Stream of Consciousness narration
The evolution of literature is a constant. There are countless movements that exist within mediums as well as factors including tradition, context and so on… heavily contributing to this. In the canonical literature of the 20th century, psychological realism is a facet which “breaks away from the old technique of meticulous details and panoramic narration.” It is considered a major paradigm shift that persisted till today which may have provoked Naguib Mahfouz, a Nobelist writer to not only replicate and adopt this westernized narrative style in his work but pioneer it in Arabic fiction by creating a uniquely crafted work of literature that combines both realism and stream of consciousness narration.
The stream of consciousness technique is a product of modernism and one of the cornerstones of psychological realism. It is a writing style that attempts to "imitate the natural flow of a character's thoughts, feelings, memories, and mental images as the character experience them." The reader no longer has access to a panoramic exposure to the world; it is more concerned with the human mind as being a recognized component of a literary text.
The stream of consciousness technique allowed Mahfouz’s narrative impressionist style to prevail in the novel. He felt the need to write a novel using this technique where he can express his modernist movement and shift with his own interest in the human mind. He communicated this experience of living under Abdul Nasser’s legacy in his novel “The Thief and the Dogs.” A modernist novel published in the 1960s and could be described as post-revolutionary and socio-economic commentary and critique or a “subversive act of literary treason.” In his novel, he “subjected the main character, Sayyid Mahran, to all (his) confusion, (his) perplexities.” and when “(he) wrote the criminal’s story, (he) wrote (his) own story along with it. A simple crime tale became a philosophical meditation on the times!” Mahfouz captured the way he saw the world using his character as a medium, where he the protagonist’s thoughts are portrayed in interior monologues that reveal the character’s thoughts and motivations.
The stream of consciousness narration is much more about the mind of the character and fascination of the mind over the plot. Mahfouz doesn’t just want to narrate the story of a thief and entertain the reader. Instead, he wants to explore and communicate the experience and the mental condition of living in that context (under Nasser’s regime.) We are distinctly in the character’s mind. Thus, we can compile a long list of casualties of the protagonist’s character which admit us to a more intimate knowledge of his persona. The true nature of the character is clearly presented by probing into the inner depths of his mind because the reader has access to unfiltered and privileged knowledge of Said who does not have control over the thoughts and experiences we are exposed to. The reader can abandon the clear duality of a set and clear definition “hero” or “villain” when categorizing a character. Instead, we form a more complex and interesting judgement that isn’t clearly categorized as good or bad but instead, a combination of traits. Through this exposure to Said’s experience, one will subconsciously embrace his character's felicity and agony based on a mutual sentiment which enables the reader to apply Said's experiences to a lens that validates the occurrences in his life as viable. This results in shifting the reader's thought process, that even Said's illegal acts of murder and theft are justified to an extent. We also almost begin to question whether Said is a victim of society or just victim of his own morality.
The stream of consciousness narrative amplifies the characterization of the protagonist, Said Mahran. Though the impressions are entirely through Mahfouz’s mind, the narrative style allows the author to diverge from reality to an extent. The protagonist’s interpretation of the world around him is made available to the reader, who is now exposed to the juxtaposition that exists in the objective reality (observed from third-person narration in the novel) contrasted with the internal monologues. In doing so, the protagonist, Said is fully characterized and the reader will inevitably sympathize with him despite his continual mental instability and degradations that are guided impressions of justice. The balance between the internal monologues using the third-person narration provides the reader with an overview of the actions taking place in the novel including the external conflicts which fuel or conduct Said’s behaviour. They also serve the purpose of foreshadowing the development of conflict within the plot and finally fulfil the purpose of a crime thriller, characterized by suspense which intrigues and augments the reader’s curiosity for the novel but equally satisfies it by ebbing the tension of the plot as it starts to reach its peak.
Similarly, flashbacks, which are integral components of the stream of consciousness narration, are effectively employed in a non-chronological manner to ease the suspense and tension in the novel. The relationship between memory and reality is a recurring theme which Mahfouz cunningly employed to reveal plot points that enhance the impact of actions in the present through contrast, to elicit patterns in Said’s character’s behaviour and finally include a series of interrelated anecdotes that Said narrates to provide glimpses of Said's childhood. The circular narrative prompted by the stream of consciousness allowed Naguib to make use of time’s tendency to move forward and backwards in the progression of the novel to be directed to revealing the depth and complexity of Said’s innermost thoughts, emotions and impulses. Ultimately characterizing him further and elevating the reader’s empathy for the protagonist Said. These temporal shifts and realistically rendered reminiscences are some of the elements that make Naguib’s writing so exquisitely drawn.
All in all, Naguib’s novel gave insight into deeply personal and complex experiences by centring the main character's moral and psychological development. Naguib uses the protagonist's vulnerability to explore human complexities in an uncomplicated prose style. Whereas in a purely linear narrative, the reader would not be admitted to this celestial height of knowledge about Said’s character.
Finally, the complex narrative structure of the novel is a ubiquitous element that has a significant impact on meaning and is influenced by context. The novel is a sharply focused reflection of the Egyptian society experience through the turbulent political changes during the twentieth century. Said’s deliberate conviction which leads to his ultimate downfall was essentially a result of challenging and confronting the deep-rooted customs and the lack of equilibrium between social classes of often time’s Egyptian society evident in Said’s emotional surges, especially considering how he assesses and justifies breaking into Rauf’s house - “I wish I could penetrate your soul as easily as I’ve penetrated your house.” Similarly, in the novel, "Things Fall Apart" Achebe is attempting to portray a counter-narrative to the hegemonic portrayal of the African savage and the overarching imperialist ideologues that still resonated in Nigeria pre-independence, where Okonkwo, the protagonist was at the height of his prowess at the beginning of the novel and throughout the structure, as it progresses, he slowly loses prominence in his community. The two novels act as important socio-political commentaries that highlight the importance of subversive literature.
