Pair B, first we see the obvious juxtaposition of the two different types of “face coverings.” On the woman we see a symbol of modern life and the fashion world, sunglasses. Sunglasses as we know then were not invented until the 1920’s and are thus a relatively recent invention compared to what the child wears. The child, a boy, wears a traditional African mask. These masks have been around much longer than sunglasses and hold a much more significance purpose in the culture. Whereas the sunglasses shows a fashion conscientiousness that is prevalent in western culture, the mask shows a reverence for the past. Whereas the sunglasses are merely a cosmetic device, the masks were use in religious ceremonies to contact the dead. That, however, is not its use in this shot. In the scene where the boy is wearing the mask, he is following Diouana’s former boss, Frenchman, acting as a kind of ghost on behalf of Diouana. This could suggest that all of Africa will haunt the man as this national icon chases him away. This would fit in with the idea of unity that was being fostered at the time.
The second thing that we see is how the background affects the shot. Behind the French woman, we see a building. Her head is framed by a window (i.e. a way out of the poverty-stricken life in Dakar). The boy, however, is standing in front of a chain-linked fence (i.e. a wall that keeps the Senegalese in their poverty). This goes a long way to show how each group sees the other. The Senegalese see the French as a way out their world and a passage to a more modern life. One the other hand, the French virtually see the Senegalese as slaves that they will be able to keep chained up.
Sembène illustrates both of these ideas to teach the Senegal populace. First, he contrasts the outside world with the African to hopefully promote unity. But more importantly, he tries to destroy the illusion that the Senegalese would have about escaping to that modern world.
Good comments on the modern and ancient qualities of these two kinds of mask, and the relative values associated with each. Not quite sure what to make about your conclusions here. While the mask seems to recommend some reverence or appreciation of the past, there also seems to be plenty of evidence of contemporary conditions and options that require something more than this for future development. Still, it does seem that the mask provides a kind of cultural rallying point. On the other hand, there's no escaping the modern world that is Senegal. Perhaps one question here is what role can the traditional values represented by the mask play in that world?
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