User:The awkward writer/sandbox

== The mummy awakens by Naguib Mahfouz

the short story "the mummy awakens" has all the trappings of a mummy story complete with the obligatory disclaimer that prefaces many tales of the supernatural. Though the story has violated some of the laws of reason and nature all together, if this was merely for fiction it would not sound a little bit inappropriate. Yet it happened in the realm of reality...its not an ordinary mummy that wakes, it is General Hor, likely based on the last 18th dynasty ruler Horemheb. other pharaohs have been brought to life in fiction but Hor is not like the lumbering, enigmatic but benevolent Khufu in Jane Loudon's "The mummy". General Hor is not a happy camper.the pharaohs setting of these tales is enhanced by Mahfouz's straightforward writing and the view point of his protagonist which sometime borders naive or wondering. The mummy awakens with an overt political message set in a satire on the mummy genre. Mahfouz has given life to a mummy to question the rulers and to give rise to the socio-political issues. it also shows us the injustice of the society. irony has its role played in the story in a way that the pasha loves France but the French do not think of him. they just look at him as a fancier of their art. whereas his people considered him their ruler/ pasha but he hates them.

moreover Dorian is seen unable to believe that he is seeing a mummy waking up after thousands of years and getting back into life, talking in front of him. there is the suspension of disbelief.

Characters: Brief story line:
 * Mahmud Pasha: around whom the whole story revolves, lives in hung country mansion upper Egypt. He is a Frenchman in his heart and soul. The narrator calls him fervent admirer of culture and language.He is the greatest Francophile in the middle east. Turks by origin, Egypt by nationality and French by taste and avocation.
 * Dorian: a friend of Pasha, professor of Egyptology at Fu'ad the first university in Cairo.
 * Mousieur Sarot: director of higher college of fine arts.
 * Dr. Pierre: the specialist of mental disorder.
 * Shykh Jadallah: local personage in the story.he is a noble and old fellow. He has his own theological researces about the golden past of Egypt. He gives an interesting proposal about digging in the Pasha's garden.
 * Farmer: who is beaten by Pasha's servant on snatching bread from his dog.
 * General Hor: has been the key figure of 18th dynasty. His mummy lies asleep in the secret vault lying below the ground of Pasha's garden. It is through Jadallah's occult that his coffin is revealed. The mummy rises up from the coffin and addresses them in an astonishing manner and full of rage saying "don't you recognize me, slave?Are not you plunder my descendants?why have you come to plunder my grave as well? Speak, slave!"

Naguib Mahfouz believes Egyptian culture to be supreme. He dislikes Pasha against the imperialistic policies of various nations. He champions the poor Egyptian who ave been reduced to poverty. This story is about the injustice and plunder in countries like Egypt. Its basic theme is the shift of power from true owners to unworthy persons by total unfair means. The story brings before us the poor condition of Egyptians. The mummy comes to life and kills all the rich and demolishes their buildings for not giving their due rights to the poor Egyptians.

Conclusion:

On the whole the subjects of Naguib have diversity in them. He shows the great history of Egypt and feels pride on it and make present political and social issues rise. He not only unveils the face of the exploiters but also shows injustice in the society. Existential themes like death and sufferings are part of his stories. He shows the supremacy of the Egyptian culture. although he is connected with the nativity but he presents universal themes like relationship of alien and aborigine.