Naguib Mahfouz Book Reviews Examples

The ending of the short story “Half a Day” is very satisfying since the author summarizes the story appropriately. The short story mirrors around a boy’s experience his first day at school. The experience of the first day at school is difficult for a boy as he is forced to go to school by his father. The ending of the story compares the life of an individual from being a young boy, a teenager, a middle-aged man and as an old man. The ending pose a deceitfully and ironic ending since it compares the whole life of an individual with a single day at school. The author of the short story “Naguib Mahfouz” creates suspense at the end of the story that leaves readers with questions about the future. The ending is satisfying since the author engages the readers in thinking how the story will end. The story concludes with the old man leaving to look for his home. The question that readers are left with is how the old man will find a home and how he will run his final years. The comparison of half a day at school and the entire life of an individual are ironical and appropriate. The problems the young boy faces at school such as fearing students, challenging in making friends reflects the challenges that a person faces in life until he dies. Mahfouz decides to conclude the short story in a suspicious way to show the uncertainty of life. I feel the ending is satisfying since it portrays the actual human life, which is uncertain every day. The experience of the boy at school may not be the same on the subsequent day at school. Similarly, the challenges a person faces in life are uncertain the following day. The father ushering the son to go to school represent God leading a man to the righteous path and the teacher as the lawmaker who ensures just is followed. To my opinion, the ending of half a day is very satisfying and engages the reader fully.