The Thief and the Dogs

Consider Mahfouz’s use of stream of consciousness in the narrative. How does the incorporation of this narrative technique work to indirectly characterize Said? How does it affect his reliability as a narrator? In what ways does stream of consciousness further evoke the themes of Existentialism and Individual Identity and Paranoia as Narcissism?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may want to review the stream-of-consciousness passage they composed during pre-reading activities before addressing the prompt. Mahfouz uses stream of consciousness to reveal Said’s deteriorating mental and emotional health. As the novel progresses and Said spends more time alone, he begins to remember his past; however, these memories soon transform into imaginary conversations as well as deceptive assumptions, which ultimately fuel his Paranoia as Narcissism. As a result, the reader is left to speculate whether Said’s assertions are rational conclusions or not.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“1952 and 2011: Notable Revolutions in Egyptian History”

In this activity, students will research the differences between the 1952 coup d’etat and the 2011 Arab Uprising in Egypt, create a research product summarizing the comparison, and connect characterization details from the novel.