Mejdoub by Paul Bowles

Résumé du document

The short story, Mejdoub, written by Paul Bowles, an American writer who lived in Tanger for half a century, narrates the story of a poor man who decides to make money, playing the role of a mejdoub. A mejdoub is a religious mystic who utters prophecies. The protagonist who seems to have much luck, becomes rich imitating an old mejdoub for several years but is eventually arrested and locked up as a madman. This story may therefore be analyzed as a moral religious short story that denounces religious usurpers, who are punished by the divine will but it also deals with human freedom. It may also be analyzed as a piece of fiction that creates a new character that eventually exceeds reality.

Extraits

[...] This is also shown by the fact that the man does not have any name but Sidi Rahal and a name gives someone an identity This invention of a character in which the man recognises himself and is recognised by society is a danger as we can see at the end of the story. The man can no longer control his desire of being Sidi Rahal and the aim is no longer for him to earn money as he risks losing everything. Playing his role has the upper hand of himself and who he is really. The fact of being a false mejdoub is no longer a means but an end in itself. [...]

[...] The autor uses the form of the short story brilliantly. The story would have been, in my opinion, too short to be told in a novel and a short form is much stronger as it holds the reader spellbound. We keep wondering what will be the end of the adventure. Moreover, as it is short it does not get lost into details but marks our fantasy more, thanks to the abruptness of its end that astonishes us. This story may appear as a tale or a metaphore and not as a novel whose meaning would be in it and whose aim would only be to interest the reader in some characters' lives. [...]

[...] A mejdoub is a religous mystic who utters prophecies. The man who seems to have much luck, becomes rich imitating an old mejdoub for several years but is eventually arrested and locked up as a madman. This story may therefore be analysed as a moral religious short story that denounces religious usurpers, punished by divine will but it also deals with human freedom. It may also be analysed as a fiction that creates a new character, this fiction eventually exceeding reality. [...]

[...] In fact we can see that all through the story vices are described that seem to serve the main character, the man lies to people he does not know and to the police that is a symbol of authority, “Sidi Rahal is here” and to his friends spoke of the hospitality and generosity of his wealthy brother in Tarza”. The lure of money is also treated in this text as the man does not only prophesy to make a living (which would anyway be an affront to religion) but to become very rich. It is because of religion and morality that the character has a pre- established destiny. [...]

[...] To imitate the old mejdoub, the man has to work, waching him, whose attitude seems very theaticral, and then practicing in order to learn the man's gesture and words. In theatre also, actors have to change their normal gestures and learn texts to manage to deceive the public what the false mejdoub does very well. There is a preparation before the show during which, the man does not only transform himself into an actor but becomes also a stage dierctor who prepares his accessories: an old and tattered djellaba and a long scepter and who decides where the show will be acted. [...]