The alley is "surrounded by three walls" (Mahfouz 3) giving the readers an introductory, visual representation of the alley and the society engulfing it. The word "trap"(Mahfouz 1) gives a visual imagery of a prison cell, which basically symbolizes darkness. The synonym for darkness is the absence of light. Light is usually a symbol for hope and life; therefore the alley represents hopelessness and death. The only way the people of the alley can exit the alley is through a single tight opening that leads to Sanadiqiya Street. So, when someone exits Midaq Alley, it is the exit of "hopelessness and death" so, it gives the people of the alley a shred of hope. Sanadiqiya Street is where all the decadence is found. Ibrahim Faraj firsts see Hamida in Sanadiqiya Street.
The novel appears to take place during winter, "the two houses at the end of the street have closed their shutters against the cold" (Mahfouz 3), and when Abbas left for the British army "the air was cold, and moist"(Mahfouz 111), which gives us a visual imagery of the lack of sun, which is a synonym of the lack of light, relating to the hopelessness of the alley. This alley, "lies in almost complete isolation from all surrounding activity" (Mahfouz 1) because it's isolated, its ironic that British culture enters due to colonialism, which enhances this decaying effect. Its not four walls, so there is an entrance for intruding culture to enter. We can also recount the idea of colonization in the café between the "arabesques"(Mahfouz 3) which are ornaments originally found in ancient Islamic art, that are made in the East therefore it is a symbol of culture, and the "electric lamp"(Mahfouz 3) that is originally used in the western world. The image of the "arabesques, now crumbling" (Mahfouz 1) is a visual imagery of the decay of culture, in addition to the olfactory image of "spices"(Mahfouz 1).