanted to get ahead.
The same selfishness holds true for other characters in the novel as well, such as Kirsha. Kirsha didn’t care if he was hurting is wife by pursing young men – he simply wanted to satisfy himself. He knew that by staying out all night smoking with young men that his wife would feel hurt and betrayed, but her feelings were of no importance to him. Kirsha is also selfish in the sense that he is going against God’s wishes by being homosexual. Since Kirsha, among other inhabitants of the alley, were constantly praising God and praying to Him, one could argue that by pursing homosexual activities, he was acting selfish for not obeying his God, who condemns these activities.
I see the theme of selfishness as very promenent in this novel as well as the modernization within the alley and how it is being protested. At the beginning, the poet who read every day at Kirsha's cafe is replaced by a radio, a sign of the developement, but as the novel progresses, it is seen that nothing is going to change in the alley permanently for a long time.
ReplyDeleteI see the selfishness in the novel as Mahfouz's impression of human nature; he is capable of seeing the world through the eyes of many characters and the reader gets a full understanding of the ulterior motives associated with the actions of every character. There does not exist a character who doesn't put themselves first in one way or another in this novel and this shows the author's perception of human nature.
p.s. sorry i'm late.. I always forget about this, maybe you could send me a direct message Mrs. Hanley? HannahmHarrison on twitter :)