The Thief and the Dogs

"Once more he breathed the air of freedom."

Said is released from jail and his exposure to freedom is a physical, experience. Life in and out of prison are so different that Said can feel and taste his freedom with every breath. This emphasis on difference foreshadows how much Said is unprepared for the changed world he is reentering.

"But only shameful deeds can shame a man."

Ilish feels guilty about his obvious betrayal of Said by marrying Nabawiyya. When Said is released, Ilish's guilt manifests in self-serving idioms. He speaks in cliched phrases to try and convince Said not to seek revenge. Ilish’s use of idiom echoes the cryptic statements of the Sufi mystic, aligning Ilish and the Sheikh as two possible options for Said’s sense of moral right. Said must decide for himself how he will define shameful or justified deeds.

"You have not come out of jail."

The Sheikh speaks in cryptic phrases and Said must peel back the layers of metaphor to understand what the religious man means. Here, the Sheik diagnoses Said's problem instantly: Said may have physically left the jail, but he is still imprisoned by his emotional state. Said wants revenge and this desire for vengeance traps him in a position.