Summary

The clock rewinds to Rama and Aissatou’s days in the teachers’ training college. Rama meets and marries Modou, and Aissatou weds Mawdo Bâ.

Chapter 6

Rama recalls meeting Modou. Handsome and strong, Modou is also insightful, intelligent, ambitious and tender and the two fall in love. After receiving his baccalaureate, Modou travels to France to continue his studies, sending Rama beautiful love letters while he is away. Returning with a law degree, Modou seeks out work opportunities that contribute to the improvement of his country. Rama’s mother has reservations based on the spacing of Modou’s incisors, but Rama does not heed her advice.

Chapter 7

Rama attends the teachers’ training college with Aissatou when she meets Modou. The White headmistress of the school raises the awareness of the students “to lift us out of the bog of tradition, superstition and custom,” without being patronizing...