In the novel Midaq Alley, author Naguib Mahfouz depicts a poorer alley in the Middle East. This miserable Alley not only acts as a physical barrier, but also a societal one. Midaq Alley is sheltered from the rest of the world and has little outside influence. As a result, many of its residents became very attached to the conditions and social traditions of Midaq Alley, and subsequently became very troubled. These traditions come into conflict with the highly ambitious modern young adults growing up in the Alley. However, as their Mahfouz tells their tragic stories, it seems that the young characters are unable to overcome the limits of the Alley. Traditional society confines youth, which creates more broken people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Conservative gender roles force Hamida to manipulate others to achieve her goals. Overall, his ultimate goal is to become rich. Far from being the normal girl of her age, she was not looking forward to getting married and having a life consisting of "sweeping, cooking, washing and feeding the children she couldn't wait to wait for, but we rather called the “ambitious girl” of Allée (21). She dreamed of obtaining material things beyond her means, arguing: "What's the point of living if you can't have new clothes?" », even placing luxuries above necessities when she is poor. However, despite all her desire, she understands that in order to become rich, she must marry a rich man, whom she then tries to pursue for the rest of the novel. However, because she is limited by her partner, she realizes that she may be submissive to a husband who does not match her ambition or love of money. She sees it in her first suitor Abbas, because she says she “dreamed of a husband like the rich entrepreneur her neighbor had married.” She sees Abbas and is disappointed, she is only attracted because “his passionate looks pleased her”. Hamida sees someone whose loyalty she can exploit and use for her own benefit. Later in the novel, Hamida uses manipulation to coerce Abbas when she says, "He had fallen into her trap even faster than she had hoped." Although Hamida is not innocent in this behavior, the gender restrictions that do not allow her to alleviate her own poverty and follow her own ambitions motivate her to continue being deceptive (23). The lack of resources in Midaq Alley leads to Hussain's frivolous quest for glory and his subsequent downfall. Hussain was motivated by greatness and importance, and he is first portrayed as a man who finds his worth as a British soldier, a job that pays far better than anything available in Midaq Alley. When speaking with Abbas about the army, he explained that he considers the war "a blessing" and "a sent from God", which demonstrates how much his character wants to live above the norms that are fixed to him. He uses this money to live lavishly and impress his friends, as evidenced by his nickname: "Hussain Kirsha the Great". Hussain's frivolous spending appears to have occurred despite the poverty of his childhood in an area he describes as a "dirty alley" (19). Because of this reckless mindset, most of his self-esteem is tied to his enlistment in the British Army. Explaining life in the army, Hussain Kirsha says: “Hussain Kirsha, with his usual chatter, started telling the barber about life in the depot, the workers, their good salaries, the thefts, his adventures with the British and the affection and !.