The Thief and the Dogs, an intriguing story by Naguib Mahfouz, is the story of a man named Saïd Mahran who had just been released from prison . He was convicted as a thief and feels betrayed by everyone close to him. One of his ex-colleagues, Ilish Sidra, denounced him then married his wife Nabawiya and took custody of his daughter Sana; Sidra actually brainwashes him to reject Said. Said also feels betrayed by his previous mentor, Rauf Ilwan, who encouraged his theft in the first place. Saïd is now on a mission: revenge. I believe Mahfouz creates internal conflict in the protagonist by using contrasting influences, with the texts trying to guide Said. The motifs of media and religion in their various forms act as these contrasting influences in Said's life that make him feel trapped and give him hope respectively; Through such stories, it seems that Mahfouz highlights the role of religion and media for the people of post-revolutionary Egypt in 1952. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay First, it is essential to consider Mahfouz’s use of religion. It is represented throughout the book, being referred to as the Sacred Law, the Quran and also through the words of the Sheikh. The latter was a religious figure whom Said's father trusted and followed as a disciple to whom Said sought refuge after his release from prison. We see Said recalling the times he spent in the sheikh's house accompanying his father, his father telling him to "look and listen, learn and open your heart" (25). Mahfouz paints a very safe, welcoming and peaceful picture of the sheikh's house, the door was always open, "a joy like the joy of paradise". Thinking back to his stay in the sheikh's house with his father, he considers it a place of wisdom and even a sanctuary. The sheikh is a very important representation of religion in the book. He provides answers, but in his enigmatic nature they are never simple, his answers are also very ideal but they don't seem practical. I believe Mahfouz created such a character in order to embody the characteristics of the religion. The Sheikh's words are often difficult to understand, with each response or answer in the form of a riddle, in Said's train of thought he says: "My father could understand you, but you turned away from me, treating me like you were kicking me out of your house” (28), showing us that this side of the sheikh was not welcoming. A telling example of the sheik's ideal enigmatic nature is when he says "are you not ashamed to ask for his pleasure when you are not pleased with him?" »(29). First, Said believes that he was doing what was right (acting as a form of Robin Hood and supporting militant activity and revolutionary struggle) and therefore does not see why he was punished. Said is therefore also angry at religion for all its misfortunes. The idea seemed ideal but was not practical. How can one be satisfied with the Lord after going through great misfortune and how can one's misfortune be relieved if one is not satisfied with the Lord. This paradox tries to give hope to Said by showing him the way out of his misfortunes, but in a way he feels stuck because he doesn't know what to do or how to do it and the advice doesn't work. do not clarify the situation. Said later flies into a rage, recounting all his bad luck, becoming angrier and angrier in response. Sheikh simply told him to wash and read the Quran, we then see the Sheikh trying to give him words of hope.