“In practical terms this means very few people have electricity, running water, telephones, or cars. They don’t have favorite clothes and favorite foods. They wear what they have and eat what is available. They turn to neighbors, Allah, and local gods for help, as there are few hospitals, police, or social services.” 

Holloway lists several everyday luxuries enjoyed in the Western world to create a stark contrast. This helps readers understand the realities of Malian life and the stark differences between life in Mali and life America.

“Monique’s face was youthful, sweet really—a brown symmetrical disk with arching eyebrows, widely spaced eyes, and a slightly upturned nose, making her look like a kid. She was stocky and walked with confidence, her green plastic flip-flops barely visible beneath her wide flapping feet. Strapped to her back with a wide cloth tied over her breasts was her three-month-old son, Basil, fast asleep.” 

This is Holloway’s first description of Monique, the village midwife. This passage is important because it is the reader’s first impression of the main subject of the narrative. As such, it communicates that Monique is confident, competent, and young.

“Now you will see the real work of a woman.”

Monique says this to Holloway before Holloway witnesses her first birth, emphasizing that in a patriarchal society, women still have their own special kind of power: bringing life into the world.