|
"An
allegory is not meant to be taken literally. There is a great lack of
comprehension on the part of some readers."
"I defend both the freedom of expression and
society's right to counter it. I must pay the price for differing. It is
the natural way of things."
"I love Sufism as I love beautiful poetry, but it
is not the answer. Sufism is like a mirage in the desert. It says to you,
come and sit, relax and enjoy yourself for a while."
Mahfouz's
novel is an extensive allegory or typology of the history of the
Middle East
(and perhaps the world), which he sets in an Egyptian neighborhood over
several generations.
General
Discussion Questions
- What
does the story seem to imply so far about the nature of God (i.e.
Gabalawi)?
- Why
does he seem to be absent from his descendents' lives?
- What
God is in question? The God of monotheism in general? Allah? (The word
allah simply means "God," but with its Islamic usage
in the West at least, it has become associated with what Muslim
tradition predicates of God.)
- What
is the origin of evil? The purpose of the world? The meaning of human
suffering?
- What
is the better response to the human proclivity for wickedness and
violence--mercy or judgment?
- What
is the value of storytelling, especially about that of the past?
Biblical
and Koranic Parallels
Look
over the following events from the narratives of Adam, Moses, and Jesus.
How are they paralleled in the story of the alley? How does Mahfouz's
recasting of them act as a commentary on the original, on human behavior
and the world in general?
Adam
- The
Garden of Eden
- The
creation of Eve
- Adam
and Eve's life in the garden
- The
motives and actions of Satan
- The
temptation of Eve
- Eve's
temptation of Adam
- God
confronts Adam, Eve, and Satan
- Adam
and Eve expelled from the garden
- Adam
and Eve's responses to exile
- The
curse of work
- Cain
and Abel's personalities
- Cain's
murder of Abel
Moses
- The
state of
Israel
in
Egypt
- Moses
in the Egyptian royal family
- Moses
kills an Egyptian
- Moses
flees to the wilderness
- Moses'
life with Jethro and Zipporah
- Moses
and the burning bush
- Moses
returns to confront Pharaoh
- The
miracles
- Judgment
on Pharaoh and his armies
- The
Exodus and entering the
Holy Land
- The
Giving of the Law
Jesus (Isa)
- The
escape into
Egypt
from Herod
- The
return to
Galilee
- Jesus'
virginity
- Jesus
the miracle worker
- Jesus
the storyteller
- The
wilderness experience
- Jesus'
message of mercy, healing, and freedom from desire
- Jesus
and God (the Father)
- The
woman caught in adultery
- The
disciples of Jesus
- Judas'
betrayal
- Jesus
and the poor
- The
Beatitudes
- The
priests and Pilate
- The
last supper
- Jesus'
trial and crucifixion
- Jesus'
burial and resurrection
- The
response of his followers
- The
Church
|
