Alaa alaswany is the bestselling author of three previous books published in arabic. Pdf the yacoubian building book by alaa al aswany free. Gender relations in the yacoubian building researchomatic. Before discussing the characters and their roles, one must first look at the setting. The following are excerpts from the yacoubian building by egyptian author alaa al aswany. Alaa al aswany, a dentist and opposition journalist in cairo, broke onto the literary scene in 2002 with the yacoubian building, a novel whose frank depiction of sexuality in contemporary. Sep 03, 2007 the yacoubian building is a novel about modernday cairo, using the residents of the building as a broad crosssection of egyptian society. The yacoubian building is a book written by an egyptian former dentist alaa al aswany.
War, is both a damning critique and a love letter to a city and its inhabitants. From the pious son of the building s doorkeeper and the raucous. The yacoubian building is fastmoving and actionpacked, with drama in every scene and shifts between the different strands used to provide tension. The film is based on the bestselling novel by alaa alaswany. The vast majority of the novel takes place in the actual yacoubian building, the former paramount of egyptian liberalism. Yacoubian building film analysis 1848 words essay example. Erected in the mid 1930s in cairos newly europeanized centre, the building is an architectural jewel, and was then the home of a multitude of. The architecture of the splendor and excellence that is cannibalized and denatured. The result of this is he joined a bad group and turned into a murderer. It was voted best novel for 2003 by listeners to egypts middle east broadcasting service. It has been reported to be the highestbudgeted film in the history of egyptian cinema. The yacoubian building is a novel by egyptian author alaaalaswany.
Alaa elaswany, who is a dentist, does not shy away from weaving sordid tales of political corruption, sexuality and torture in his story. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany 1684 words 123. Due to its political content however, the book had to be published privately, but soon after its release it sold out in a month becoming one of the number 1 bestsellers of the arab world for more. Buy the yacoubian building reprint by aswany, alaa al, davies, humphrey isbn. Literary analysis on the book of job essay 3073 words cram. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany goodreads.
Discussion and analysis in 1934 the millionaire hagop yacoubian, leader of the armenian community in egypt at that time, had the idea to construct a building that bears his name, with a palatial classic european style. The movie was done in the year 2006 and was directed by marwan hamed. On the yacoubian building, we witnessed the government oppression at its best. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany librarything. Both novels are compared on the basis of not only following the elements of selfreflection, introspection and contemplation memories, thoughts, ideas and feelings, but also because both. Feb 22, 2005 yacoubian building houses uncomfortable truths the controversial, bestselling egyptian novel the yacoubian building describes a country that is corrupt, unfair and thuggish. Alaswanys novel first describes the yacoubian building as one of the most magnificent and luxurious building in the. The building in which are set the events described in the story of alaswani is a perfect example of democratic beauty. The center of the book is the various stories of some of the people who live and work in the yacoubian building. This controversial bestselling novel in the arab world reveals the political corruption, sexual repression, religious extremism, and modern hopes of egypt today. The book was made into a film of the same name in 2006 and into a tv series in 2007. The yacoubian building the building that gives the book its title, the yacoubian building is a physical manifestation of many of the narratives preoccupying themes. Due to its political content however, the book had to be published privately, but soon after its release it sold out in a month becoming one of the number 1 bestsellers of the arab world for more than five years.
Harsh impact of dictatorship and corruption on citizens of all classes alaa al aswanis novel the yacoubian building weaves the lives together of residents of the titular building where wealthy residents live below the ramshackle units for the destitute on the roof. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany in chm, epub, fb3 download e book. Bestsellers new releases recommended award winners coming soon free public domain free premium 50% off 50 specials browse all. The film expresses all these elements through the lives of those who reside in the yacoubian building, representing segments within the egyptian society. Free download or read online the yacoubian building pdf epub book. Aug 08, 2015 the yacoubian building illustrates these two points in several ways. From the pious son of the building s doorkeeper and the raucous, impoverished squatters on its roof, via the tattered aristocrat and the gay intellectual in its. Yacoubian building by alaa alaswany 1102 words essay. Since appearing in 2002, it has gone through several editions and was the bestselling arabic novel for the years 2002 and 2003. The yacoubian building has topped the bestseller lists for over two. Alaa al aswanys the yacoubian building 2002, which became a bestselling egyptian and arab novel worldwide in the past decade, owes its title to the ambition of an armenian millionaire who wanted immortality through a building that bears his name. Dec 21, 20 a feminist perspective of egypts yacoubian building written by.
The yacoubian building symbols and motifs supersummary. February 22, 2005 the controversial, bestselling egyptian novel the yacoubian building describes a country that is corrupt, unfair and. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Where free indirect discourse occurs, internal focalization also must occ ur, for in ado pting word s within a c haracter s. The main characters with whom the book is concerned come from different walks of life and backgrounds. The yacoubian building holds all that egypt was and has become over the 75 years since its namesake was built on one of downtown cairos main boulevards. Alaa al aswanys accusation of western double standards towards islam is weakened by two badly chosen examples.
