Yacoubian Building Analysis: Harsh Impact of Dictatorship and Corruption on Citizens of All Classes
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Alaa Al Aswani's 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. Summing the novel up in one sentence, I would say its characters' lives show that the deterioration of quality of life in Egypt stems from corrupt dictatorships and the absence of democracy. Living in an oppressive society where corruption and violence characterize the ruling regime and governmental authorities seems to create corruption and brutality among Egyptian citizens in the novel. From the brutalization of Taha by Egyptian authorities, to the corruption of Haj, who seeks political position, we see that The Yacoubian Building is a story that illustrates the harsh impact of dictatorship and corruption on citizens of all classes. This analysis will discuss this theme, along with a discussion of corruption in the novel and how it impacts the lives of the characters. There are a number of characters in The Yacoubian Building whose lives illustrate the harsh impact of a corrupt dictatorship on citizens and society in general. We see that the residents are of all classes. The wealthy Zaki is a committed bachelor living off his family's money and chasing women young enough to be his granddaughters. Zaki deals with the pain of the impact of corruption by staying drunk and chasing women to block out the past. As we are told early in the novel, his father's inf
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at is faith-based where all individuals are viewed as "equal" in the eyes of God. However, the group is deemed a militant Islamic group and Taha is arrested by Egyptian authorities. Despite the apolitical nature of the group, Taha is subjected to horrific torture during his interrogation. In a final insult, he is humiliated when one of the security guards rapes him. We see that instead of becoming a part of the corruption like Haj, Taha becomes determined to wipe out his tormentors. As Aswani (76) writes, "He was heard saying, 'Had I been detained in Israel, the Israelis would not have done to me what fellow Egyptians did. I have vowed to God to track them and take my revenge on them, one by one." In this sense, we see that the brutalization of Taha creates a brutal individual. That corruption and violence at the top of society seem to breed these qualities among Egyptians is what Aswani seems to imply in writing such a passage.
Not everyone in the novel is less of a human being because of living in a brutal and corrupt dictatorship where poverty is widespread and justice carries a significant price. Bosnaina's true love is Taha but she leaves him when he becomes obsessed with Islam. She ultimately finds respec
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1490
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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