“Although Midaq Alley lives in almost complete isolation from all surrounding activity, it clamors with a distinctive and personal life of its own. Fundamentally and basically, its roots connect with life as a whole and yet, at the same time, it retains a number of the secrets of a world now past.”

This passage employs personification to imbue the alley with a unique and vibrant identity, emphasizing the alley’s central role in the narrative. Its characterization highlights its dynamic and multifaceted nature, as if it were an individual with its own thoughts and emotions. In addition, the author hints at the alley’s historical past and suggests that it contains remnants of a bygone era that contribute to its unique atmosphere and the novel’s exploration of tradition and change.

“We know all the stories you tell by heart and we don’t need to run through them again. People today don’t want a poet. They keep asking me for a radio and there’s one over there being installed now. So go away and leave us alone and may God provide for you.”

In this quote, Kirsha explains his decision to replace the old poet with a radio is definitive. Kirsha justifies his decision by appealing to the changing tastes of his customers, who are supposedly bored of listening to the old man’s tales and songs. The theme of change and modernization appears from Chapter 1 onward and is a central element in the novel.

“The girl took no notice of what Umm Hamida said. She had now finished plaiting her hair and she took a small mirror from her pocket and propped it up on the back of the sofa. She then stood in front of it, bending down slightly to see her reflection. In a wondering voice, she said, ‘Oh what a shame, Hamida. What are you doing living in this alley? And why should your mother be this woman who can’t tell the difference between dust and gold dust?’”

This passage uses juxtaposition to highlight the characters’ contrasting perspectives and circumstances. Hamida’s situation as a resident of the alley is in juxtaposition with her hopes and dreams, just as the symbolic juxtaposition between gold and gold dust.