Miramar- Sarhal Al-Beheiry

1344 Words6 Pages
Sarhan al-Beheiry is one of the major characters in Miramar. Sarhan’s presence in the novel is significant in many ways. First, he is the only man who manages to soften the heart and catches the attention and love of Zohra which every man in the book wanted. This accomplishment makes us wonder what it is about Sarhan that Zohra finds so alluring that all the other men who wanted her do not possess. Sarhan also signifies the trials, troubles and temptations of most young people of today. That is, love against money. He had been in a relationship with another woman, Safeya and lived with her in her apartment. He says that he doesn’t love Safeya. Actually, he cannot stand her at all but had to put up with her because she could afford to feed him and buy him clothes. Sarhan is always broke because he has to take care of his family back in the village. He has a strong sense of responsibility towards his family and so he needs to minimize his own spending so he can send his brothers back at home to school. Sarhan is opportunists so while he is living for free in the apartment with Safeya, he still keeps his eye open for a better opportunity that may come along. He sees Zohra in a grocery shop and like all the other men is amazed by her beauty. He finds out from Mahmoud’s newsstand that she lives in the pension. He sees her again a couple more times, he tells himself that Zohra feels the same attraction he feels for her because they flirted with each other a couple times. So he finally decides that he likes what he sees enough to give up what he has with Safeya to move to the pension Miramar to pursue a relationship with Zohra. His instincts about Zohra’s feelings for him are proven right and before and long they started a relationship. Sarhan also finds himself not able to resist the sweet feelings of love that is beginning to tug around his heart and finally admits to
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