Narrative Style and Techniques in Miramar by Najib Mahfouz

As human knowledge and ability is limited, stories are told from first person point of view, third person point of view, or omniscient point of view and one single narrator cannot tell all aspects of a story. Even if the narrator is very able, s/he cannot illustrate and describe all aspects and layers of a story. Najib Mahfous, in his novel, Miramar, has described various dimensions of Egypt revolution by using narrative techniques such as multiple narrators, repetition, or narrating different ideas and experiences from different points of view. He has conveyed different or contrasting views by using the technique of multiple narrators without taking side with any specific person or party. In this novel the narrator describe both the internal and external dimensions of events by stating what he has in mind and what has happened around hm. Using this style of storytelling, this author expresses different sides of life including love and hate, ignorance and knowledge, revenge, and good and evil. In some parts of the novel the narrator uses the technique of conversiation and presented the events like scenes of a play.