Description
One of Mahfouz’s most famous short story collections, it is the most diverse, encompassing political and social criticism and profound philosophical inquiry. In writing it, Mahfouz was influenced by the deterioration of Egyptian society as a result of economic openness, which promoted a class of newly wealthy people and plunged the middle class into the depths of family disintegration and the absence of role models, resulting in ignorance, unemployment, and behavioral deviance. Mahfouz skillfully used symbolism to reveal the negative aspects of this period, discussing the ideal hero, illicit enrichment, and the inevitability of eventual downfall. Many of the stories also feature the philosophical contemplations for which Mahfouz is famous, in addition to stories and plays laden with important connotations.
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