Stream Of Consciousness In The Thief & The Dogs

Naguib Mahfouz, in his novel The Thief and The Dogs, exemplifies a narrative that follows the protagonist’s stream of consciousness that can be observed to be a literary technique that can evoke a larger understanding of the character. Granted a larger understanding, the consequential effects on the reader are unique to this novel and the protagonist. Mahfouz plays with the reader’s constant battle with the protagonist, Said Mahran, constructed as a tragic hero the reader’s frustration with Said’s ignorance and persistent want for revenge is exhibited through the stream of consciousness narrative that Naguib Mahfouz has pioneered in modernist Arabic literature, inviting the concept of psychological realism. 

The use of Mahfouz’s unique style is continual in the novel, captivating a particular character trait or context of Said’s that is relevant in understanding the overarching ongoings within Said’s journey. Within the first chapter, Said is released from prison and Mahfouz abruptly discontinues the established atmosphere of freedom by shifting to the omniscient third-person narrative that succeeds in the stream of consciousness of the protagonist. This illustrates Said’s thoughts at the moment of his release. Here, Mahfouz introduces the initial internal pressures for Said which begin to characterize his worries and perhaps indirectly characterizing Said through his conscious response towards betrayal by his wife and Ilish. Furthermore, representing Said’s worry for his daughter Sana, which is an indubitable source of intimacy that Mahfouz utilizes to induce sympathy within the reader and perhaps be used as justification for Said’s apparent dislike and revenge-fueled thoughts towards his wife and Ilish. 

As the novel progresses Mahfouz begins to symbolize Said’s obsession and fixation for revenge through his thoughts that are exclusive and exclude any sense of awareness which represent the protagonist’s hamartia. Leading to the inherent sympathy felt for the protagonist by readers due to his unfortunate circumstances, a commentary on the civil unrest felt in Egypt following the hasty revolution. Said’s downfall is apparent through his entitled thoughts towards other characters within the novel as he calls Rauf “- a partial corpse not even decently underground.” In chapter four. Said’s reaction after Rauf’s betrayal leads to his hatred, towards former company, a typical example of how the reader struggles to relate with Said although simultaneously provoked through tension and drama. As drama folds into suspense through the narration of Said’s thoughts evolving from hatred to revenge the pacing of the novel begins to quicken accompanied by the messy structure that is symbolic of Said’s urges and compulsions. As seen in chapter seven, Said’s stream of consciousness begins to linger towards murder, “To kill them both--Nabawiyya and Ilish--at the same time, would be a triumph.” Further reinforcing Mahfouz’s play with the reader’s morals as the protagonist begins to regard murder as a victory of sorts. Holistically, the narrative transitions leading to murderous tendencies from deep internal dealings with betrayal represents a dichotomy which leads to having an effect on the reader’s binary ideas of right and wrong. 

Mahfouz shifts using omniscient third-person narration in order to represent the inner voice and reinforce the narrative style of following the stream of consciousness. This allows for the manic characterization of the protagonist and further represents his rapid stream of paranoid thoughts. The eventuality of Said’s downfall is unravelled throughout the novel and showcased through this unique narrative. As the conclusion nears Said’s thoughts begin to become more rampant allowing for a sympathetic response for the reader and emphasizing tension, urging the reader to continue reading. 

The Human Experience

In the commencement speech, 'This is Water' by David Foster Wallace a noteworthy and perhaps the main takeaway from his journey is to combat the unchallenging, effortless and easy state of trance that most routines possess. His ideology is to stay in control within our surroundings and establish and entertain empathy with not just the company you keep but the strangers that surround you. This theme, that is linked with our social skills, subtly intertwines with the novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' by Zora Neale Hurston. The novel follows the story of Janie, the protagonist, and her adverse love story of filling the emptiness that came with her unconventional and absentee family members. The theme which was poetically introduced with her thoughts under a pear tree. Through the character's literary journey it was made clear that through every endeavour and encounter she either grew, learnt or changed as a complex dynamic character which started as an empty canvas to be painted in lessons learnt. To contrast between the commencement speech and a novel littered in clever muted ideas about growth and personal development through the understanding of a society and its inhabitants; it is clear that both express intricacies about life and learning. I'd like to make it clear that this is not a coming of age novel that riddles in the idea of growing from innocence to experience but an novel about becoming sagacious at a time where you're already grown up. Which is inherently similar to Wallace's message and his genius example of questioning what seems to be already known, hence the story of the fish and coming to question something that they have taken for granted, 'what the hell is water?' In both instances, the importance of learning from what already seems to be known is highlighted and emphasized through their own unique ways. One, educating students to what is really about to come and how to grow from 'that.' The other, following a story about relationships in a society primarily believing in juxtaposing ideas than your own personal thoughts and beliefs and the sacrifice we make for love when we have learnt its importance. 

