Most novels by Said Ahmed Mohamed end badly, in some kind of catastrophe. However, nothing is further from his world-view than the concept of fate. His disasters are always the outcome of a build-up of conflicts, set out in the novel in minute detail. Any two characters, no matter what they are like, never meet in a neutral way; there is no such thing as an encounter without some imminent conflict. The basis of these conflicts is the animal hostility of human beings. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that this hostility is rooted in either their familial or social background. Men and women do not find it easy to live together.

The second chapter of the novel Dunia mti mkavu (The world is a dry tree) opens with a lengthy account of the problems in a courtyard, where Bakari Jaku lives. A couple get into a fight in their living room. Disputes arise about the use of toilets or about queue-jumping at the communal water hydrant (Mohamed, 1980a). Relationships tend to be promiscuous so of course this leads to fights. However, the battle is less about the war of the sexes and more about infidelity. When people live crammed together, they are going to come to blows. When a woman is stronger than a man, she dominates. The way to avoid this conflict is to have more space.