Monday, March 19, 2012

God's Bits of Wood Chapters 1-2

So far the book has caught my attention. I had a feeling that it was going to be very similar to Chinua Achebe's book Things Fall Apart. I really enjoyed Things Fall Apart and that was one of the reasons why I joined IB English because I wanted to read more books like that(I obviously got my wish). Already several significant things have happened: a strike was planned and has started to take place, there is a lot of tension between the natives and the French settlers, and a baby has died.

In the short thirty pages that I have read, I have learned very little about the situation that the characters are in and know next to nothing about some important characters that are mentioned like Ibrahim Bakayoko and Tiemoko. The author has done a good job in introducing the characters but he also leaves me with questions.

First off, why does Ad'jibid'ji not like Tiemoko? He has done nothing wrong at this point in the novel and was only voicing his opinion as was everyone else at the meeting. I also do not understand how two cities that are on opposite sides of Africa have anything to do with each other? The author may make a connection to the two places but I think that they are two far away to have any similarities or correlations. This is not really a question, but  I am very curious to know what happens to Maimouna. One of her babies has been killed and she is blind. I have no idea how she must feel and how the other baby feels. Twins have a connection but since one is dead, the other one must feel lost.

3 comments:

  1. I don't know for sure but I think i can provide some insight to some of your questions. First off, we will probably find out the root of Ad'jibid'ji's resentment. Also, the whole situation is very tense and people are scared of anyone who disagrees with them.

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  2. Well based on Tiemoko's remarks in the meeting he already has made me not like him very much either. He seemed disrespectful and premature with his interrupting the meeting and causing much havoc among the people of the union. Even the very next morning many people were expressing doubts about jumping into the strike so early, and it seemed to me that if Tiemoko hadn't gotten the crowd so riled up the meeting might have come to a different conclusion if Fa Keita had been able to speak. I can relate to Ad'jibid'ji in her dislike for Tiemoko.

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  3. I don't really know how to answer some of your questions but I could try to answer your last one about how the baby feels since the other one died. Personally, being a twin, I think that that "connection" you talk about is actually a myth. I mean, in my 17 years, I have never felt a "connection" as the one you are infering in you comments. It may be just me but I think it is a myth and those things don't exist.

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