Okonkwo Character Analysis

Okonkwo Character Analysis

‘Things Fall Apart’ written by Chinua Achebe in 1958 features Okonkwo as the protagonist who undoubtedly has major importance through the story. Okonkwo is first greeted at the very start of the novel as a prominent figure in Umofia and immediately is characterized as strong and inherently without any weakness. This is followed by an anecdote of Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, and how he struggled with debt his whole life and being overall lacking in the tribe this is followed by: “It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father.” Leading us to realize that Okonkwo’s success was derived from his hatred towards his father’s way of life. Although through Achebe’s intense stress on characterizing Okonkwo as this ruthless and strong protagonist we can empathize with him due to his rough relationship with his father, the tragic flaw of Okonkwo being the fear to relate to his father’s inept ability in any way or form. Not only does this have an effect on the reader by empathizing with the protagonist in some way through his tragic flaw but also that Okonkwo symbolizes the exaggerated peak of what it means to be a man and how Okonkwo compensates for his father through his masculinity. Additionally, throughout the story, we can observe the presence Okonkwo’s masculinity as well as how it deeply contrasts against Unoka’s way of life and how in comparison to Okonkwo’s lifestyle, his way of life represents weakness in Okonkwo’s mindset. When browsing through the novel we find Okonkwo being regarded as a “man of war,” or alike to the “roaring fire,” although at the same time as “his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.” Showcasing supportive evidence to his hyper-masculinity as well as his fear of being like his father.  Through these quotes and their prevalence all the way through the story, there is no change in Okonkwo rendering him as a static and not as a dynamic protagonist. Also translating the tragic hero archetype where his greatest flaw gets the best of him as he isn’t able to change and overcome said flaw. The motivation for Achebe to illustrate Okonkwo by establishing him as a tragic hero is a symbolic one as well as historically important and accurate. As Okonkwo’s hyper-masculinity is communicated constantly throughout the play, the reader is shown the struggles of this lifestyle and Okonkwo’s constant struggle ensuring that he endorses his chosen lifestyle inevitably. As some noteworthy examples, he regularly fights with his multiple wives, disturbs traditions such as the week of peace, ignores anyone without a title, kills the son he always wished for himself to prove a point, disowned Nwoye as he found him incompetent and weak. The extreme nature of these events is done in order for Achebe not only to characterize Okonkwo as ruthless and callous but also to make his actions as inexcusable to the reader as possible. Although there seem to be negative conations in reader’s mind on Okonkwo with the pressure and his inability to change with the introduction of the missionaries still lets the reader excuse his behaviour to varying extents regardless. With the introduction of the missionaries, Okonkwo finally breaks and kills the head messenger which naturally follows to his downfall. This is where the arguable switch or end of Okonkwo happens, with his lack of understanding as well as his lack of ability to adapt alongside his tribe leads him to hang himself. Showcasing cowardice as he didn’t want to face to consequences for his actions, something Okonkwo would’ve felt aggrieved previously. Not only was this death unexpected in regards to Okonkwo’s characterization but also symbolic. The effect the author wants the reader to observe is that of the flawed principles of Igbo culture but how that is only intensified through missionary intervention. Furthermore how society rules a person more than any person him or herself. Furthermore, Achebe illustrates and draws attention to Okonkwo’s relevance with the Igbo tribe and traditions. Okonkwo’s goal is to be the polar opposite of his father which means he needs to be successful and consequently to be successful he needs to abide by Igbo culture to climb the ranks and gain titles to hold prominence in his tribe. This is apparent and supported in the story as Okonkwo believes in his culture and practices traditions wholeheartedly even though he might make mistakes in the sake of his masculinity (week of peace incident) … regardless he is loyal to the principles and values of Igbo culture. This loyalty can be argued to be one of his secondary flaws. In the novel, we can observe Igbo tradition in the eyes of Okonkwo through the subtleties such as breaking a Kola nut as well as his loyalty till the end. Through Okonkwo’s perspectives, the author can truly represent the imperfections of Igbo culture as Okonkwo represents the outlandish peak of it. In terms of context Achebe is an author who wrote TFA in a time overdue, writing about the past in times of discussions for Nigeria’s independence due to the impact that colonization had. Anyhow Achebe represents an almost bi-cultural identity as he is a devoted Christian but shares an ancestral past with the Igbo. Therefore, Okonkwo wants to explore the two cultures in how they impacted one another, and whether the intervention of a foreign entity was moral and/or necessary in an already functioning society. Achebe does this through Okonkwo and his actions, and reactions with the introduction of colonial administration. Through the Igbo culture, Okonkwo is given purpose and sense of belonging to a functioning society that has its own principles and is largest in population in relation to the region and not at all indigenous or backwards on the whole. Although in instances the weaknesses are pointed out in the judicial system as Okonkwo is able to abuse it frequently without severe repercussions. As the mentioned events highlight Okonkwo but also how Okonkwo belongs to this culture with his brutality. Conclusively, Okonkwo highlights the good and the bad in Igbo culture and the death of it through the death of himself as he is the embodiment of the Igbo and of what it means to be masculine in Igbo culture. 

