How the Mighty Have Fallen

With chapter 12 came the first signs of the French weakness as a result of the strike. All through the beginning of the book all we've seen is the Sudanese people struggling under the French peoples persistence. Though with Doudou's conversation with Isnard, and the appearance of the drunken LeBlanc, we see that the French are really struggling with the strike. Lahbib see this event as “the first crack in their armor” (153-154). Doudou’s significant step in this chapter is him standing up to Isnard. He declines his offer of three million francs which is a huge blow to Isnard. Isnard’s miscalculation was that he could bribe Doudou with flattery and try to break him with money and power. Although at least to me this attempt at manipulation was clear from the very beginning with how Isnard's acts all of kindness were simply that, an act. This chapter shows “the first crack in their armor” because this demonstrates a weakness among the French, that they are in panic and doing everything to get the workers back. Now the people of the strike know that the French are desperate for their help and know that they can now win. I also think that Doudou’s question to Isnard about same advantages among the white man and black man is also very significant because it brings up a core problem of this strike, equality.