Class, love and marriage are three of the themes represented in the Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz. The era in which the story is set is one where societal norms have begun to shift toward modernity due to the impact of Western colonization. Midaq Alley was written to describe a society within a larger society, allowing analysis and comparison of the two. Cultural norms are constantly challenged throughout the novel and what is and what is not socially accepted is a recurring theme throughout the text. “Midaq Alley deals with themes that transcend the context of Cairo and are relevant to Egypt, indeed the Middle East as a whole” (Deeb 121-130). The first and most recurring theme in the novel is the perception of social class in Allée Midaq. There is indeed a social hierarchy, which is not blatantly expressed but which is buried in the context of the novel. The first example is the actual physical setting of the driveway; especially the ageless and inclusive walls, which contain the subliminal message of entrapment. Metaphorically, this implies that people in the alley will stay in the alley, as if there is no escape. This expresses that the status of the individual is something over which they have very little impact, with the individual instead being seen as a product of their environment with little or no opportunity for change. The theme of social class being something that is difficult to escape from is represented through Hamida's plight. External forces such as family, village and religion shape her and make her become the servant of the men in power. Her social class has so much control over her that she is dehumanized. Hamida is about 20 years old and is a pro...... middle of paper ......lties faced with big society in the timeless alley that existed between four walls. Themes of class, love and marriage were greatly influenced by colonization and have become increasingly so over time; it is the story of an ageless tale that exists within the four timeless walls of Midaq Alley. Works Cited Deeb, Marius. "Najib Mahfuz's Midaq Alley: A Sociocultural Analysis." Bulletin (British Society for Middle East Studies). 1.1 (1983): 121-130. Internet. December 2, 2013. .Takieddine-Amyuni, Mona. “Images of Arab Women in Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz and Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih.” International Journal of Middle East Studies 7.1 (1985): 25-36 Internet. .Mahfouz, Naguib. Anchor Books, 147. 286. Print.