Apr 27, 2006 based on the novel by the same title, the author dr. The book focuses mainly on the residents of the yacoubian building, a oncechic but. First published in arabic, alaa alaswanys 2002 novel the yacoubian building revolves around the lives of people in a modern society at cairo, where greed for wealth, social and political power is presented as the main problem facing the people of egypt, several years after independence and revolution. In one scene he goes to protest being asked to donate 25% of the proceeds of a business scheme to the powersthatbe, only to be required to sit and wait to. Alaa al aswanys empathy and perceptive detail in this novel about the inhabitants of a cairo apartment building yield a credible evocation of. Themes in the yacoubian building by lancelot naipierkane. Alaa alaswanys novel the yacoubian building 2002, arabic tells the. But the war is not the focus of the book, it is pretty much background. There would have been no yacoubian building without the text that was produced, just as the text would not exist without the palace. Economics in the yacoubian building gender in the egyptian 90s apartment vs. The book focuses mainly on the residents of the yacoubian building, a oncechic but now. However, the movement had more political ambitions, and soon moved to abolish the constitutional monarchy and aristocracy of egypt and sudan, establish a republic, end the british occupation of the country, and secure the independence of sudan. This controversial bestselling novel in the arab world re. Focalization analysis of both under the volcano and yacoubian building proves an exquisite example of transcending the typical selfconscious narration.
It would be difficult to overestimate the impact that alaa al aswanys novel has had in egypt. She had put her hand on his leg and spoke in such a seductive and thrilling voice that, drunk as he was, he stuck his face to her cheek and kissed her. A rare and penetrating look into modern egyptian society can be found in alaa al aswanys novel, the yacoubian building. The purpose of the present paper is to attempt a reading of alaa alaswanys novel. In this book the author has given vast knowledge related gender relations to provide knowledge to youth. The book was initially published in arabic in the year 2002. Both the film of the yacoubian building and the book are interesting stories which tell about what it is like to live in. Meditations on corruption, fundamentalism, prostitution, homosexuality, and drugs in. Within a few months, it has taken the egyptian book world by storm. The yacoubian building is an apartment building which was built in egypts glory days. The yacoubian building omaret yakobean 2006 rotten.
Egyptian sexuality in the 90s homosexuality was a taboo prostitution was made legal in late 18s up to early 19s. Through their various exploits, we learn about businessmen, politics, closet homosexuality, students, entrepeneurs and families living hand to mouth. Sep 27, 2008 like his last book, the yacoubian building, chicago is an upclose portrait of an egyptian community, although this time its members are not the residents of a cairo apartment block but the. For example, although it would be difficult to read this text as. It chronicles the lives of several characters who live in the titular building in cairo, discussing their hopes, dreams, and struggles. Military coup led by muhammad naguib and gamal abdel nasser. The yacoubian building 2006 the yacoubian building. The main characters of this fiction, northern africa story are. Lexical obscurities, ambiguities of characterisation, tricksy narrative devices. By alaa al aswany, the american university in cairo press, 2004, 245 pp. The yacoubian building is entertaining and does offer a good overview of contemporary cairo life, but with its many stories and its simplifications can feel more like it skims the surface than truly explores the many hidden depths even as it shares so many intimacies. He came from a very poor background and the moment they found out.
Themes in the yacoubian building by lancelot naipierkane on. Tragicomic, passionate, shockingly frank in its sexuality, and brimming with an extraordinary, embracing human compassion, the yacoubian building is a literary achievement of the first order. Built in 1934 by an italian firm for an armenian millionaire, the yacoubian building, ten lofty stories in the high european style, is a metaphor for wider historical upheavals. The yacoubian building by alaa alaswani a story of social. Yacoubian building, architecture from literature koozarch. A good example is taha, who couldnt keep his job because of his social status. In the yacoubian building, alaa al aswany creates a memorable cast of characters who, taken as a whole, may represent the range of groups or classes in contemporary egypt.
The yacoubian building is the sort of dense neighbourhood novel which, though quite out of style when set in london or paris, has been revived for the banlieue of downtown cairo. The architecture is an old european style, symbolizing the colonialist legacy that touches the lives of the characters. The novel described the yacoubian building as one of the most luxurious and. In this scathing critique of contemporary egypt, one is hard put to find a. In the course of this unforgettable novel, these disparate lives converge, careening inexorably toward an explosive conclusion. The yacoubian building essay morgan gensler geog 209 shaul. Al aswany highlights four broad themes that affect all levels of egytian life. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the yacoubian building. A sliceoflife story, it has no real plot but several interweaving character arcs. Though this is sometimes strained, it holds up well enough, and though the characters represent different classes and backgrounds, they are also individuals. Prostitutes were given permits and had to be checked for disease every week. Thus he believes for example that the outstandingly lovely woman is usually a. In yacoubian building, a richly layered tale of life in. Imarat yaqubyan is a novel by egyptian author alaaalaswany.
