# Identity and Alienation in Saïd the Fisherman

> Theme guide for Saïd the Fisherman by Marmaduke Pickthall.

Saïd's journey to London and back, and his loss of status, highlight his struggle with identity and his alienation from both his native culture and the foreign world.

## Where it surfaces

- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/iv): Saïd hides his true reason for leaving, fabricating a story to maintain his esteem among strangers.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/vii): Saïd's attempt to adopt the missionary's clothing reflects his search for a new identity, while his shaven head and old garments mark him as an outsider.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/ix): Saïd's assumption of a false identity as a high officer, and his unease among the villagers and at the khan, reflect his alienation from his true self and his surroundings.
- [The Arrival at the Great City](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/x): Saïd feels lonely and out of place in the vast city, despite being mistaken for a person of importance.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xii): Saïd's foreign robe marks him as an outsider, and his lie about his background underscores his struggle with his identity in an unfamiliar environment.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xvii): Saïd, a fugitive, is drawn into Mustafa's world, feeling alienated by the old beggar's macabre enthusiasm and the strange environment of Nûr's vault.
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xxi): Saïd's involvement in the mob and his arrest reflect his shifting identity and alienation from the Christian community he once sought to join.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/vi): Saïd feels drawn to the foreign English culture, which creates a sense of alienation from his own traditions and faith, as highlighted by Selîm's warning.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/x): Saïd feels out of place in Beyrût and fears being in a foreign land, while his identity as a merchant is mocked.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xii): Saïd's outlandish garb and foreign manner mark him as an outsider among the Franks, and he struggles to navigate the unfamiliar customs and language.
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xiii): Saïd's foreignness is highlighted by his colorful Eastern dress and his inability to understand the language and customs, making him a target of mockery and reinforcing his isolation.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xiv): Saïd feels completely out of place in the city, longing for his homeland and struggling to find any connection to his culture.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xv): Saïd's loss of self in a foreign land, his mind severed from reality, and his inability to communicate or understand his surroundings.
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xvi): Saïd's confusion about his own identity, his Frankish clothes, and his inability to understand his past highlight his alienation from himself and his surroundings.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/chapters/xvii): Saïd's fragmented mind and his transformation from peaceful observer to frenzied participant highlight his alienation and loss of self.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/themes/identity_and_alienation
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/sa_d_the_fisherman_se/themes