God's Bits of Wood Reading Notes

GBW Reading Blog Instructions

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:51:04 +0000

You are assigned to read through page 154 of God’s Bits Wood by the Tuesday we return from February vacation. On this blog, I have posted a prompt for each chapter. Read the prompt before you read the chapter. After you finish, respond to the prompt by adding a comment, which should be a solid paragraph. While you should make specific reference to the text, your response should be as much personal as analytical. Remember to sign your comment. Your ideas should be your own and do not need to reference your classmates’ comments, but if you are stuck or looking for inspiration, you certainly can.
Although you may complete the reading and blogging assignment at your own pace, you should plan ahead and spread out the work. The novel is challenging because of the number of characters and locations in which the action takes place. Leaving the assignment to the last minute will prove disastrous to your capacity to understand fully. I have also posted a list of characters as a download on the class page, and the book itself has two useful reading aids: a map of where the action takes place and the table of contents. I am also happy to meet with anyone outside of class to answer your questions.

Chapter 1: BAMAKO Ad’jibid’ji

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:41:16 +0000

The chapter is named after the little girl, Ad’jibid’iji. Explain what you think might be important in the way she interacts with or thinks about the other, older characters, such as her grandparents, Fa Keita and Niakoro, or Tiemoko, the strike leader.

Chapter 2: THIES The City

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:40:05 +0000

In this chapter, the Africans debate the wisdom of the strike that has just begun. Identify some of their concerns and relay what underlying divisions among the Africans that those concerns reveal.

Chapter3: THIES Maimouna

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:38:29 +0000

There is an underlying theme of change in the novel. Comment on one of the following two examples from this chapter:

The relationship between the African and the machine as described in the paragraph that runs from the bottom of page 32 to the top of page 33.

The relationship between men and women as shown in the novel so far and suggested in the chapter’s last line: “And men began to understand that if the times were bringing forth a new breed of men, they were also bringing forth a new breed of women” (34).

Chapter 4: DAKAR Daouda-Beaugosse

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:35:50 +0000

Much of the chapter focuses on a conflict between Ramatoulaye and her wealthy brother El Had’ji Mabigue. Describe the conflict and explain what you see to be its larger significance.

Chapter 5: DAKAR Houdia M’Baye

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:34:00 +0000

N’Deye Touti has a conflicted view of Africans. Describe what you know about her and her conflict, especially as rendered on pages 57 and 58, and explain how her conflict may prove to be important to the novel.

Chapter 6: DAKAR Ramatoulaye

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:32:20 +0000

Again, the theme of underlying and surprising change emerges in this chapter. Comment on either of the following examples:

As others observe Ramatoulaye’s confrontation with the police (pages 72-75), others observe a profound change in her. Describe the change, why you think it has happened, and how you think it will prove significant to the meaning of the novel.

On pages 75 to 77, the author reflects further on the complex attitudes of the men towards the machine.

Chapter 7 BAMAKO Tiemoko

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:31:01 +0000

Old Niakoro, Fa Keita’s wife and Bakayoko’s mother, exclaimed despairingly about the events of the strike, “Our world is falling apart,” to which probably Fa Keita responded, “No, woman; it was your son who said, “Our world is opening up” (87). Consider the events of the chapter and the novel thus far and explain how both could be simultaneously true.

Chapter 8: BAMAKO The Trial

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:28:28 +0000

Fa Keita makes a speech at the trial of Diara. What do you make of his speech in light of how the trial ends and what happens to him and his wife, Old Niakora, latter in the chapter.

Chapter 9: DAKAR Mame Sofi

lwlibby — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:27:29 +0000

Find something from this rich chapter that you find interesting and important. Identify your topic and then explain what it means and why it is important to understanding the the novel.