Faraj Character Analysis

This realtor in Bataween has taken advantage of the violence in Baghdad to appropriate abandoned houses, which he rents to other people in the city. Faraj’s aggressive, domineering behavior, along with his engagement in illegal activities, makes him comparable to a gang leader, although he is not yet known to have taken part in violent deeds. However, he does resort to occasional aggression, going so far as slapping the employee of an NGO that seeks to buy Elishva’s house—a house that Faraj has been coveting for years. He is also religiously intolerant, as he vehemently condemns the fifth beggar for being drunk and believes that people’s lack of respect for strict religious prohibitions, such as the interdiction to drink, is responsible for the country’s current problems. This leads him to believe in the institution of the sharia law as a possible solution to the current insecurity. Faraj’s combination of business acumen and belligerence identifies him as a character intent on making profit off of other people’s misery. However, he does secure a fair deal with his rival Abu Anmar, whose hotel he ultimately buys.