In this chapter Rauf Ilwan is discussed in much more detail than in the other chapters. Said recalls when Rauf saved him and mentored him. “…Rauf Ilwan turned up and freed you, settling the matter without any further complications. You were a true human being then, Rauf, and you were my teacher, too. (Mahfouz, 232)” Said’s firsthand account helps develop the character of Rauf Ilwan as it show Rauf’s past personality was substantially better, at least in Said’s eyes.
Another character that is developed by Said’s recollections is the Sheikh. Said expresses his admiration for the Sheikh, citing his kind and caring attributes. “The Sheikh greeted you with that sweet and kindly look of his. (Mahfouz, 230)” He also recalls the praise that the Sheikh gave to his father. “There’s a lot of intelligence in his eyes. His heart is as spotless as yours. (Mahfouz, 230)” According to Said, the Sheikh is a compassionate individual who can find good in anybody.
Said’s character is also developed in this chapter, especially when he finds a badly hurt Nur. In this instance, Said begins to have feelings towards Nur, in contrast to his usually cold attitude. “This was the first time that Said had seen her cry and was deeply moved. (Mahfouz, 235)” Another instance where Said’s character contradicts his usually cold and harsh attitude is when he praises both the Sheik and Rauf Ilwan, going so far as to say “you loved him as you did the Sheik Ali, perhaps even more. (Mahfouz, 231)” This shows that Said may have been the intelligent and sin-free person that the Sheik described him to be.
This chapter is also one of the first times that Nur’s character develops substantially. As Said tries to console her, she tells him that a fortune teller told her that there will be “security [and] peace of mind. (Mahfouz, 236)” She expresses her frustration and doubt about the prophecy, saying, “Some fortune-teller! When is she going to tell the truth? (Mahfouz, 236)” In this instance, Nur shows a more agitated and angry side, in contrast to her usually sweet, caring tone. This new attitude of Nur continues until the end of the chapter, where she tells Said angrily, “You are treating me like a child! (Mahfouz, 236)”
One of the minor characters that is developed is Tarzan. When Said enters the café of Tarzan, he initiates a conversation between a smuggler and Tarzan. As he and the smuggler joke about the police, Tarzan feels that he saw a person hiding in the bushes and spying on the café. When the smuggler jokes that Tarzan is just hallucinating, Tarzan suddenly gets very angry, yelling, “Do you think that the Hangman’s rope is some sort of joke? (Mahfouz, 230)” This shows that Tarzan is much more serious and concerned in regards to the police and other authority than Said or the smuggler.
Tags: Characterization, Nur, Rauf, Said, Sheikh, Tarzan, Thief and the Dogs