TFA major events

Okonkwo hangs himself

The notorious end of the novel is symbolic and can be represented as the most significant part of the novel; this is where Okonkwo hangs himself. It denotes the exhaustion and struggle leading to an inevitable end of a character. This further shows Okonkwo’s downfall as hanging yourself in this context can connate cowardice. Okonkwo as a prominent figure in Umofia shows how the village has ‘lost’ against the colonial administration. Symbolically representing the end of the Igbo culture and the effect of colonial administration.

Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna

Okonkwo killing Ikemefuna further characterizes Okonkwo’s masculinity. The severity of the situation can be highlighted just by its content as Ikemefuna, someone Okonkwo loves as one of his sons is killed by himself. Showing how much Okonkwo’s masculinity means to him by killing the ‘son’ he always wanted and someone who he found to be more built to Okonkwo’s standards unlike any of his actual children. It also implicitly shows the reader of Okonkwo’s struggle within himself. Furthermore with Achebe’s hyper identity as a christian as well as a Igbo, he highlights some of the flaws with Igbo culture although also shows the overarching impact of the missionaries. 

The arrival of colonizers

As the third major event, the arrival of christian missionaries, shows the building conflict by having an unknown entity join the storyline. With a contemporary view we realize that this only means conflict and destruction through the introduction of the white man. Through this event the inevitable downfall of Okonkwo starts as he is unable to adapt and neglect his prior traditions. Furthermore it represents the reality of intervention and colonization. 

Achebe Chinua's 'Things Fall Apart' Context

Chinua Achebe authored ‘Things Fall Apart’ in 1958, however Achebe choose to set his novel prior to and during the arrival of missionaries and colonial administration rather than having the story follow the current time of writing. This literary decision can be inferred to be as a result of his desire of portraying the past culture of Nigeria, the Igbo culture in its entirety as he had been given the opportunity to do so in a comprehensible fashion in respect of the west, as Achebe had been educated in way of modern english. Through such motivation he wanted to represent his culture to the rest of the world. 

The west in the early 1900s had propagated the idea of Africa filled with indigenous savages thought to have violent and dangerous cultures. With the arrival of missionaries the nonsensical idea was put in place that their culture really was as it had been portrayed and that the colonial administration was there to help through re-education. 

With this unjust and sly agenda, Achebe wanted to counteract that and showcase the Igbo lifestyle in a more authentic representation. Achebe further normalized their culture through writing it in his book without any context as it was their life and that it was not violent and dangerous as it had been represented in western media. Achebe wrote with the motivation to show that African culture was something well operating and mature in relation to the rest of the world. 

