Stream of Consciousness Narration in The Thief in the Dogs

The Thief and the Dogs consists of a complex narration whereby Naguib Mahfouz alters between third person narrative, soliloquy and interior monologue – both direct and indirect. Mahfouz intentionally creates such a diverse dialogue to enhance the level of interaction between the character Said Mahran and the reader. Mahfouz wrote this novel to bring to light his own personal confrontations with the new Egyptian regime and the conscience suffered by the Egyptian intellectuals during that period of prevalent disaffection. This encouraged Mahfouz to experiment with an impressionistic writing style rather than realist, and represents his psychological implications through a “stream of consciousness”. Said Mahran, the central figure of the story, essentially becomes Mahfouz and personifies his mental agony in which he seeks revenge against the corrupt society of Egypt at the time.

The “stream of consciousness” narration is quite suitable to communicate the uncensored inner thoughts of the protagonist before him/her has formulated them in a rational way. The style of this narration is known as direct interior monologue whereby the narrator disappears and the thoughts of the character are presented as if this person was speaking aloud. The interior monologue further amplifies the character’s connection to the reader, as the audience is exposed to exclusive emotions and views that define and justify the character’s personality. Example: “You must pull together all the cunning you possess, to culminate in a blow as powerful as your endurance behind prison walls. Here is a man – a man who can dive like a fish, fly like a hawk, scale walls like a rat, pierce solid doors like a bullet!” The reader is provided with the protagonist’s despair when it comes to Ilish (also referred to as ‘the dog’) but meanwhile – throughout the rest of the novel – the reader also obtains intimate and authentic impressions of the values and structures of Egyptian society of the period: “Where have all your principles gone now, Rauf? Dead, no doubt, like my, father and my mother and like my wife’s fidelity.”

Another reason to as why Mahfouz chose to write The Thief and the Dogs in a stream of consciousness narration is because the world of literature was shifting from a classical, direct presentation of the character’s lives to a vivid, psychological portrayal. A prominent advantage for author’s who adopted modernist writing styles – especially regarding the stream of consciousness technique – is that the writer is free to "neglect unity of time and place". 

Texts in Translation

"Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture." – Anthony Burgess

Though the English language is developing into a global language, many literary books are still translated today to spread unique ideas, experiences and cultural implications.

During the process of translation, the translator is deemed to transmit the story in its original state and not conceal the author’s intentions in any way. Dana mentioned: “I find it more offensive that the translator miscommunicated the message/tone of the poem rather than the actual wording.” In case of The Thief and the Dogs, translator Trevor Le Gassick had to be extremely cautious in conveying the political and religious aspects of Cairo in 1961 to successfully mimic Naguib’s personal confrontations with the new regime. The authentic voice of the author should also peek through the translated text to communicate the expressed values and attitudes within in the literary work and achieve the intended impact on the reader.

A text can easily be lost when translated due to the unintended, personal biases of the translator and his/her cultural background. Specific gestures and expressions will always be slightly altered depending on the origin of the author. For instance, Arabic expressions are often understood best when the feeling that comes with them is felt and familiar by the user. To transmit feelings and emotions is a difficult task and therewith the meaning of the text can simply be forfeited.

Nevertheless, translated literature can be a huge benefit to the outside world. Translators are often considered as the forgotten instruments, which make it possible for different cultures to talk to one another and become enriched by the traditions of other parts of the world. Texts in translation make it possible to deepen into exotic traditions and undisclosed experiences.

Regarding the text Found in Translation, Claudia Roth Pierpont provided great insight on the cultural journey of translation. Perhaps in some cases it is more culturally appropriate to revise the content of the text in order to suit its audience. A prominent example is Saudi Arabia’s take on Sex and the City: in order to avoid violation of religious and social implications of Saudi Arabia the content of Sex and the City had to be modified “suggesting that upper-class Saudi girls might wish to escape their luxurious designer cages.”