Palace Walk

How does the author use the presence of alcohol to signal various characters’ morality or lack thereof?

Examine the significance of the daily coffee hour and Amina’s garden. How do the women use these aspects of the household to reclaim a measure of freedom, and how does this dynamic shift as the novel progresses? Incorporate at least three specific examples to support your analysis.

Analyze the various marriages that al-Sayyid Ahmad arranges (or refuses to arrange) for his children. How do these decisions reflect his spiteful nature and his willingness to weaponize the concept of marriage itself?

How does the novel critique the heavy restrictions placed on women in Egyptian society in the early 20th century?

Compare and contrast al-Sayyid Ahmad’s three sons: Yasin, Fahmy, and Kamal. How does each son strive to develop his own sense of independence, and to what extent does each character manage to break away from his father’s dominion?

Why does Fahmy become so invested in the movement for Egyptian independence?

Identify Kamal’s roles within the restrictive household. How does he function as a “pressure valve” for the family’s unspoken frustrations? Provide at least three examples to support your analysis.

How does the novel examine the brutal realities of life under colonial rule? Pay particular attention to Fahmy’s political activism and the larger backdrop of rising tension and violence that characterizes the last few chapters of the novel.