Appearance versus reality: A psychoanalytic Jungian reading of Naguib Mahfouz’s Trilogy

This study examines Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy from a psychoanalytic perspective, focusing on the character of every human being as a combination of consciousness and unconsciousness. The study uses Carl Jung’s Theory of Self-individuation to provide a detailed analysis of the novel. The character of Sayid Ahmed, the protagonist, is examined through the Persona archetype and the Shadow archetype. The Persona archetype is examined in relation to Sayid’s relationship with his family and the outer community, while the Shadow archetype is examined in relation to his private life with dancers, prostitutes, and a group of playful friends. The study is drawn to the binary in the protagonist’s character due to his ability to maintain integrity while leading a dissolute life in reality. The study aims to underscore that the character of every human being is a combination of consciousness and unconsciousness, with “Appearance” and “Reality” as inseparable sides.