Xala Lesson Plan

What are the factors that make it possible for El Hadji to lose all of his wealth and business connections in a relatively short time as a result of the seemingly unrelated issue of sexual impotence? How do sex, marriage, maleness, and economic influence, and psychology interact in the novel's society? Could something like El Hadji’s misfortune happen to one of his peers, or is there something specific about El Hadji as an individual which makes him susceptible to downfall?

Students might use the factors listed in the question to get started, but they might also add to the list (i.e., Europeanness, politics, religion, individualism, falseness, etc.), considering how all...