Furthermore, with the novel accentuated the reality of the colonial administration and their arrival. Showcasing that there was no need to ‘develop’ Igbo society further as it was already well functioning and that rather than being helpful it had been disruptive and interventionist. Inherently having immense implications on the cultural identity, welfare as well as economic stability of the society for an elongated period of time following the arrival. 

Additionally, the author played a major role in advocating for the independence of Nigeria. As at the time of Achebe’s writing Nigeria was in the middle of a fight for Independence, finally achieving it in 1960. Having written it in a period of discussion of Nigeria’s independence the novel also played a political role that without British intervention Nigeria would not have had to struggle as it had. On the contrary Achebe also highlights as a practicing christian that without intervention he would not be a devoted christian as he is now. 

Achebe representing this almost ‘bi-cultural’ identity as a Christian and as a Igbo wrote ‘Things Fall Apart’ to show his relationship with his religion and his past and how it had created his world today. 

Print Ad Analysis

This advertisement on Lucky Strike advertisements shows us an implicitly claim of being unique from other products of its repeated phrase of fine tobacco yet all cigarettes have fine tobacco. explicitly, the ad is persuading us to believe it is better than other any product by stating its the best tasting cigarette. To show and understand or develop a deeper meaning within the advertisement we turn to the visual language that is shown. After observing we find it is directly promoting smoking which in the present day would be deemed unacceptable however looking at the context we find that the advertisement was originally displayed sometime during the world war (2) this is empirically supported through the endorsement by defense forces that were present during the war. Furthermore, in these time there was complications involving the happiness of the community with the war going on and improving morale was important, consequently, there were advertisements showing happy scenes in attempt to cheer the public. Although as science was not as advanced at the time there was no knowledge of cigarettes being detrimental to health. At this time Big Tobacco was peaking and mass advertising, that leaves a legacy of controversy to the present day. The text repeatedly glamorizing substance “L.S tastes better than any cigarettes” accurately shows how this would be unacceptable in today’s society and would even be punishable by law. Without understanding these major implications and further contextual information we would be left with an advertisement that is left to be misunderstood. These sorts of advertisements can be left as advertisements that would include unacceptable traits in today’s society due to the sheer fact of our progressive world with ever changing acceptable social norms.

The Controversial Gillette Advertisement

Prerequisite

Gillette recently launched a new advertising campaign in response to the #metoo movement, which was a hashtag started by an activist to spread awareness of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace (Oct 2017) which quickly gathered traction and went viral in an attempt to speak out on men and their behaviour. Gillette also addresses infamous acts that male figures showcase, that is, bullying and inability for boys to be held accountable, observing the phrase "boys will be boys." Gillette acknowledged this inadequacy represented and compensated their 30-year slogan 'The best a man can get' to 'The best men can be.' 

Analysis 

The new Gillette advertising campaign appeals to its audience through the need to achieve. Gillette is essentially offering an initiative for all men to start holding themselves accountable and focusing on being the best and not getting the best, expressed in their slogan change. The video shows the terrors of the victims that are affected by males representing toxic masculinity and then starts to exhibit how none of these terrible acts are being reprehended leaving individuals free to do whatever they want whilst ignoring others. The advert portrays a metaphoric image of "off the chain" teenagers running wild ignoring everything without having anyone look over them. This metaphoric portrayal creates a message for the audience expressing their campaign message of toxic masculinity.

This political statement stirred controversy and as a result, society had clashing opinions where many were bashing the ad for being an assault on men as a cause of the feminist movement and some supporting it calling it an attack on toxic-masculinity and not on men. The reason for this is a lack of understanding of the historic and cultural understanding. Some people are never exposed to news that deals with sexual harassment in the workplace and so forth without understanding that these things occur on a daily basis the ad can be taken out of context. The feminist movement at the moment is notorious for defaming masculinity as now it has been taken out of its original meaning of equality of both genders.

The ad itself is promoting the use of Gillette because of their newborn understanding of current social conflicts. Consequently, giving the brand a sense of modernity and its current social disputes. Changing the brand's reputation causing it to be more aware and conscious in an attempt to help promote the product because of its appeal to be prominent and knowledgable about the new age dilemmas.

All in all, the ad uses clever techniques such as rhetoric by asking the audience 'is this the best we can be?' encouraging the need to achieve and become better human beings and using metaphors to invoke an artistic portrayal of the meaning they are trying to convey.