Nov 14, 2009

The Conjurer Made Off with the Dish | The Conjurer Made Off with the Dish

At a glance:

Author: Naguib Mahfouz
First Published: 1969
Type of Plot: Domestic realism, existential
Time of Work: The 1960's
Setting: Cairo, Egypt
Principal Characters: A young boy, His mother, A conjurer, A bean shop owner
Genres: Short fiction
Subjects: 1960’s, Parents and children, Magic or magicians, Love or romance, Twentieth century, Lower classes, Success or failure, Egypt or Egyptians, Boys, Urban life
Locales: Cairo, Egypt

The Story

“The Conjurer Made Off with the Dish” is a subtle metaphor told in first-person narration about the loss of a young Egyptian boy's innocence and his need for parental protection. One morning the boy is sent out by his mother to buy a piaster's worth of beans for breakfast. There follows an account of all the things that happen to the boy as he tries to complete this seemingly simple errand. However, even after several visits to the neighborhood bean seller, his mission is unsuccessful.

The first time the boy is sent out to buy the beans, he does not know or...

[The entire page is 1437 words long]

The Conjurer Made Off with the Dish | The Conjurer Made Off with the Dish

At a glance:

The Story

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