How, why, and to what effect does Mahfouz use stream-of-consciousness narration in the novel?
Throughout the novel Mahfouz explores the deep and inner thought of Said Mahran using a stream-of-consciousness narration. This type of narration started to be used more often as realist fiction and the modern literature movement began to grow. In the past, the focus of stories would often be to create something out of this world or mythical in order to create interest for novels. The main purpose was to entertain the audience and create a broad message and theme that most people can apply to their lives. However, as novels began to focus on more realist fiction, character development became more important for novels. With this new perspective, new narration styles were pioneered to help dive deep into the minds of characters to help create a realistic representation of human emotions and experiences. Mahfouz makes use of stream of consciousness narration throughout the novel in order to gain a better insight into the unstable mind of Said Mahran. He does this through inner monologu