comment on setting

There are several important components of the novel's setting. The first relates to time and place - specifically, French West Africa in the 1940s. The noteworthy point here is the fact that at that time, much of what might be described as black Africa was under white, Christian control. Indigenous peoples and their ways were oppressed and disrespected on almost every conceivable level, as indeed they were in many countries around the world. Here again, while the narrative effectively portrays a true to life set of circumstances, bringing a powerful true-life story to broader public attention, the specific struggles of a particular community within an identifiable set of circumstances can also be seen as representative of a larger human experience.