The Norwegian Rat (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Naguib Mahfouz
- First Published: 1984
- Type of Plot: Domestic realism
- Time of Work: The early 1970's
- Setting: Cairo, Egypt
- Principal Characters: Mr. A. M., The narrator, A government inspector
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: Social action, 1960’s, Twentieth century, Muslims, Landlords or tenants, Egypt or Egyptians, Apartment houses, Disasters, Bureaucracy or bureaucrats, Israel-Arab War, Rats or mice
- Locales: Cairo, Egypt
The Story
Mr. A. M., the senior householder in an urban apartment house, calls a tenants’ meeting in his flat to discuss the threat posed by an acute rat infestation that they are expecting. The media, both print and broadcast, have warned about the scope and destruction likely to follow the invading rodents. Reportedly, the aggressive rats are attacking even cats and humans. Accordingly, Mr. A. M. tells the ten tenants in attendance that they should meticulously carry out both his instructions and those from the authorities regarding preparations to meet the threat. He urges...
[The entire page is 1346 words long]
