The Thief and the Dogs - Naguib Mahfouz

The novel "The Thief and the Dogs" is based on the main conflict line between "the thief and the dogs" or Said Mahran and society. This line plays the role of the backbone that connects the parts of the novel from the first line to the last line. Naguib Mahfouz does not bother with introductions to present his characters, but instead pushes the reader immediately into the main situation of the novel. The reader can grasp the first thread and thus does not feel that there is a barrier between him and the work of art. The novel "The Thief and the Dogs" depicts the character of Said Mahran as a thief who came out of prison in the summer after serving four years there, treacherously, to take revenge on those who exploited others, falsified principles, and trampled on authentic values to give life meaning instead of absurdity and futility. Thus, he decided to take revenge on these dogs, but all his attempts were futile, hitting innocents and allowing enemies to escape, which made things worse. Life became meaningless and aimless, and he met his final fate at the end of the novel with a kind of indifference and apathy. He did not know his own position or place, nor a goal, and he fought with harshness to control something, to make a final resistance, to vainly attain an indelible memory. In the end, he found no choice but to surrender, and he surrendered. Publisher: Deyuan Publishing House