Rite Of Passage In God's Bits Of Wood

The novel God’s Bits of Wood is similar to that of a Rite of Passage or a Rite of Passage and Gender as the people of Sudan grow into more complete citizens. Along this journey there are many heroes or heroic moments; there are also the elements of trickery. As this story is both a Rite of Passage and revolves around heroes it means there should be a Trickster or trickster energy that helps guide the protagonist to their destination. The character that I will examine as a Trickster is Bakayoko. Although he has many heroic moments, his objective is to stir up a conversation, creating chaos that leads to conversations between the employers and employees. In this way he acts as a guide for the strikers, as they obtain both the rewards and consequences
of his efforts. He also acts as a guide on individual levels, helping promote individual characters to growth.
For the majority of the book, and strike, Bakayoko is not physically present but his spirit or energy is present throughout everyone.
His memory is instilled in many of the choices that the strikers make, and when self-doubt is present, there is often the thought that Bakayoko would know what to do. This is consistent with the quick wit of a Trickster. At the trial of Diara, Tiémoko constantly thinks, “if only Bakayoko was here in my place, he could make them understand, right away!” (Ousmane, 80). Later, while Fa Keïta spoke, Tiémoko was reminded of the Bakayoko’s energy and was envious of the power in which he spoke. This emphasizes how Bakayoko does not always need to be present in order for his energy to help provoke
change.
After Bakayoko becomes physically present, his ability to create chaos becomes clear, as his presence alone causes a frenzy of people to congregate in front of the union office.
In a meeting between the delegates and bosses of Dakar-Niger, he begins enraging the officials by making him feel inferior, which is significant because they are of a higher class. “But since your ignorance of any of our language is a handicap for you, we will use French as a matter of courtesy” (Ousmane, 181-182). Bakayoko is clearly speaking down to these high-ranking men, and continues to throughout the meeting. The anger he provokes helps the strikers become the dominant force in the chaotic conversation stripping the power away from the white men. His actions go so far as to almost shut down the meeting, but this is when the other strikers take over to help progress the conversation. Bakayoko’s chaotic nature takes over soon after and he again creates chaos that escalates to a violent exchange between himself and Dejean. This is an example of how the Trickster’s goal is chaos, whether there will be a positive outcome is never clear but they do it anyways. Dejean immediately after shuts down the meeting, threating to have everyone discharged (Ousmane, 185).
Bakayoko’s ability to create and utilize chaos is again present at the meeting in Dakar, as he instructs Alioune to have everyone start shouting to disrupt the meeting so he can speak (Ousmane, 217). He makes the white men feel inferior as he speaks
to the strikers in Ouolof, only translating a few sentences to Bambara and French. He riots the other workers, who were previous not on strike by proving how the French only valued people in their class, and the petty symbols of their gratitude, such as war medal, proved worthless to any African.
Bakayoko is undeniably also a hero in this novel, but as he stated to Eduard, “I am not alone” (Ousmane, 176). His focus is to help make other strikers become heroes by giving them an opportunity to speak or take control. His ability to create chaos helps dissolve the rigid separation of classes and enable other strikers the chance to demand equality. Ousmane uses this idea of Tricksters and chaos as a literary device to comment on how in order to create social change, those with lower class who are often over looked must use dramatic bold actions in order to be noticed. Parallels to this in modern US culture are the demonstrations and marches for the Black Live Matter movement, demanding the freedom and equality of black lives in modern society.