Animals (Motif)
Animal imagery is a very common motif in the novel. Said often refers to the people who have betrayed him as "dogs," thereby belittling them and emphasizing his feelings of hate and betrayal. He portrays himself as a tiger and a lion while Illish Sidra and Rauf Ilwan are all dogs or rats. Using frequent animal imagery is an effective way to convey Said's feelings.
Sheikh's House (Symbol)
The Shiekh's house is a recurring symbol in the novel. Said often visits the Sheikh's house when he has nowhere to go or just after he has committed a murder. One way of looking at it is that Said wishes to cleanse himself of the sins he has just committed and hence goes to the Sheikh's house for reconciliation. The Sheikh's house represents a symbol of peace and security in the novel; no door was ever closed, which emphasizes how the Sheikh's house was open to anybody and everybody.
The Cemetery (Symbol)
It is no accident that the property outside of Nur's window, which the lonely and bored Said has to stare at all day, is a cemetery. There are few more potent symbols of death, and Mahfouz even has Said himself die there. The gravestones, the mourners, the silent dead—all emphasize the brevity of life and the fate we all share.
The Military Uniform (Symbol)
Said sews himself a military uniform, hoping it will allow him to pass unsuspected in society. Normally it would be a symbol of power, of untouchability—especially in an authoritarian state. Yet, in a deft and subtle commentary on the Egyptian military's falsity, Said's uniform doesn't really work for him. He is recognized rather quickly by two soldiers he encounters, and his uniform is back to being a mere costume cloaking a man who does not deserve to be seen as a figure of security and stability.
Martyr's Tomb (Symbol)
Said finds himself at the Martyr's Tomb a couple of times. Like the cemetery, the Tomb is a symbol of death—the death, either real or implied, that gave the site its name, and the death that is coming for Said. There is an extra level of irony attached to the name with the word "Martyr," as Said certainly sees himself as a martyr of sorts, and the people who are following his saga do as well. While some aspects of Said's plight can be viewed in this way—society, poverty, lack of education, the failed revolution—he isn't really a martyr; he is a revenge-obsessed criminal.
