. . . The Final Chapter In J.M. Coetzee's "Foe"

In the final chapter of "Foe" the narrative changes direction, as the narrator becomes the perspective speaker and the characters derived from Daniel Defoe's novel "Robinson Crusoe"(Susan, Friday and Crusoe) have subsided.  The last chapter seems to inherit a different voice.  The main character, Susan is no longer lending her perspective voice of her first hand experience of a mission to find her daughter and spending an entire year isolated with Crusoe and Friday on an island after being thrust at sea from a ship mutinied.  

As the narrative shifts, the voice appears to become the perspective of "Foe" speaking now in first person of the deaths of the main characters, "They lie side by side in bed, not touching.  The skin, dry as paper, stretched tight over their bones.  Their lips have receded, uncovering their teeth, so that they seem to be smiling.  Their eyes are closed" (153).  It seems as though the deaths of Susan and the captain necessarily lead the narration to the voice of Foe, as he is the only surviving voice able to describe the happenings in the final chapter.  Though Friday appears to barely be alive or awake, he has no tongue and could not take on the duties of speaking, he becomes a symbol,  reflecting the sounds and life of the island, " His mouth opens.  From inside comes a slow stream, without breath, without interruption.  It flows up through his body and out upon me;  it passes through the cabin, through the wreck;  washing the cliffs and shores of the island, it runs northward and southward to the ends of the earth"(157).  Though the narrative has completly transferred from Susan Barton's perspective to whom I believe is Foe, it is necessary for the completion of the journey of the main characters, whom are incapable of furthering their stories after death.  Though Susan has passed away her story can be told, though not exactly the way she intended, there is some hope.  

Though the story, appears to be a tragedy and a parody of characters from Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe"it captures a journey of a characters trapped by their own destinies.  Though the narrative takes on varying tones, Coetzee very cleverly inserts the voice of Foe in the end to perhaps suggest objectivity to the story.  I really understood the changing of narration as necessary, it allows the reader or audience to get a different perspective of Susan's attempt to not only find her daughter after being shipwrecked, but her journey in life with the captain, Friday and her attempt to thrust herself into life's relentless pursuit of happiness.  In the end it a story, within a story, told from the voice of Susan Barton in her exrtaordinary quest for her story to be told. 

The Strength of Women in "God's Bits of Wood"

"The battle between the women and the policemen in the courtyard of D'Niayene was a short duration.

Overcome by shear weight of numbers, the police beat a hasty retreat, and after they had gone the crowd that had gathered

in the compound also began to disperse. Some of the women, however, formed little groups and began patrolling the streets of the neighborhood,

armed with bottles filled with sand. Still caught up in the excitement of the fight, and a little drunk with victory, 

they accosted every man who appeared in their path" (p.109).

This passage introduces chapter nine, Dakar Mame Sofi, and really captures the essence of

of the strength of the women in God's Bits of Wood. There is a sense of female empowerment and a shifting

of gender roles, as the women become the soldiers and the physical enforcers of the movement. As Mame Sofi, leads her group of 

women toward the house of El Hadji Mabigue, she is filled with the leadership of a general or a leader. When approached by

the servant at Mabigue's home and referred to as a "good wife," Mame Sofi boldly confronts the man and refers to him as a "slave" asserting her

aggressive nature and will to proceed with her cause. As Mame Sofi, surpasses the feeble male servants at the

entrance, she boldly calls out "Mabigue! Come out! Come out if you are a man! You only have courage when your hiding behind

the toubabs! You made them close down the fountains, now come out here and see if you are man enough to make me close

my mouth!" Though she is a woman, Mame Sofi has become a leader, and leads not only her group of women, but the the

oppressed in Senegal. As the women remain gathered, in N'Diayene, the strike against the French management,

has evolved into a struggle for rights, not just for men, but for society as a whole. It is the women whom become the

activists and effectively cause change.

This particular passage exemplifies the women's influence not only in the struggle for equality but an uprising for women.

Though many of these women are old, they still posses the strength and the will to fight and are relentless. The women are also

very resourceful and very tactful as the second fight awaits them when the authorities are men on horses and Ramatoulaye speaks of turning herself in

the women regroup and strategize. As a voice in the crowd is heard yelling, "Ramatoulaye! Mame Sofi! There are spahis coming!"

Mame Safi calmly replies, "Well, we'll give them the same kind of reception we gave the policemen!" It is Mame Sofi's leadership qualities

that gives the women a newly discovered confidence. As the women prepare for the second wave of resistance, they have become

the tactful military and devise a very valuable technique as they prepare their only weapons of jugs and straw to ignite on fire and scare the horses

of the on-coming men on horses. Mame Sofi, quietly replies to her women fighters, "Now go out, and line up on both sides of the street. Don't light

any of the straws -wait until I give the signal". This passage speaks volumes about the courage of the women and the leadership

of Mame Sofi, as they successfully repel the resistance.

It is the women that are the strength in God's Bits of Wood. It is a common theme in Sembene's books and movies, that 

the women are very influential in progressive change, whether it be Faat Kine being a successful business woman or Mame Sofi being a strong

symbol of military type leadership, the women are the stronghold in society and a symbol of empowerment. Though

there is a terrible, cyclical strike that plagues the land in God's Bits of Wood, the women symbolize hope and change.