The Wedding Reception
At the beginning of the novel, when introducing the scene of the wedding, Sembène appeals to a variety of senses through rich imagery. For example, we have the imagery of people "gorg[ing] themselves with food and drink," which evokes the gustatory pleasures of an expensive feast (4). We also get the glittering of gold and silver jewelry, which evokes the visual splendor of wealth being put on display at the wedding. Moreover, the visual and gustatory combine when the women's shoulders at the wedding are described as a "shimmering, velvety aubergine" (4). Finally, the happy and noble roar of the party's noise is also alluded to through the seashell simile. Together, such rich imagery underscore the richness and decadence attendant to the comprador bourgeoisie lifestyle, which stands in stark contrast to the grotesque depravity of the poor, as seen later in the text.
N'Gone
When N'Gone is introduced at the novel's start, she is portrayed as a young and sprightly woman—in contrast to El Hadji's other two wives, whose physical beauty seems to have declined or gone out of style. El Hadji sees her as having "the savour of fresh fruit" with a "firm, supple body" and "fresh breath" (8). Such descriptions emphasize her physical attractiveness, as well as the consumptive and superficial nature of El Hadji's lust for her. Moreover, to El Hadji, she seems like "a restful oasis in the middle of the desert," indicating that El Hadji initially sees her as a kind of respite from his rushing between the business worlds and his busy and demanding family lives with his other two spouses (8). These descriptions are especially ironic considering that, by the end of the novel, El Hadji realizes that he was never in love with N'Gone to begin with, and that she is the force that has ruined his economic and personal security.
Villa Adja Awa Astou
Each detail of the villa of El Hadji's first wife creates a sense of wealth and peacefulness. It is located on the outskirts of a suburb, which emphasizes that it is far away from the busy parts of town. The roads are lined with trees and tarred, as opposed to the dirt roads that are common in other regions. Moreover, hedges, a "wrought-iron front door" and patrolling police officers provide varying layers of security and stability to the home (11). Even the officers roam the streets "in pairs without any sense of urgency," indicating that the area is a relaxing and safe harbor, paralleling El Hadji's sense that Adja Awa Astou is the wife who offers him safe harbor, never questioning him or making strong sexual demands of him (11). Finally, the doorbell has "the muffled tones of an oriental gong," which connotes both a more peaceful sound than the shrill ringing of a common bell, as well as a sense of the Eastern, Muslim leanings of Adja's religious and personal philosophies.
The Revolution of the Poor
The final scene of the story is like a revolution in which a king is being overthrown by the peasants he has dominated. Only here, the poor and diseased—whose lives have been cast into struggle and poverty by El Hadji's shady business practices—have invaded El Hadji's home, forced him to sit on a chair, and placed a wedding crown on his head, which makes him appear to be a king. At the same time, the poor get their revenge by spitting on him, vividly illustrating their wrath. Outside of this reverse coronation, however, Sembène also creates a disgusting and grotesque series of images at the novel's conclusion by describing the various disabilities and ailments that afflict those who storm El Hadji's house. Together then, this last scene provides a variety of images that emphasize the plight of the poor in comparison to the stability and luxury we have seen elsewhere in the novel. Finally, the fact that the officers stand outside the house with their guns drawn gestures to the fact that, despite their bold gesture, their revolution is likely to be unsuccessful.
