God’s Bits of Wood

Despite N’Deye’s previous opposition to the practice of polygamy, she is very attracted to Bakayoko. They spend time together at the beach, and N’Deye introduces the topic of Penda, suggesting that “she was a whore” (223). He retorts that “You will probably never be worth as much as Penda” (240), and suggests that people prostitute themselves in different ways. When N’Deye suggests that he take her as his second wife, he refuses. He also refrains from attending Doudou’s funeral at Thiès, and N’Deye comments that “he has no heart” (225). Expressing his gratitude to Ramatoulaye for her efforts, Bakayoko departs from the compound.

This event precipitates a profound change in N’Deye, who now involves herself in procuring water and food, cares for the children and helps with laundry. No longer vain and narcissistic, she is described as appearing in dirty clothing due to the intensity of her labor.

Lahbib, the union activist, writes to Bakayoko, advising him that his family needs him to come home, and Bakayoko embarks upon the journey.

The horrific conditions in the prison camp in which Fa Keita is incarcerated are related in great detail, including his humiliation upon mistakenly overturning a latrine bucket upon entering the group cell. When the other inmates are found to be strikers and realize his identity, “The Old One,” they treat him with “friendship and respect,” and persuade him that he should refrain from touching his forehead to the “filthy” floor of the cell during his prayers (232).

A sadistic Corsican commandant inspects the facility at one point and inters the Union secretary, Konate, in a torturous underground pit covered with perforated metal. Scalding water drips through the cover to inflict severe burns. Fa Keita walks toward the barbed wire fence in the yard in an effort to pray properly, at which time the commandant hurls Fa Keita “headfirst into the barbed wire” (236).In the interim, Bakayoko is advised that the union’s conditions have been met and the strike is terminated. He responds that if the prisoners are not released, “there will be no return to work” (239).

The prisoners are released that same day and visit Fa Keita at home, at his request. He speaks to them of his despair while incarcerated, having “questioned the existence of God” (240). He emphasizes the need to avoid killing and exhorts the former prisoners to embrace forgiveness and avoid hatred.

Bakayoko has a renewed perception of his traditionally-shy wife, Assitan, whom he now treats with more respect. He stops her from going to the river to wash his pack, noting that “you have eaten nothing; you are too weak” (238). Finally, his stepdaughter, Ad’jibid’ji, finds the answer to Niakoro’s question as to what washes water. She realizes that water is washed by the spirit, which is “purer still” (240).

In keeping with their new, self-confident personas, the women no longer spend so much time confined to their homes, instead walking several miles to a lake each morning. There, in communal fashion, they bathe, do laundry, cook and gossip about “the famous march” (242). In the union office, Lahibe ruminates upon the strike and thinks that it is preferable that Bakayoko not return so that the members can care for Dejean, the railroad administrator, themselves.

The men report to work the next morning and discover the corpse of Sounkaré, the watchman; however, they do not perform any actual work. When Dejean realizes this, he makes an irate call to the union and is told that no work will be done until Isnard is removed. Railway managers try to persuade Isnard and his wife, Beatrice, to evacuate; however, they refuse to do so. Enraged by her situation, Beatrice grabs a revolver from the dining room table, runs to the garden, and commits suicide.

The novel ends with the crowd scattering upon hearing the gunshots, as the blind Maimouna sings her own ballad about the strike, ending with the sentiment that “happy is the man who does battle without hatred” (248).