Graves and Bullets – An eerie, angry tone is immediately set as Chapter 10 is introduced with the image of “headstones like hands raised in surrender”(p 218). The image of graves continues to appear in succeeding parts of the chapter: “The graves remind you that death cheats the living”(p 218 ) and “the flat must stay as silent as the graves”(p 224).
Bullets are another item that continually embellish the chapter. He describes the betrayal that was inflicted upon him as an “unseeing bullet [that] was fired”(p 218). He then however, tells himself that he “still has bullets of fire”(p 218), suggesting that he will do all that he can to seek revenge. His thoughts go to “that slinking bitch Nabawiyya who’ll be in mortal fear until the rope’s safely installed around [his] neck or some rotten bullet is lodged in [his] heart.”(p 224). He then wonders what would happen to Sana if this were to happen and comes to the conclusion that “she’ll never even know the truth of your love for her, as if that, too, was just a bullet that went astray”(p 224) and how she would “certainly never love him now. Not in this life, so full of badly aimed bullets, desires gone astray”(p 219). Said probably uses such a metaphor in order to convey the impact that his situation has on him.
It seems as though Said is driven by a goal beyond revenge: death. Images of both the graves and the bullets can also be considered symbols to support this underlying theme. Because of such imagery the idea of Said’s death being inevitable begins to become apparent.
Animals – Consistent with the previous chapters, animal imagery is apparent. He compares himself with Ilish by questioning Nabawiyya’s choice of Ilish over him: “How could she ever give up a lion and take to a dog?”(p 223).
In one of his memories of the early stages of his relationship with Nabawiyya he describes “her neck arched like an angry cat’s”(p 221). Said’s choice of words reflect his current feelings for Nabawiyya; it is likely that at the time in his memory, he considered her neck with gentle, feline connotations, but now, given the circumstances, his memories have been polluted with hatred and anger and he thus describes his memory of Nabiwiyya’s arched neck like that of an angry cat’s.
In this same memory Said discloses how he reacted to a specific conversation with Nabawiyya. He remembers a time when he stalked her as she went shopping and audaciously decided to approach her. After their brief banter he remembered that he “returned to the palm tree and climbed it, quick as a monkey”(p 222) and “went back to the hostel, singing, in a deep voice, like a bull in ecstasy”(p 222).
One possibility for Said’s frequent use of animal imagery to describe the other characters in this novel could be to represent Said’s savage personality/view of the world.
March 1, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Graves:
The symbol of graves could itself foreshadow Said’s surrender as the “headstones like hands raised in surrender” (218). The idea of death by incorporating the imagery of graves can also be applied to Said’s deteriorated relationship with Sana. Said feels that “[Sana's] coldness…[was] like seeing these graves.”
Animals:
Said describes the setting sun seen from Nur’s apartment “like a jewel being carried by a flight of doves from one point in time to the next” (219). Doves are typically symbols of freedom and the “jewel carried by a flight of doves from one point in time to the next” could resemble Said’s situation where the “flight of the doves” could carry him on to another point in time, possibly in death.
Lighting (moonlight, shadows, darkness):
The greater the amount of lighting, the more favorable the turn of events are. “[The] crescent moon gazed shylw down at the ground [and] [Nabawiyya's] forehead reflected the pale moonlight…she seemed full of happiness” (222). After this description, “[Said] kissed [Nabawiyya] under the crescent moon” (222).
When Said stops reflecting on his relationship with Nabawiyya, “the shadows lengthen now [while] it gets dark in the room and outside the window” (223). Also, Said feels that “[his] eyes will get used the dark, the way they did to prison and all those ugly faces” (223). Here, when Said describes darkness, he recalls unfavourable events of his life.
“A light in the hallway went on [as] Nur came in smiling…she kissed him and said, ‘Let’s have a feast!” (235). Said has long been waiting for Nur, his possible love, to come back. She finally returns and what’s more is that she also comes back home with food for the both of them.