Chapters 7 and 8 Summary

"Bamako - Tiemoko" Diara, a member of the union who had gone back to work in spite of the strike, is brought to trial by Tiemoko. Narration recounts how Tiemoko discovered five union members had gone back to work, how four were beaten (as tradition dictated), and how Tiemoko realized (according to what he had been taught by Bakayoko) that punitive beatings were of less value than public instruction by trial. Narration then describes how Tiemoko tracked Diara with the help of Diara's son but was unsuccessful, and later visited Bakayoko's home in search of a particular book that he wants to use to support his ideas. That night he convinces the union leadership of the wisdom of his idea, and walks home happily. He spends the night reading, and the following morning leads a small group of unionists, disguised as...