The pieces of wood of God by Sembene OusmaneThe novel The pieces of wood of God by Sembene Ousmane is an account of the strike that the Senegalese railway workers underwent to obtain the equality of benefits and compensation from their French employers. In an effort to force workers to return to their jobs, the French cut off water and food supplies to the three villages where these events took place: Thiès, Dakar and Bamako. Ousmane's novel explores how these difficulties evolve for the workers and their families until the strike is finally resolved. Perhaps the most significant transformation occurring concerns the role of women within these societies. Before the strike, women were expected to be subservient to their husbands, with exclusively domestic duties consisting of cooking, cleaning and caring for children. Following the strike and the famine that accompanied it, women were forced to change their roles to feed their families. The goals of men and women differed in that men fought for equality and better pay, while women fought for their own survival and that of their children. So, although declaring a strike and refusing to work until their demands were met was the men's campaign, it was the women who ultimately forced the French to realize their resolve and succumb to their demands . Women's role in society was forced starvation, which ultimately resulted in the first of the women's rebellions against the French. Because men no longer provided money to buy food, women became the breadwinners of the family. As their situation worsened and famine became imminent, the women broke the law. What is remarkable given the situation is that women have been united in their efforts rather than looking out for themselves. The hunger visible in their children's eyes did not cause them to despair or lose their resolve, but rather helped build unity among them as they faced this ordeal together. For example, when Ramatoulaye killed the ram on Friday, the meat from its bones was distributed to everyone who needed it. So when the French soldiers came for her for breaking the law, they were not dealing with a single woman but with an army of women ready to fight...