Class, love and marriage are three of the themes represented in Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz. The era in which the story takes place is an era in which social norms began to shift towards modernity due to the impact of Western colonization. Midaq Alley was written to portray a society within a larger society, which allows for analysis and comparison between the two. Cultural norms are constantly challenged throughout the novel, and what is and is not socially accepted is a recurring theme throughout the text. “Midaq Alley deals with themes that transcend the Cairene setting and are relevant to Egypt if not the Middle East as a whole” (Deeb 121-130). The first and most recurring theme in the novel is the perception of social class in Midaq Alley. There is definitely a social hierarchy, which is not expressed overtly but is buried in the context of the novel. The prime example of this is the actual physical setting of the alley; especially the ageless and inclusive walls, contain the subliminal message of entrapment. Metaphorically, this implies that people who are in the alley will stay in the alley, as if there is no escape. This expresses that the individual's status is something on which he or she has minimal impact, rather the individual is considered a product of his or her environment with little or no opportunity for change. The theme of social class is something that is difficult to escape from is represented through Hamida's fate. External forces such as family, village and religion shape her and make her a servant of men with power. Her social class has so much control over her that it dehumanizes her. Hamida is about 20 years old and is a pro... half of paper ...... lity faced by the larger company within the timeless alley that existed between four walls. The themes of Class, Love and Marriage were strongly influenced by colonisation, and are increasingly so as time passes; this is the story of an ageless tale that exists within the four timeless walls of Midaq Alley. Works Cited Deeb, Marius. "Najib Mahfuz's Midaq Alley: A Socio-Cultural Analysis." Bulletin (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies). 1.1 (1983): 121-130. Network. December 2, 2013. .Takieddine-Amyuni, Mona. “Images of Arab Women in Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz and Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih.” International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. 7.1 (1985): 25-36. Network. 2 December 2013. .Mahfouz, Naguib. Midaq Alley. Anchor Books, 147. 286. Print.