Prompt: How does Mahfouz illustrate how fate is a major determiner of one's happiness in life?
Throughout the novel, Thief and The Dogs, Mahfouz illustrates the concept of fate. Fate is when an event is beyond an individuals control; it was designed to happen. Based on what the readers are introduced throughout the novel, we already understand that the protagonist; Said Mahran was born within a low societal background. Because of his socio-economic status, it was fate that he began a robber in the first place because of the lack of job opportunity and education during the time. In addition to this, when he was released from prison, he had the choice to change his career path. However, because of the circumstances of his birth, robbing was the only thing that he knew he could do. Furthermore, Fate is a major concept that determines an individuals happiness in life as depicted through Said. Due to these actions, he continues out of free-will to pursue his robbing; even with the full awareness of this action is what placed him into prison in the first place. Additionally, it was this reoccurring action (trying to gain revenge both of Rauf and Ilish - where he failed and killed two innocent people) that lead him to his death at the end of the novel. It was fate that drove him to his death as it was his harmatia of not having the ability to recognise the path he pursued even though he had many opportunities to change his ways. An example of the opportunities he has had was when Rauf gave him money at the beginning of the novel to help him set off on the right foot. Nevertheless, we can ultimately claim that it was fate that determines one's happiness as, throughout the novel, the protagonist is given many opportunities to change his path. However, because of his sense of urgency to seek revenge that ultimately impacted his own happiness in the process, fate eventually took over, getting the best of him because he was unwilling to change, consequently leading to his death.
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