Introduction
The Yacoubian building is book that was written by Alaa-Al-Aswany. Originally, the book was written in Arabic but it was later translated into English. This book gained popularity by many people in the world. The book looks at the lives of the Egyptians and the Yacoubian building especially after the revolution that occurred in 1952 (Aswānī, 2004). The book starts showing the building was colorful and beautifully made building that changed its beauty over time. The building was occupied by the rich foreigners and Egyptians who were housed in the building. In the book, it claims that the building started changing after the revolution of the 1952. Most of the rich people moved to the suburbs while the foreigners moved to their countries.
The building started being occupied by the military officers and the small rooms on top of the building that was used as a storage area because it had small rooms was now transformed to rooms for the people who were poor. The deteriorating building that was once very beautiful seems to signify the way Egypt has changed from the 1930s when the place was doing well especially in economy and politics. The author states how the building was filled with people of crème de la crème in the 1930s when the building was still beautiful. Te author talks about the issues of corruption, sexism and police brutality in Egypt at that time (Aswānī, 2004). The country was deteriorating at an alarming rate.
The world as for him was destroyed therefore he joins the Islamic radicalism where violence became part of his nature. Before joining the Islamic radicalism when he was beaten by police officers he stated that he was killed when he was in detention and now the life he was living he no longer has any fear of dying (Aswānī, 2004). In looking at the reasons that causes Taha to join Islamic radicalism it is not because of his religion he only does this for revenge for the government. Taha was able to gain some control in the group because he was helpless with the government who were vicious and corrupt to him.
The other character is Busyan who is the love interest for Taha. When Taha’s ambition and dream to become a police officer died so is the relationship that he had with Busyan. Busyan is faced with sexism and sexual harassment from the male co-workers and bosses. The constant sexual harassment and advances towards her and her refusal to their advances has cost her many jobs where she was fired. The author is trying to show how men treated women with little respect and as objects. The fact that Busyan kept losing her jobs made her give in tone of the advances by her bosses (Aswānī, 2004). She accepted for her boss Talal who was a shopkeeper to grope and do with her body whatever he wanted. This was her way of giving up and she hated herself at the end of the day.
Hagg Azzam is also another character in the book who is a politician who only wants to get a seat in order to enrich himself. According to the author, Hagg was already a wealthy man through drug dealings. He hid himself in religion. He is also craving for power thinking that he would be in control. The problem comes in the form of the people who help him come to power. The people seem to be the ones in control and make more money. His need to become powerful and rich landed him with the devils that will destroy his life (Aswānī, 2004).
Abduh is another character that has a homosexual lover called Hatim Rasheed and also has a family a wife and a child. Abduh is only the lover of Hakim because of the money that he gets from him (Aswānī, 2004). This money is what is causing him sin because according to the Quran homosexuality is considered to be a sin. Hakim seems to have total control over Abduh because of his money and influence. The control also comes in because Abduh seems not to be a homosexual and feels ashamed of it but continues to go back to Hakim and the money. Hakim Rasheed works as a newspaper editor where he is able to get good money.
Reference
Aswānī, A. (2004). the yacoubian building. The America University in Cairo Press.
