God's Bits Of Wood By Ousmane Sembene

In the novel God’s Bits of Wood by Ousmane Sembene, various marking events have occurred that remain really significant to the novel. One of the events being the march that occurred in Senegal which began all the way from the city of Thies to the capital, Dakar. The march personally viewed as a huge significant part of the novel, has a major impact and also adds an even deeper meaning to Ousmane Sembene’s work as a whole. The book indeed withholds many important events that result to being striking and or shocking in the story. Events that may have caused a lot of tragedy, internal conflicts within characters, as well as change within characters. However, despite such moments and events, the long march remains the most significant and important part of the novel and that symbolizes unity and dedication. Meanwhile, the significance and importance of the march depicts courage, will, faith, and leadership.

Nothing appears significant until one finds it a deeper meaning – a deeper meaning to make of such as significant as possible. As the reader moves on throughout the novel, he or she learns that this book appears to be set during the time of post colonialism; a time period when the French occupation of most of the West African countries takes place. The strike, organized by the resistance has for leader, Ibrahim Bakayoko. This strike organized by the resistance, comprised of mostly Malians and a few Senegalese people. After the strike, then came the march which occurs later on in God’s Bits of Wood. Both the strike and the march appear as two sub-events that make up one major event as the strike basically engenders the march. These two sub-events that one, being the strike, acts as the initiation of the revolution. The other whic...

... middle of paper ...

...ocus uniquely on her vision and goal she set to achieve. Lastly, strength, courage and character is shown by Penda as she, despite all the accusation and negative comments about her, still stands up to help these people that are being vulgar towards her.

In conclusion, the march depicts significance in Ousmane Sembene’s work because it displays strength and along with another image of black people at the time. A positive image which explains and shows how individuals are devoted and try as hard as possible to achieve a goal set in minds. Last but not least, the novel balances out as the author purposively attributed leadership status to both men and women to show equality. Nonetheless, the march further more shows enhancement in women social position and independence, and lastly gives birth to a new era when African women start to claim their place in social class.