History 3371: Middle East History, 1500-Present
Professor Ziad Abu-Rish
Midterm 2: Alaa Al Aswany’s The Yacoubian Building
[Due Date/Time: 3:05pm on Monday 23 November 2015]
The purpose of this assignment is to examine the novel you selected, the world about which that
novel is written, and the world inhabited by the author.
In a single coherent essay of no more than 6 pages, answer the following questions:
1) Describe Egyptian society and politics as presented in The Yacoubian Building. Using
your textbook and lecture notes, explain how and why it might be argued that the promise
of the 1952 revolution veered so off track from the initial hopes of Egypt’s population.
Using the same sources, describe how the Egyptian experience compares with the
experience of the Middle East region a whole. (25%)
2) What are the range of views toward the Egyptian state, the “religious question,” or both
represented by the following characters: Zaki Bey, Taha el Shazli, Busayna el Sayed,
Malak, Hatim Rasheed, and Hagg Muhammad Azzam. Why do you think the citizens of
Egypt, as represented by the various characters, have not reached a consensus about the
nature of their political community after more than eight decades? (25%)
3) Like all good symbols, the “building” of the title is metaphor. How does Al Aswany use
the building to represent a metaphor for Egyptian state and society? What do you think
Al Aswany is attempting to illustrate when he uses the building to represent Egyptian
society and state? (25%)
4) Pick two characters, one that really surprised you and one that you really identified with?
Explain how the character that surprised you did so, and what that character highlighted
for you about Egyptian history? Also explain how the character you identified with drew
you into his/her life. Finally, what did this novel help you understand about Egyptian
history that was not as strongly conveyed through the textbook or lectures?
[Please see next page for additional instructions]
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When writing your essay, please keep the following in mind
1) To write this essay, you need to have read the assigned pages from James L. Gelvin, The Modern
Middle East: A History. To cite the textbook, please use the format (Gelvin, p. 4) or (Gelvin, pp.
4-7) at the end of a sentence and before the closing punctuation.
2) You should also use your lecture notes. To cite your lecture notes, please use the format (AbuRish, 15 September) at the end of a sentence and before the closing punctuation, where the date
refers to date of the lecture covering that issue/topic.
3) Answer every part of every question.
4) Remember, I am asking for a single, coherent essay. That means you are to write an introduction,
followed by the main body of your essay, and then a conclusion. You are not to write four
separate essays, and you are certainly not to number your paper and follow each number by a
short answer. If you do, you will receive 0 credit for form (see below).
5) You are free to organize your paper in whatever order you want. However, there is a logic behind
putting the questions in the order I have, and thus in you answering them in that order.
6) This paper is to be no longer than six double-spaced pages. It should be double-spaced, with oneinch margins, and 12-point Times New Roman font. If you end up with an essay that is five-andhalf-pages or six-and-a-half-pages long, do not worry too much. If you hand in a four-page or
twelve-page paper, then there is a problem: in the former case, you have not answered all the
questions or have not provided sufficient explanation or detail. In the latter case, you have
provided more explanation or detail than necessary.
7) Your paper will be graded on both form and content. Form counts for 10%. Content counts for
the remaining 90%. When it comes to form, follow the “Guide to Good Writing,” which is posted
on the course website.
8) I shall not answer individual queries about this paper via e-email or telephone. I shall, however,
begin every class between now and the date the paper is due by asking if there are any questions
about the paper. I shall answer the same question about the paper only twice.
9) You are welcome to seek my assistance during office hours or by appointment. However, please
be forewarned that such meetings are designed to discusses general themes and issues regarding
the paper. Do not come to my office hours looking for the answers to the questions in the prompt.
10) You have plenty of time. Papers are to be submitted immediately before lecture begins on
Monday 24 November 2014. For your own protection, you will be asked to sign your paper in.
11) Late papers will be graded down unless accompanied by an acceptable excuse backed by ironclad
evidence. Traffic or oversleeping are not acceptable excuses.
12) If you are concerned with scoring a high grade, then I suggest you put in the time and write a
good a paper.
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