Tenille Blog 5

Black Girl, by Ousmane Sembene, was a great portrayal not only of what it meant to be black during the 1960’s but most importantly, what it meant to be an ambitious woman during that time period. Both gender and race were (and continue to be) two very stigmatized and socially constructed groups within society and in this film.  Diouana’s journey left a lasting impression on me as I think back on her parading through the streets of her town with the African mask concealing her face. In that moment, she felt a very important concept we discussed during our discussion last class: freedom. Watching her in that moment, I felt a sigh of relief. She seemed free from her circumstances and hope....hope for a better future. In that moment it seemed as though she felt detached from any worry or feelings of dependency. I can imagine as a woman (and most importantly a black woman growing up in sub-saharan Africa), it was something Diouana wanted to soak in because it was a momentous occasion. She was liberated and I felt her happiness. It really resonated with me during the scene when her mother heard the happy news and although excited, told her daughter to be brave as if foreshadowing the hardship she would soon endure as Doiuana ventured into life beyond the parameters of her African mask.

I knew Doiuana craved this independence as a woman when she became even more excited about having the opportunity to live and work in France. Most people would be excited but also a little afraid of the unknown - leaving family, friends, and their lover behind – especially during that age when women were seen as more dependent on males. Doiuana’s carefree response validated that fact that she was ready for her journey and saw this as an opportunity to experience her own life which is why she harped on the idea of her mistress taking her to see the city and fantasized about all the things she would be able to explore while in France. Despite having to be separated from her lover, it was quite obvious that she was more excited about the adventures that lay ahead.

At first I was shocked at the ending when she committed suicide but thinking about it more in relation to this idea of “womanhood,” I can understand what drove her to such a terrible act. As a female, especially in those days, women are always constrained in someway by society. Whether we look at it in the context of 1960 or 2013, women are continuously stigmatized by their gender.  Not only did Doiuana have to face life as an African, she had to face life as a woman as well – enslaved both by her race and gender. Once she realized the realities of a cosmopolitan lifestyle were shattered by the harsh treatment she endured from her French mistress, she felt as if there was no escaping the biological constraints that will continue to prevent her from having the life she wanted to live. As she expressed in the movie, she refused to be anyone’s slave any longer; she would rather die on her own terms rather than suffer a slow death of servitude for the rest of her life.  She simply wanted more. It was in that moment that Diouana finally called the shots – no longer shackled to the destiny of an African woman during that time, Doiuana chose to reclaim her identity.  When I think of the term “womanhood” my mind is immediately brought the terms survival and bravery – especially in the context of this film. Throughout history, woman have had to learn how to survive despite the extremely important role they play in society. Unfortunately that importance isn’t recognized for all its worth. Woman have been silenced and have found ways to persevere. Doiuana exemplified this notion of survival with her desire to leave a lasting impression. I don’t think she killed herself because she couldn’t take life itself anymore, I believe she wanted to leave a lasting impression as a woman and as a African. She became the subaltern and chose to make the most impactful statement through her silence.