Really enjoyed this book which contains snapshots of some of the residents of the yacoubian building, and once we are introduced to them we follow them for a period of time. The book is the unifying factor between the different social strata of egyptian society. The revolution was initially aimed at overthrowing king farouk. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany takes place in cairo in the 1990s during the first gulf war when iraq invaded kuwait and the u. Livia beqo abstract the yacoubian building stands amid the smog and commotion of downtown cairo. Feb 22, 2005 the following are excerpts from the yacoubian building by egyptian author alaa al aswany. The french and greek structures of the building itself describes westernized egyptian culture, almost attempting to become one with the nations who have colonized them, renouncing traditional egyptian styled architecture and traditions. The personal truly is the political, and the yacoubian building exemplifies that statement. The yacoubian building, an immense scandal when first published because of its sexual frankness, has topped bestseller lists for two years and is now a film with a hollywoodsize budget. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany 1684 words. The movie, yacoubian building, is based on a novel by the same title, which was written by an egyptian author called alaa al aswany. Based on the novel by the same title, the author dr.
Published in arabic in 2002 and in an english translation in 2004, the book, ostensibly set in 1990 at about the time of the first gulf war, is a roman a clef and scathing portrayal of modern egyptian society since the revolution of 1952. The yacoubian building, by alaa al aswany, trans humphrey. In addition, by using a single structure as the physical locus in. The locale of the novel is downtown cairo, with the titular apartment building serving as both a. The yacoubian building 2006 the yacoubian building 2006. Set in an actual building in downtown cairo, the controversial bestseller weaves together the lives of several characters to create a daring social critique.
The yacoubian building itself brings a great deal of character to the novel. A scathing indictment of governmental corruption and a critique of the. The yacoubian building is the sort of dense neighbourhood novel which, though quite out of style when set in london or. Tragicomic, passionate, shockingly frank in its sexuality, and brimming with an extraordinary, embracing human compassion, the yacoubian building is a. The book is almost exclusively about the 3 taboos in the arab literature. Alaa al aswany, the dentistauthor of the yacoubian building. The yacoubian building is his second published novel. The bestselling arabic novel of 2002 and 2003, in translation the yacoubian building offers outsiders a lopsided but revealing view of egyptian society. Morgan gensler geog 209 shaul cohen the yacoubian building essay november 20, 2012 in alaa al aswanys novel, the yacoubian building, love and sex are a major theme surrounding each character in an entanglement of connections to one another.
Arabic literature the yacoubian building essay 2203 words. The yacoubian building download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Dec 14, 2007 tenants of the yacoubian building mirror the full length of egyptian society as it has passed from the era of privileged pashas to a scrappier social order. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Alaa al aswanys yacoubian building is a book which looks at a crosssection of. It is also only as of late that authors and filmmakers have begun to examine the omnipotent presence of religion in their society. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. The first edition of the novel was published in 2002, and was written by alaa al aswany. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the yacoubian building. Yacoubian building, alaa alaswany presents an accurate image of modern egypt. When it was built in the 1920s, the building was an elegant gem in the city and housed the wealthy and sophisticated. A novel and join the genius community of scholars to learn the meaning behind the words.
This 41page guide for the yacoubian building by alaa al aswany includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 2 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Yacoubian building by alaa alaswany 1102 words essay example. First published in arabic, alaa alaswanys 2002 novel the yacoubian building revolves around the lives of people in a modern society at cairo, where greed for wealth, social and political power is presented as the main problem facing the people of. A feminist perspective of egypts yacoubian building by livia. The book focuses mainly on the residents of the yacoubian building, a oncechic but now rundown edifice that acts as a metaphor for cairos own deterioration. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 256 pages and is available in paperback format. With adel emam, nour elsherif, youssra, essad youniss. Constructed as a series of vignettes about characters whose fates will soon converge, a stylistic device highly popular in todays hollywood, egyptian author alaa al aswanys arabic bestseller the yacoubian building brings to life a seedy and despicable cairo where only the corrupted and the corruptible can fare well. The yacoubian building distinguishes itself both as the most expensive egyptian film ever made and, despite its nearly threehour running time, one of the most watchable. The yacoubian building by alaa alaswany 2006 not even past.
The plot itself is a series of interwoven fictional character stories forming a mosaic around a real building in cairo the yacoubian building. Although set in the 1990s and published in 2002, alaa al aswanys novel the yacoubian building conveys the corruption and brutality that led to explosive revolutions in egypt from 2011. Through its firstclass citizens and workingclass roofdwellers we view wealth and poverty, character and corruption, vice, chauvinism, terrorism, homosexuality, politics, prostitution. An actual downtown cairo landmark called the yacoubian building is the book s unifying element, housing all strata of egyptian society. Its main genre is drama but it has also incorporated comedy within its context.
A very religious man, and also a superb example of hypocrisy, hagg azzam. Feb 12, 2006 the yacoubian building a sprawling, starstudded epic that spans all social classes in todays cairo, the yacoubian building distinguishes itself both as the most expensive egyptian film ever. Some wealthy families occupy the large apartments there, but impoverished residents live on the roof in what was formerly servants quarters. One example here is the anthology beirut 39 2010, edited.
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