The stream of consciousness technique is a product of modernism and one of the cornerstones of psychological realism. It is a writing style that attempts to "imitate the natural flow of a character's thoughts, feelings, memories, and mental images as the character experience them." The reader no longer has access to a panoramic exposure to the world; it is more concerned with the human mind as being a recognized component of a literary text.
The stream of consciousness technique allowed Mahfouz’s narrative impressionist style to prevail in the novel. He felt the need to write a novel using this technique where he can express his modernist movement and shift with his own interest in the human mind. He communicated this experience of living under Abdul Nasser’s legacy in his novel “The Thief and the Dogs.” A modernist novel published in the 1960s and could be described as post-revolutionary and socio-economic commentary and critique or a “subversive act of literary treason.” In his novel, he “subjected the main character, Sayyid Mahran, to all (his) confusion, (his) perplexities.” and when “(he) wrote the criminal’s story, (he) wrote (his) own story along with it. A simple crime tale became a philosophical meditation on the times!” Mahfouz captured the way he saw the world using his character as a medium, where he the protagonist’s thoughts are portrayed in interior monologues that reveal the character’s thoughts and motivations.
The stream of consciousness narration is much more about the mind of the character and fascination of the mind over the plot. Mahfouz doesn’t just want to narrate the story of a thief and entertain the reader. Instead, he wants to explore and communicate the experience and the mental condition of living in that context (under Nasser’s regime.) We are distinctly in the character’s mind. Thus, we can compile a long list of casualties of the protagonist’s character which admit us to a more intimate knowledge of his persona. The true nature of the character is clearly presented by probing into the inner depths of his mind because the reader has access to unfiltered and privileged knowledge of Said who does not have control over the thoughts and experiences we are exposed to. The reader can abandon the clear duality of a set and clear definition “hero” or “villain” when categorizing a character. Instead, we form a more complex and interesting judgement that isn’t clearly categorized as good or bad but instead, a combination of traits. Through this exposure to Said’s experience, one will subconsciously embrace his character's felicity and agony based on a mutual sentiment which enables the reader to apply Said's experiences to a lens that validates the occurrences in his life as viable. This results in shifting the reader's thought process, that even Said's illegal acts of murder and theft are justified to an extent. We also almost begin to question whether Said is a victim of society or just victim of his own morality.The stream of consciousness narrative amplifies the characterization of the protagonist, Said Mahran. Though the impressions are entirely through Mahfouz’s mind, the narrative style allows the author to diverge from reality to an extent. The protagonist’s interpretation of the world around him is made available to the reader, who is now exposed to the juxtaposition that exists in the objective reality (observed from third-person narration in the novel) contrasted with the internal monologues. In doing so, the protagonist, Said is fully characterized and the reader will inevitably sympathize with him despite his continual mental instability and degradations that are guided impressions of justice. The balance between the internal monologues using the third-person narration provides the reader with an overview of the actions taking place in the novel including the external conflicts which fuel or conduct Said’s behaviour. They also serve the purpose of foreshadowing the development of conflict within the plot and finally fulfil the purpose of a crime thriller, characterized by suspense which intrigues and augments the reader’s curiosity for the novel but equally satisfies it by ebbing the tension of the plot as it starts to reach its peak.
Similarly, flashbacks, which are integral components of the stream of consciousness narration, are effectively employed in a non-chronological manner to ease the suspense and tension in the novel. The relationship between memory and reality is a recurring theme which Mahfouz cunningly employed to reveal plot points that enhance the impact of actions in the present through contrast, to elicit patterns in Said’s character’s behaviour and finally include a series of interrelated anecdotes that Said narrates to provide glimpses of Said's childhood. The circular narrative prompted by the stream of consciousness allowed Naguib to make use of time’s tendency to move forward and backwards in the progression of the novel to be directed to revealing the depth and complexity of Said’s innermost thoughts, emotions and impulses. Ultimately characterizing him further and elevating the reader’s empathy for the protagonist Said. These temporal shifts and realistically rendered reminiscences are some of the elements that make Naguib’s writing so exquisitely drawn.
All in all, Naguib’s novel gave insight into deeply personal and complex experiences by centring the main character's moral and psychological development. Naguib uses the protagonist's vulnerability to explore human complexities in an uncomplicated prose style. Whereas in a purely linear narrative, the reader would not be admitted to this celestial height of knowledge about Said’s character.
Finally, the complex narrative structure of the novel is a ubiquitous element that has a significant impact on meaning and is influenced by context. The novel is a sharply focused reflection of the Egyptian society experience through the turbulent political changes during the twentieth century. Said’s deliberate conviction which leads to his ultimate downfall was essentially a result of challenging and confronting the deep-rooted customs and the lack of equilibrium between social classes of often time’s Egyptian society evident in Said’s emotional surges, especially considering how he assesses and justifies breaking into Rauf’s house - “I wish I could penetrate your soul as easily as I’ve penetrated your house.” Similarly, in the novel, "Things Fall Apart" Achebe is attempting to portray a counter-narrative to the hegemonic portrayal of the African savage and the overarching imperialist ideologues that still resonated in Nigeria pre-independence, where Okonkwo, the protagonist was at the height of his prowess at the beginning of the novel and throughout the structure, as it progresses, he slowly loses prominence in his community. The two novels act as important socio-political commentaries that highlight the importance of subversive literature.
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