In the Eye of the Sun Summary
Ahdaf Soueif

In the Eye of the Sun Summary

In the interview with Massad of the Journal of Palestine Studies, Soueif herself has classified In the Eye of the Sun as a "classical novel of education" (1999). The novel's main theme, no doubt, is the coming of age of a beautiful young Arab woman and her efforts to make her existence meaningful.

This theme, coupled with a host of other related and delicately treated subjects, runs throughout the narration and produces a network of interesting episodes in the life of a protagonist in search of happiness. Issues of friendship, love, and happiness are among the most conspicuous motifs Soueif touches upon through the portrayal of her heroine.

As a woman in general and as an Arab woman in particular, Soueif presents Asya as a character striving to come to terms with her natural female impulses. The novel explores the boundaries of love and sex through the touching and...

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