'They tossed me around as if I were a sack of flour.' "..."And, Bineta, that Mame Sofi is really something! Your husband must have his hands full with her! Do you know what she did? When one of them fell down, she grabbed him by his...you know what I mean... you could hear him yelling even with all the other noise.'"(Sembene, 1996, p. 110). We see the women considering their heroic deeds and taking trophies of victory, like the true heroes they are, fighting for one of the most rightful causes. This is however an exceptional situation, especially for these women that until that point only knew how to serve their families, husbands, children. In a moment of respire, Ramatoulaye even discovers pondering her own actions, but does not forget the mother role, as well. She asks if the children were fed. They have a new thing to learn they are capable of: solidarity: women's solidarity. The fight together and they take care of each other's babies together. There is a conflict here though, between generations and between educated and uneducated women. Ramatoulaye's niece, N'Deye Touti "who studied and learned at the great school" (Sembene, p 112). N'Deye Touti was taught that people should not seek for justice by themselves, but only in the court of law. Therefore, despite her participation in the fight, due to solidarity...
This is the voice of reason in an innocent young girl's mouth. She will have the answer of reason not through education in a school, but to common sense and humanity, the voice of wisdom: "You are mad, Ramatoulaye! Houdya M'Baye cried. 'You will not go!' Who knows if what N'Deye Touti sais is true? To listen to her, anyone would think that she would be happy to see the police come back! Is this what they teach you at school, N'Deye - to turn you back on your own people?'"(Sembene, 1996, p. 112). The women have learned a lesson through their bravery and solidarity that no teacher could have ever taught them. First they learned how to stick together and not be afraid when they know they are fighting for a good cause. Second, they learned how to take action. And third, they learned how to think over their actions. They found out they were human beings who besides their capabilities of feeding children and satisfying their men's desires, they could also ponder and even put things in motion by joining forces with their fellow women.
Sembene, Ousmane. Heinemann; New Ededition. 1996
