characterization//

Said started back in fright, darting in again between the tombs while the barking grew louder. He pressed his back against a tomb and took out his gun, staring out into the darkness resignedly. There it was. The dogs had come at last and there was no hope left. The scoundrels were safe, if only for a while. His life had made its last utterance, saying that it had all been in vain.

It was impossible to tell precisely where the barking came from; it was carried in on the air from all around. It was hopeless now to think of fleeing from the dark by running away into the dark. The scoundrels had indeed got away with it; his life was a proven failure. The barking and the commotion were very close now and soon, Said knew, all the malice and revengefulness he'd been running from would be breathed right into his face. He held his gun poised as the barking grew ever louder and closer. And suddenly there was blinding light over the whole area. He shut his eyes and crouched at the base of the tomb.
"Give yourself up," a triumphant voice shouted. "There's no purpose in resisting."
The ground shook now with the thud of heavy feet surrounding him and the light spread all around, like the sun.
"Give yourself up, Said," the voice said firmly.
He crouched closer still to the tomb, ready to open fire, turning his head in all directions.
"Surrender," came another shout, confident, reassuring and dignified, "and I promise you you'll be treated with all humanity."
_Like the humanity of Rauf, Nabawiyya, Ilish and the dogs, no doubt?_ "You're surrounded on all sides. The whole cemetery is surrounded. Think it over carefully, Said. Give yourself up."
Sure that the enormous and irregular multitude of the tombs prevented them from actually seeing him, Said made no movement. He had decided on death.
"Can't you see there's no point in resistance?" the firm voice shouted.
It seemed to be nearer now than before and Said shouted back warningly:
"Any closer and I'll shoot."
"Very well, then. What do you want to do? Make your choice between death and
coming to justice."
"Justice indeed!" Said yelled scornfully.
"You're being very stubborn. You've got one minute more."
His fear-tortured eyes could see the phantom of death now, stalking through the dark. Sana had turned away from him in alarm, hopelessly.
He sensed surreptitious movement near, flared with rage, and opened fire. The bullets
showered in, their whistle filling his ears, chips flying from tombs all around. He fired again, oblivious to danger now, and more bullets pelted in. "You dogs, you!" he raved in a frenzy of rage and more shots came in from all sides.
Suddenly the blinding light went out, and the firing stopped; there was darkness again and quiet fell. He, too, wasn't firing any more. Slowly the silence was spreading, until all the world seemed gripped in some strange stupefaction. He wondered . . . ? But the question and even its subject seemed to dissolve, leaving no traces. Perhaps, he thought, they had retreated, slipped away into the night. Why then he must have won!
The darkness was thicker now and he could see nothing at all, not even the outlines of the tombs, as if nothing wished to be seen. He was slipping away into endless depths, not knowing for himself either position, place or purpose. As hard as he could, he tried to gain control of something, no matter what. To exert one last act of resistance. To capture one last recalcitrant memory. But finally because he had to succumb and not caring, he surrendered. Not caring at all now.

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This passage is located in the last chapter of the novel wherein Said refuses to surrender when he was being asked by the policemen to. The setting of this passage is in the cemetery in front of Nur’s apartment. This passage is significant to the novel because it highlights the overarching characteristics of Said being in denial and stubborn and this gives the readers a deeper insight as to why Said had to face the consequences of his actions. This passage characterizes Said in a way that he didn’t want to admit to himself that he did anything wrong so he refused to give himself up to the police. Despite the policemen promising him that he’ll be treated with all humanity if he gives himself up, he still chose to not lower his pride and stayed hiding behind the tomb. This proves how convinced he is that he’s never done anything wrong and that he’s too stubborn to accept failure. This then lead to his death. The repetition of the policemen telling him to surrender supports the build up of the characterization of Said in a way that no amount of convincing can change his mindset.

The way the author described the scenario of Said’s death somewhat pushes the readers’ imagination and sort of “picture” his death. It wasn’t directly mentioned that he was shot and killed instead, the author described it in a way that Said has “won” because the setting went silent as if it was the policemen who has given up. The last paragraph adds up to the characterization of Said in way that even in his last moments, he still tried fighting. It’s only in the last sentence of the novel where he has “kind of” accepted his fate wherein he stopped trying and has finally surrendered to death saying that he’s lost all his care in the world.