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55.1%ANMag Issue 17 Entertainment
The Yacoubian Building
By Shrief Fadl, Contributing Writer
Beirut, Lebanon - Alaa Al Aswany’s “The Yacoubian building” is a book that every Egyptian has to read, and one that every Arab also should. Whether for its rich prose, its captivating and socially relevant story, its lively characters, this is an amazing read. Originally published in 2002, the story revolves around an old building in downtown Cairo, one where the five major characters reside. The book is essentially about how these characters interact and how their individual stories unfold − the fading aristocrat, the homosexual journalist, the religious-yet-naïve son of the building’s door keeper, the downtrodden ‘residents’ on the roof and the callous businessman. Each of these characters symbolizes a certain aspect of modern Egyptian society, and that is perhaps one of the book’s greatest strengths, its symbolism.
The symbolism in the book takes on many forms, from religious hypocrisy, embodied in Hagg Azzam, the seemingly pious and God-fearing businessman who has no problem interpreting religion to suit his own vile needs, to political corruption, in Kamal el Fouli, who preaches democracy whilst actively practicing its opposite. The symbolism, however, is not limited to characters alone; in fact, one of the greatest and most pronounced symbol is the Yacoubian building itself, which symbolizes past, present and even future Egypt, the Egypt promised by so many and delivered by none. Aswany’s use of symbolism creates an enriching story, one that has an abundance of depth and an opulent meaning.
From a literary standpoint, the book performs exceedingly well. The writing is rich and fluid, yet deceptively simple. There are also numerous instances in the book where one is forced to stop and re-read the previous sentence or two, not from incomprehensibility, but rather from the sheer beauty of the words. One is unable to let such exquisite writing pass with just one solitary glance. Also, Aswany gives the characters and other elements in his story, a historical foundation, breathing life into them and convincing the reader that they actually exist (The Yacoubian building does indeed exist, but with some differences from its description in the book). Aswany was able to do this without allowing the story to lag and without boring the reader, which, if nothing else, is a testament to his skill as a storyteller. Despite of this, one cannot help but feel that something was lost in translation from the original Arabic, as there are some instances where the writing starts to become uncharacteristically rigid. Nevertheless, these discrepancies are too minor to diminish the reader’s experience in anyway.
The novel’s focus on social issues, and particularly social taboos, makes it especially relevant for Egyptian and Arab readers. As an Egyptian, I am well aware of how Egyptian society turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to issues like homosexuality and religious extremism. By addressing these issues, Aswany finally brings them to the foreground and compels the reader to think about them and contemplate their implications. For instance, in his book, Aswany demonstrates how a disillusioned and confused youth can turn to religious extremism at the hands of an oppressed society and an oppressive government. This vicious cycle continues, until there is more poverty, more disillusioned youth and no end in sight.
As for homosexuality, the challenge to get the Egyptian society to address or at least acknowledge this issue is incredibly arduous, for it is a topic related to sex, which, as we all know, is a subject that is tiptoed around with great care and finesse in Egyptian society − as if from fear of awakening a beast that threatens to devour society whole. Aswany makes this point clear in the novel, as almost everyone is aware of homosexuality, but no one chooses to believe in its presence, as if such a choice even exists.
It should be noted that Aswany never preaches or lectures the reader, but rather, through the creation of realistic characters, he attempts to create empathy and understanding for the issues addressed, an act which is by no means an easy feat. Also, Aswany must be commended for the endings of the different storylines, which are neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic; he adeptly produces a delicate balance between the two.
In summation, Aswany’s “The Yacoubian Building” is as well-written as it is socially pertinent. It addresses social taboos whilst weaving an intricate and flowing story that captivates and engages the reader. In short, regardless of whether one is Egyptian or otherwise, and regardless of what one is looking for, this book is definitely worth reading, for it is about time that people get their heads out of the sand and finally see things for what they are.