38 pages • 1 hour read
Alif the Unseen
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Symbols & Motifs
The Alf Yeom
The Alf Yeom represents the differences between seen and unseen. In Chapter 0, Reza views the book as the key to jinn magic and believes reading it will bestow mythical abilities upon him. When Alif receives the book in Chapter 3, he begins his journey to the unseen world, something he could not have done without the book. Sakina describes the Alf Yeom as a mindset that humans cannot and were not meant to understand. She adds that Alif’s generation interacts differently with information due to the internet, which is similar to the unseen world. Even so, the Alf Yeom is too different from technology for humans to make sense of its stories.
When Alif translates the Alf Yeom’s metaphors into code, he destroys Sheikh Bilal’s computer because magic and technology were not meant to be combined. The Hand’s similar failure in subsequent chapters supports this idea. When the Hand tries to code the Alf Yeom, he breaks the internet, and rebellion ensues. Again and again, the Alf Yeom stands as a barrier between the seen and unseen worlds and, thus, between magic and technology.
Computers
Throughout the book, computers represent Alif. At the beginning, Alif hides behind his handle while he also hides behind his computer monitor and the anonymity it provides. When the Hand attacks his computer system, Alif must step out of his comfort zone. Like his computer, Alif’s anonymity has been compromised. When Alif, Dina, and Vikram take the Alf Yeom to the convert, Alif immediately focuses on the computer in the room rather than the people. The comfort of the machine calls to him, but he is unable to hide behind it. His life is in danger, and he must come out from hiding to seek help.
When Alif translates the Alf Yeom into code, he nearly becomes one with the computer. His trancelike state blurs the lines of code and magic, and he sees the program in terms of a city. This is a turning point for Alif. He still wants to be fully behind his computer, but part of him exists in his city and in the real world. In prison, Alif comes close to death and realizes his body is the most efficient computer he’s ever known. He no longer needs to hide behind computers. The rebellion in the final chapters represents the Hand’s failure to code the Alf Yeom. Rather than engaging in a digital battle, Alif fights out on the streets. He leaves behind his online battle to enter the world, where his actions code the future.
Azalel (Vikram’s Sister/the Orange and Black Cat)
Azalel represents Alif’s journey from unseen to seen. In the beginning, she appears to him as an orange and black cat who has always hung around his apartment building. She symbolizes Alif’s normal world. Dina mentions that all cats are half jinn but that this cat may be three-quarters, which foreshadows the discovery that the cat is, in fact, a jinn. During the sandstorm, Alif shelters Azalel in his room and dreams of a woman with orange and black hair. Despite his feelings for Intisar, Alif sleeps with Azalel in the dream, which foreshadows Alif’s realization that he never truly loved Intisar. Azalel’s first jinn appearance comes right before the Hand attacks Alif’s computer, sending Alif into the unseen world.
Azalel saves Alif and Dina from a state agent, showing her feelings for Alif. Vikram agrees to help Alif and Dina because Alif was kind to Azalel during the sandstorm. Azalel brings out Alif’s caring side, which is nurtured as the story progresses. Much later, Alif dreams of Azalel as a woman again. This time, he does not sleep with her because his love for Dina is real. Alif’s new response to Azalel shows his change. He leaves his handle and unseen self behind to be the seen Mohammad, who knows what and who he wants.
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