Saïd the Fisherman · Chapter
IX explained
Saïd, now dressed in a missionary's robe and fez, leaves a village where he has been treated as a king.
What happens
Saïd, now dressed in a missionary's robe and fez, leaves a village where he has been treated as a king. He reflects on his past and vows revenge on Abdullah for his betrayal. He arrives at a khan, where he puts on airs as a high officer, but is nearly exposed by a skeptical old man. He manages to escape by pretending his men are coming, galloping away into the night.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Ambition
Saïd's obsession with appearing as a great man, his pride in his borrowed robe, and his disdain for the villagers and innkeeper highlight the theme of social climbing and the performance of status.
Betrayal and Trust
Saïd's thoughts of Abdullah's fraud and his vow to take revenge underscore the theme of betrayal and the loss of trust.
Identity and Alienation
Saïd's assumption of a false identity as a high officer, and his unease among the villagers and at the khan, reflect his alienation from his true self and his surroundings.
Characters to notice
- Saïd the Fisherman
Struts in a missionary's robe, dreams of revenge, and plays the role of a high officer at the khan.
- Abdullah abu Azìz
Mentioned as the friend and partner who betrayed Saïd, prompting his vow of vengeance.
- Hasneh
Mentioned as someone Saïd feels ashamed to face after his flight.
- Old Mustafa
The old man at the khan who remains aloof and seems to scorn Saïd's pretensions.
Key passages
“His brain was on fire with arrogance. Every herb on which he trod marked a new act of condescension. The whole earth fell down before him.”
Saïd felt an overwhelming sense of superiority, believing that even the ground he walked on was honored by his presence.
This captures Saïd's inflated ego after being treated as a king by the villagers.
“He even took a dreadful oath before Allah to that effect. But his mind soon changed. There was an evil report of him all along the way by which he had come. He felt ashamed because of Hasneh, and feared to see her face again.”
Saïd initially swore to return and kill Abdullah, but then reconsidered, feeling ashamed and afraid to face Hasneh, and decided to continue to the city.
This shows Saïd's internal conflict between revenge and his desire to escape his past.