God’s Bits of Wood

The ex-patriot European employees reside in a suburb of Thiès known to locals as “The Vatican.” Beatrice, depicted as a physically attractive, middle-aged racist, is married to Isnard, the railway supervisor who had shot and killed two African children. Later in the novel, a third child dies from his injuries. When Isnard, who suffers a degree of guilt, recounts the shootings to her, she replies, “one or two children more won’t make a difference to them” (165).

The couple host Pierrot (known as “Pierre,” later in the book) a newcomer who expresses his desire to “know something of how they live” (166). Isnard reflects upon his time in Africa and feels that he has tried to be of service to the people. He tells an oft-repeated story of having delivered the baby of a local woman, cutting the umbilical cord with his teeth due to a lack of instruments.

LeBlanc, the colleague who drinks excessively, joins the group. He arrived in Africa as an anthropology student; his social awkwardness had prevented him from establishing relationships with either blacks or whites. LeBlanc advises the group that he had anonymously donated twenty-thousand francs to support the strikers on two occasions, and that Bakayoko, the strike leader, will return to Thiès soon. The chapter ends with the discontented Beatrice Isnard acting seductively toward the young Pierrot.

After creating suspense for the first fourteen chapters, author Sembène introduces the union leader, Bakayoko, when he arrives in Thiès at the home of the elder, Bakary. The younger man sleeps there briefly, arrives at the union office, and hears the women chanting a song to their striking husbands, “You have lit the torch of hope/And victory is near” (175). He joins the meeting with the railroad mediator, Edouard, a life-long bureaucrat. Edouard advises that revenue is down; therefore, family allowances, pensions and salary increases must be “set aside” prior to meeting in the company office (176). Bakayoko responds with a metaphor comparing the union members to a train approaching a frightening obstacle on the trackand wonders if the men would say, “I can’t go any further” (177). While Bakayoko speaks in a modulated tone, he is clearly angry. Edouard leaves, frustrated by his failure. 

Penda and the women form a protest in the square, where they chant and beat drums while railroad managers discuss various means of ridding the company of Leblanc. Dejean awaits the arrival of Edouard and the railroad union delegates and is horrified when his employee arrives alone and states, “It was that bastard Bakayoko who ruined everything” (180). Bakayoko and the union delegates arrive, and the union leaders agrees to use French “as a matter of courtesy,” noting that “[whites’] ignorance of our language is a handicap” (182). Bakayoko becomes increasingly hostile as the meeting progresses and the other delegates try to calm him. Dejean refuses the idea of family allowances due to the local practice of polygamy, and he is increasingly irate and troubled by the crowd of chanting women. When passing Bakayoko’s chair, Dejean slaps him “hard across the face” (185); Bakayoko throttles the man, in return. The union members demand that Bakayoko desist, and Dejean says that no demands will be met, and all the men shall be fired.

Following the futile negotiations, Bakayoko and the leaders address the crowd of women. In an aberrational feminine act, Penda speaks to the crowd and announces that the women will march to Dakar from Thiès in support of the strike. Bakayoko approves and assists with the organization of the march, telling his concerned male cohorts that “It may be just the blow that is needed” (188).

The women gather at Dieynaba’s compound; however, she cannot march because her son, Gorgui, is dying due to wounds incurred by Isnard’s shooting spree. Penda leads the women out at 2:00 a.m.; the strikers organize males to travel alongside them and to provide security.

Bakary, the elder, delivers a letter to Bakayoko detailing Niakoro’s death, Ad’jibid’ji’s injuries and Fa Keita’s apprehension at the hands of the police. He notes that the women in the compound need a male presence, but Bakayoko states that he is compelled to march. The women sing continuously for the first two days of the march and are granted hospitality by numerous villages. On the third day, Maimouna tells Penda that the women have stopped singing. Penda finds that some of the marchers are resting under a tree and are panicked by the “skeletal cade trees and […] vultures” (194), harbingers of impending disaster. Penda cajoles and threatens them into rejoining the marchers.

Penda deduces that Samba, a male union member, is the father of Maimouna’s children. In return, Maimouna, a wise mentor, deduces that Penda is in love with Bakayoko. They reach Dakar and are warned that the military has orders to prevent their entry; nonetheless, Penda exhorts the group to continue. Samba approaches Maimouna and offers to take the baby, in order to protect her. The young mother refuses, saying that she is relocating to Dakar, and “you will never see me again” (204). She assures Samba that no one will ever know that he impregnated her.