ZAABALAWI

In Naguib Mahfouz Zaabalawi we as a reader see a young man in search of Zaabalawi. He is known for his cure of illnesses. Mahfouz uses different literary techniques to tell this story. I believe the story contains alot of symbolism. The quest to find Zaabalawi is a journey into ones soul in search of the inner peace that is inside of us. In the beginning of the novel the narrator asks his father about this Zaabalawi. His father responds saying "May his blessing descend upon you, he is a true saint of God, a remover of worries and troubles. Were it not for him I would have died miserably. The father found his inner peace and his journey symbolizes the reults that are possible when anyone finds that inner peace they search for. On his journey the narrator encounters numerous places full of despair and lacking hope. When he saw the Birgawi residence he said time had eaten into the building and now it was nothing more than a rubbish dump. The narrator soon began to give in to the despair himself because he began to loose sight of what the object of his interest was. Which was finding his inner peace. He even states he didnt know if he could hold on much longer. Soon he encounters the calligrapher who tells him a story of Zaabalawi making him out to be more of a man of mystery. He states he would visit often and when you think he is near and dear he would disappear as though he never existed. Next the narrator encounters the musician who tells him that suffering is part of the cure. This would be considered a paradox because at first the statement seems to be incorrect but it does hold truth in the lives of many people. The musician tells the narrator that in the old days it was easy to know where Zaabalawi resided but now times have changed because now the world is cruel, full of despair, and people didnt seek inner peace like they once did, but he should hold out because he still has inner peace to find within himself. He gave the advice of not giving into defeat, this extraordinary man brings fatigue to all those who seek him and have patience in being sure you will reach him. This symbolizes that your journey for inner peace can be difficult and may not go the way you see planned or want it to. The narrator meets a man at the bar who appears drunk after having a few drinks he says he lost his memory and then the future vanished. The irony in the short story becomes evident because the narrator misses his only chance to meet Zaabalawi because he was sleep when the purpose of his quest presented itself. After realizing he missed Zaabalawi the narrator decides to continue his journey. The symbolism in this is a idea of renewed hope. The narrator's lack of awareness that the cure resided in him was the obstacle in his way. The fact he could find, keep, or remember his inner peace was because he has not gained the awareness that Zaabalawi is inside of him in the form of spirit and peace. He had a glimpse of the inner peace he longed for but when he awoke his lack of awareness and doubt took over and he was no longer able to see it. Throughout the story he searched for something that has always been there he just wont allow himself to have it because of his doubt and lack of awareness.