Ousmane Sembenes Black Girl - Essay Example

English 28 September Had I Been White… “In Dakar she had never had to think about the color of her skin” (773), was the made on Diouana, the main character in Ousmane Sembene’s “Black Girl” when she was the center of harassment by the son of the Pouchet’s and his friends. Diouna, a young Senegalese woman was working as a laundress for the Pouchet family stationed in Dakar. When the family decided to take a holiday in France, they took Diouna along with them on the mistaken assumption by Diouana that she has been employed as a governess to the children of the couple. The French couple took advantage of the innocence and the lack of literacy of the black girl that made her lose all her hopes and dreams in coming to France. The scheming way of Madame Pouchet in taking Diouna to France was clearly demonstrated in the story. “In France when she hired a maid not only was the salary higher, but the maid demanded a day off to boot” (770). This was always the dilemma of Madame Pouchet whenever they had their holiday in France. “She had conceived a plan for her next vacation” (770). Her plan was to hire an African girl because she knew that “for three thousand francs a month, any young African girl would have followed her to the end of the earth” (770). Madame Pouchet was set to put up her plan to success by praising the beauty of living in France and by showering Diouana with things such as old clothes and shoes that she knows would be of great necessity on the impoverished condition of Diouana and her family. Diouana fantasizes France as the land where her hope of becoming rich will come true. All she could think of was the “beauty, richness, and the joy of living” (770) in France. For Diouana getting rich would mean the “freedom to go where she wished, without having to work like a beast of burden” (770). This was the set of mind of Diouana that even an advice from Tive Correa, an old sailor who spent twenty years of his life in France, “For Diouana, he predicted nothing but misfortune” (772), was not given any consideration or thought. The youth should listen to the wisdom of experience of the old generation because they have been exposed to the realities of life and they are no longer blinded by their dreams. The courage of Tive Correa to counter the defense of Monsiuer Pouchet: “Certainly. What young African doesn’t dream of going to France?” (772) when the former announced that they did not force Diouana to come with them, was a manifestation of how knowledgeable he was on the real life of the Africans far from their native land. Diouana should have been more sensible when Tive Correa related how young Africans “confuse living in France with being a servant in France” (772). It should have been an eye opener for Diouna when Tive Correa relates that in Casamance, “we say that the darkness pursues the butterfly” (772) and not “the light attracts the butterfly” (772). Realization on her real life in France dawned upon Diouana: “Sold, sold. Bought, bought. They’ve bought me. For three thousand francs I do all this work. They lured me, tied me to them, and I’m stuck here like a slave” (775). There is nothing more crushing to the spirit of one who is dreaming of a good life than knowing that he was deceived. Deceived up to the extent of losing one’s identity – “The neighbors would say: ‘It’s the Pouchets’ black girl . . .’ She wasn’t ‘the African girl’ in her own right, but theirs. And that hurt” (775). It was a very sad state for a person to feel so alone, far from the family who would protect and love and feeling that all hopes are shattered. These conditions usually lead to self-incrimination and will lead to getting angry with oneself and blaming yourself for all the misfortunes. “Her ignorance made her mute. It was infuriating.”(775). The deception of Madame Pouchet was unmasked by Diouana and she detest being lured by her employers. Madame Pouchet’s former kindness flashbacked in the memory of Diouana and she knew “Madame had been good to her, but in a self-seeking way” (774). When previously Diouana took pride in “working for important white people” (774), now she loath everything. “La Belle France” (773), has become a blurred vision and France to her was limited to “these spiteful monsters, Monsiuer, Madame, and Mademoiselle, who had become strangers to her” (774). Diouana has realized that the color of her skin was stopping her to attain her dreams: “Her skin. Her blackness:” filled her with an invincible terror” (774). It does not give justice to any man to be deprived of any opportunity because of the color of the skin. Equality in everything should be granted to every people regardless of color, race, and status in life. No one can dictate the destiny of a person just because of skin color. The final blow on humiliating the dignity of Diouana came when Madame Pouchet said, “But to find you telling lies, like a native, that I don’t like. I don’t like liars and you are a liar!” (776). Branding an individual with being a liar just because of his nationality or color is a form of slavery. Even in the present times, no one could accuse an individual of any malicious deeds just because one comes from a black country. People are created equal and should be treated equal in all aspects of human endeavor. No race or color of mankind is superior. Status in life does not give anyone any right to degrade and humiliate another person. People with the notion that the color of the skin will be a birth right to deceive, humiliate, and deprive others of a life that is humanly equal in all aspect should open their eyes and realize that all people have the same right in the eyes of man and more so in the eyes of God. So let us not forget that color, educational attainment, and status in life are not sources of power to lay claim on the dignity of any person. The Pouchet couple should have realized that treating Diouana with respect would have given them the opportunity of getting an employee that would be loyal and faithful to them. Being an instrument to uplift the lives of those who are less fortunate is a very noble cause – it is like a drop in the ocean that would cause a ripple. Just like the cry of Patrick Henry during the Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, – “Give me liberty or give me death” will also be the cry of those who are oppressed due to their color. Racial discrimination has long been forgotten. Moving forward to a world of equality and brotherhood will lead to a more meaningful life. Works Cited Sembene, Ousmane. Black Girl. 1962. Print. Read More