UCLA

This thesis comparatively and critically examines "La Noire de..." (1962) by Ousmane Sembène and "The Belly of the Atlantic" (2003) by Fatou Diome as testimonial pieces of Francophone African literature that share common themes and threads despite the 40 years that separate them. Both narratives deal with issues of cultural alienation as induced by French Colonialism, yearning for transformation, and disillusionment within the Senegalese social climate. Featuring female domestic workers as protagonists, "La Noire de..." and "The Belly of the Atlantic" relate to each other in a way that is of special interest when considering a trajectory of female voices in Senegalese testimonial fiction.