The Thief & the Dogs: CH 3, 4 & 5

Chapter 3 of Mahfouz's novel begins with said rummaging through the newspaper, Al-Zahra. It turns out he's familiar with one of the writers. Said has found that the columns are not as meaningful, now they're full of miscellaneous materialistic subjects. He refers to Rauf Ilwan's former, more significant literature about freedom and other demands.
The protagonist still remains in his vindictive tone throughout.
He realizes that Rauf, too, may have changed a lot due to his successes. He shows up at Rauf's home because he was sure it'd be uncomfortable to reunite with him at the workplace.
The tone gets nostalgic as he recalls that Rauf Ilwan was his mentor, and now... quite possibly the only human being that can aid him with a job.
On pg 37, he refers to Ilish as "that dog!' Which gives the readers insight on the title, huh? :)
Foreshadowing? : Said keeps eyeing the pieces of art in his former mentors home.
There seems to be a slight hint of envy when the narrator describes Rauf as "blue-blooded", but the readers don't have enough info to judge yet, do they?
The two of them toast to the main characters new freedom. And as the conversation continues it seems to me that the rich former mentor is way more positive-thinking. He has that, "this too, shall pass"- type of philosophy about all Said has gone through. He appreciates the freedom Said has been restored. He seems to see the bright side that Said can't see yet. It got a little awkward and intense when it seemed that they said a rude comment to one another. The Said takes it as forgiveness and accepts his advice, too. He turns down Said for the journalist job; and it ends with Said saying: " May God increase your good fortune."
Chapter 4 begins with Said's thoughts on how the real Rauf that he knew had DISAPPEARED, the way that his ex-wife's love had and... his former best friend's loyalty had. He seems to me like he's playing the victim role and I'm actually not buying it.
It's revealed finally that Ilish did in fact snitch on Said, but also that his wife had been somewhat his former accomplice. said sneaks into his former teachers palace to steal!! And I find it intriguing how he relies more on skill than equipment. However, Rauf knows him so incredibly well that he KNEW he'd be trespassing and CATCHES him in the act. He doesn't turn him in to the police, but unfortunately he does tell Said to return the $ he gave him
IRONY: he ends up with less than he came in with.
Ch 5 bored me. He meets with old allies that imply that Said was not the only one to go arrested, but the FIRST to be released. One of the men presents him with a free revolver. Said doesn't seem to trust any one on Earth. It comes off as just plain paranoia. To himself, it seems like he tries to justify stealing later in the chapter. Nur, is a new character introduced. She's a coveted prostitute who actually has feelings for Said, but HE does not reciprocate them. It seems like she's going to help him later on in the story.

The Thief & the Dogs: first 2 chapters

I was rather reluctant to open Nuguib Mahfouz's novel, The Thief and the Dogs because I usually dread assigned reads. Good thing reading the back cover lightened my mood about this story. I felt like being a total dork, so I began reading the Introduction, which no one ever does. It caught my attention that he was Arab because so is my mom :} And it was ironic too, that it took place in Egypt, because it reminded me of this woman in her thirties I have in my Speech 1026.
Anyhow, I really liked how the novel began. Mahfouz successfully kept my attention when I was reading the first page. I liked when the protagonist, later introduced as Said Mahran, said to himself he would "strike like Fate" when referring to his 2 traitors. It made me think of those events in life that are inevitable. The way that death of the body is deemed inescapable by all. Still on the same page, my favorite part was when Sana was first mentioned. How "as the thought oh her crossed his mind, the heat and the dust, the hatred and pain all disappeared, leaving only love to glow across a soul as clear as a rain-washed sky." It made me think of how Love is so unconquerable, and strong that it is capable of healing everything. Nothing can encompass Love's strength. Love made the less than positive aspects of his life, disappear into thin air. Nothing could overcome his love for his daughter. He hadn't seen her in 4 years, but not once was she erased from her mind. He imagined a place where luck, such love, joy and triumph all coincided, and I realized he might learn to forgive the past there, though he refuses to FORGET.
One couldn't help but notice the hypocrisy among him and the other men in the city. For a protagonist, he seems very vengeful. Vindictive, even. Which I hope is one of the traits that improves as the character develops.
I like this quote by his foe, "I have commited no crime. It was partly Fate and circumstances, partly my sense of duty & decency that drove me to do what I did..." It kind of described how I felt earlier today. Sometimes people judge with out getting the whole picture. I felt this afternoon like my decision on somehthing couldn't be deemed wrong, since i felt like everything has its reasons.
Let's see what happens.
By the way, i was totally crushed when the daughter treated Said like some scary stranger.
Chapter two confused me because at first i thought the Sheikf was his father. I loved how the spiritual master spoke in code sometimes. Just so that Said can answer the questions for himself. The chapter ends with a brief description of the main character's first night as a free man after 4 whole years of imprisonment for stealing.

My Reflections on Invisible Cities

We read excerpts from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. The initial reaction I had was, Whoa, these cities are odd. They seem to be straight out of a Tim Burton movie. I'm usually intrigued by the oddities of life, but none of these really interested me.
Ironically, the only one I liked was the one coincidentally assigned to our group. Ersilia's citizens emphasized their relationships using strings in black and white and grays, hanging them from building to building. When the city would become SO overwhelmed with the strings that the inhabitants could not see nor even walk through, they would abandon the area and make a new Ersilia, continuing the string process. However, it'd be impossible for the weaving of strings to match the last one perfectly. The builidings in the abandoned Ersilias would collapse in time, but the evidence of their connections to others would remain.
When first reading the story, you find it ridiculous. You must read it again o capture its true meaning. The symbolism becomes obvious almost. It goes to show that a CITY is never defined by mere architectural structures. A city consists of people socializing and connecting with each other. It's much more than meets the eye, so the citizens of Ersilia tried to make it more visible.
The physical evidence of their emotional ties remained in tact. The homes and businesses did not. It makes me think of how material things do not last, feelings do.

How LOVE withstands the test of time; yet even stone gets weathered down.

Upon my third time reading, my analysis reached a deeper, more spiritual level. It made me think of life after death. How the physical part of humankind withers and dies but the soul lives on forever.
Interesting, don't you think? :)

♥