AP Literature and Composition Summer Reading God’s Bits of Wood Characters (by region) Bakayoko- Bakayoko is the novel's central character, in spite of the fact that he doesn't actually appear in person until more than two thirds of the way through. Until his return to the Thies / Bamako / Dakar region, (Chapter 16), his presence is theoretical and inspirational rather than physical, his beliefs and actions defining choices for both pro- and anti- strikers, for both those who respect him and those who don't. In short, even while the narrative line is defined by the actions and circumstances of other characters, Bakayoko is a constant presence, undeniably a leader, and a profoundly complex human being, simultaneously idealistic and …show more content…
Deputy-Mayor: African mayor who is puppet of French; one of members of French National Assembly (=Congress, or Parliament); for French, against strike. Fatou Wade: old woman who 'adopts' Ibrahim Bakayoko. Major Plot Events * The narrative begins with a poetically written description of the land in which the story unfolds as well as a glimpse of nature that provides a vivid contrast to the machine-defined lives the novel's many characters live. * The fundamental conflict is captured in two people, Dejean (the French manager and colonialist) and Bakayoko (the soul and spirit of the strike). * The evolution of the strike causes an evolution in the self-perceptions of the Africans themselves, one that is most noticeable in the women of Bamako, Thiès, and Dakar. * These women go from seemingly standing behind the men in their lives, to walking alongside them and eventually marching ahead of them. * Women go from supporting the strike to participating in the strike. Eventually it is the women that march on foot, over four days from Thiès to Dakar. * The women's march causes the French to understand the nature of the willpower that they are facing, and shortly after the French agree to the demands of the strikers. Theme In conclusion the main theme of “God’s Bits of Wood” is the changing role of women. The evolution of the strike causes an evolution in the self-perceptions of the Africans themselves, one that is most
that men has brought and justifying the women’s action if they were to adapt “revolutionary
More than 600 of these marches took place all over the world, the largest being at the nation’s capitol in Washington D.C.. Those who participated did so for a multitude of reasons. Marching for not just equal rights for women, but for equal rights for the LGTBQIA+ community, for Black Lives Matter, for raising awareness about climate change, and much, much more. The hashtag Why I March has garnered up millions of Instagram posts, Tweets, Facebook updates, and articles, all from men and women standing up for their beliefs. The coordinators of the Women’s March on Washington put together a document outlining their guidelines and principles, and illustrate modern day feminism very well. They go over the basic principles that human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights. It also demonstrates intersectionalism, calling for an end to police brutality, reformations for the criminal justice system, an end to human trafficking, rights for immigrants and refugees, among many others. Just as the first women’s convention in American history drew up a doctrine, the guiding vision and definition of principles of the Women’s March is eerily similar to the Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances written 169 years
As time passed, European domination drastically altered the African landscape – both physically and culturally. Traditional roles, practices, and beliefs were either completely subverted or modified to fall in line with European cultural ideals. Doubtlessly, this process of subjugation worked to the detriment of native populations throughout the continent. Even though all members of indigenous communities have suffered under this system, African women remain especially vulnerable to its harmful effects. As Mary Kolawole points out in her comprehensive work, Womanism and African Consciousness, these women must confront a set of oppressions unique to their position as both black Africans and women. During her discussion of African women’s current struggle for recognition, Kolawole argues that, although colonialism displaced many African traditions, the patriarchal social structure remained. In many ways, she holds, European colonization widened the rift between African men and women even further (Kolawole 34). Although African and European traditions share in the elevation of the male over the female, most African cultures offered women a greater position of respect within society, as well as more “positive avenues of self-liberation” than were available to European women
Women were the primary victims of being mistreated in the factory work life right next to immigrants and of course people of another color. These women worked long and hard hours, often from the sun up to late at night after the sun went down just to have the money to do buy the basic necessities that their family may need. Women’s incomes were pretty low at the time, which is why they had to work for such a long period of the day. They also had very high expectations as they had to produce with no error for hours in during the day, they were expected to make 3000 stitches per minute or else they would be docked. Working environments were very cramped and the machines were not exactly user-friendly, so it is easy to see why they would want to begin progressive movements. Women began to group up after hours to talk about the complexities that go on around the workplace and sought out a solution to make the owners realize that their opinions do matter. After long talks amongst each other, the women decided to join together in a strike against the unfair treatment and conditions that the Triangle Shirtwaist factory provided them with. They all sat out of the workforce and were directly responsible for the
First and foremost, Louis XVI and Marie lost their power over the throne and the balance of the power was completely off when the commoners had control of the king. Once the king was in Paris, they gained control of the country as well. The march was a also symbolization of the strength the women had politically. The women marched all the way to Versailles, and they demanded what they wanted, and eventually got what they asked for. In the end, Louis XVI and Marie no longer had any control over France. They were essentially prisoners in Paris, never returning to Versailles.
Please Note: Diction, detail, point of view, organization and syntax are all devices that the author uses to make the tone of the story evident to the reader. Your commentary should
A typical novel, flooded with the complexities of the author’s creative mind, conveys the plot amidst vivid descriptions of the setting and
As the saying goes, “a woman’s work is never done,” but today’s women live a far different life than their predecessors. The women of the revolution were courageous and brave-hearted. The obstacles of their time were far more difficult to overcome than those faced by women in this day and age. Whether it was slavery, war, or racial prejudice, these women kept their heads held high and worked to break down these barriers and create change for the future. On top of having to deal with these hardships, the women of the revolution had families to take care of, mouths to feed, houses to clean, and wounds to heal. For many women of the revolution it was all about taking a stand for their rights and being
With the men gone to war, women could step in and play a greater part is society, changing their role and becoming independent. Their first step was to change socially and to help the
brilliantly brings out this theme through the use of setting and atmosphere, the title of the story and its
This novel measures the influence of an individual against human desires and the forces of nature. For example, Alexandra's relationship with the land summarizes the struggle between human desires and the larger forces than manipulate individuals. This difficult relationship between individuals and society is one of the most dominant themes and is depicted throughout the novel by using setting to reflect the characters.
The author writes the story in a very interesting way. The way that there are only a few descriptions scattered about and that it focuses on dialogue is what allows us to figure out what the characters are speaking about and to find the intentions behind their words. The subject of this short narrative stands out boldly. Though it was written in
To begin with, the most striking feature of this work is that it is a story
Many women were involved in the uncertainty of women's rights during the French Revolution between the years of 1789 and 1804. Exploration of the unfolding struggles of France managed to turn my head in the direction of woman's rights more than once in my discovery. Perhaps because of the persistence of the women during this time period and their straight forwardness in their mission, was I so determined to see a positive progression in the fulfillment of their needs. "Even during a revolutionary time like this, equal rights for women seemed out of reach. Women had to struggle for a position in the revolution" (Ajaibu 2001, 1).
God’s Bits of Wood is his third book and one of the most famous novels ever to be written. The author and also an award winning filmmakers Ousmane Sembene was born on 1923 in Ziguinchor, Senegal then a French Colony. Ousmane Sembene literature crosses the geographical and national borders of his home country of Senegal, Mr. Sembene's literary and inspiring output places him today as the father of African films and as the most creative French-speaking African writers in this first century of creative writing in Africa. He published his first writing in 1993 from Marseilles. Sembene has produced five novels, five collections of short stories, and a whole lot of numerous films, four shorts, nine features, and four documentaries “He has given