Analysis of Mariama Bas So Long a Letter PDF

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Analysis of Mariama Ba's "So long a Letter"...

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Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter as a Feminist and Epistolary Novel Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter is an epistolary novel; that is, it is a novel written in form of letters. In such novels, two or more characters will be exchanging letters. In the course of doing that, the plot of the novel unfolds, the themes are generated, and the characters are developed. As the novel begins, Ramatoulaye Fall is beginning a letter to her lifelong friend, Aissatou Ba. The need to write the letter is informed by her recent widowhood. As she regales her friend with the details of her husband’s death, she recounts the major events in their lives. The oppression and subjugation of these women and several other women in the patriarchal Islamic society where the novel is set is exposed in the overtly feminist novel. Feminism is a range of social movements, political movements, and ideologies that aim to define to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that societies prioritize the male point of view, and that women are treated unfairly within those societies. Efforts to change that include fighting against gender stereotypes and establishing educational, professional, and interpersonal opportunities and outcomes for women that are equal to those of women. Feminism pervades several fields and disciplines such as medicine, law, economics, history, literature, philosophy, psychology, etc. Feminist-oriented literary works portray characters or ideas that attempt to change gender norms. They tend to examine, question, and argue for change against established gender roles through the written word. They portray the oppression and subjugation of women by men in the literary works, and tend to demonize and bestialize men in these works. Plot Account of So Long a Letter Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter begins when Ramatoulaye, a Senegalese woman living in Dakar, the country’s capital, decides to write a letter to her old friend, Aissatou, who lives in the USA. The letter is occasioned by the sudden death of Modou, Ramatoulaye’s estranged husband. In keeping with Muslim custom, Ramatoulaye must observe a mirasse, a forty-day period of isolation and mourning. Ramatoulaye informs Aissatou of the long funeral proceedings following Modou’s death. The mourners practically sack her house, and most of the gifts they bring end up in the hands of Modou’s second wife, Binetou, and her greedy mother, Lady Mother-in-Law. Ramatoulaye’s marriage to Modou illustrates the oppression of women in patriarchal societies. The early period of their marriage was blissful. In retrospect, she felt that she ought to have obeyed her family by not marrying Modou, and marrying Daouda Dieng, an older and more established, financially stable man. Like Ramatoulaye’s, Aissatou’s marriage also fails. Around the time that Ramatoulaye married Modou, Aissatou settles down with Mawdo, a medical student. They are greatly in love with each other. Mawdo’s mother, Aunty Nabou particularly objected to the union, as she cannot imagine her son of noble birth getting married with Aissatou, a goldsmith’s daughter. Mawdo later bows to his mother’s pressure by marrying a second wife, Young Nabou. Aissatou could not accept this. She divorces him. She decides to empower herself by focusing on her education. She bags a degree in diplomacy, and relocates to America to work in Senegalese embassy. This empowers her economically. At a point when Ramatoulaye is in dire need of a car, Aissatou sends money to her.

Remarkably, Ramatoulaye was enduring her own marital misfortune. Her daughter, Daba’s bosom friend named Binetou is having a clandestine love affair with Modou, whom Binetou refers to as her sugar daddy who has been spoiling her silly with cash and gifts. Binetou abandons her educational pursuit so as to marry Modou for his money. When the news is broken to Ramatoulaye, she becomes heartbroken that her daughter’s friend is to become her co-wife. Modou abandons Ramatoulaye and his children, and begins a new, flamboyant life with Binetou. She decides to stay in her marriage and weather the storm. Modou spends recklessly on Binetou and her spendthrift mother. As her mirasse draws to a close, she is approached by a number of suitors like Tamsir and Daouda Dieng. She spurns these love advances and resolves to focus her efforts on raising her children. Due to the sheen of modernity, Ramatoulaye’s adolescent children becomes exposed to a number of new dangers. She catches three of her daughters smoking cigarettes. One of her daughters, Aissatou, gets pregnant out of wedlock. Ramatoulaye responds to all these crises with strength and equanimity. Ramatoulaye concludes her long letter by anticipating Aissatou’s impending return to Senegal. She looks forward to seeing her dependable friend, and believes that despite the problems and changes they have endured, their friendship will wax stronger. Feminist Features of So Long a Letter Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter is novel whose pages drip with feminism. It exposes how African women have been exposed and subjugated. There is a feminist element when Ramatoulaye’s husband, Modou, takes a second wife without his wife’s consideration. He never cares about her feelings. Later, he extends his neglect to his first family by focusing only on his second wife, Binetou, spending heavily on her and her extravagant mother. As a woman, Ramatoulaye is considered as weak, and cannot do anything except to follow her husband’s desires. She faces the challenges of life squarely, and remains a resolute and responsible mother. Later, she learns to drive, opening up a newfound sense of independence by her friend, Aissatou’s encouragement. Feminism deals with women’s liberation. In feminist-oriented literary workers, some female characters usually vehemently oppose the oppression of women by the male characters. Aissatou’s decision to divorce his husband, Mawdo, for marrying another lady demonstrates this. She tries to free herself from her betrayal husband. Her decision to pursue her education vigorously, and not to be tied down in polygamy with a man pays off, as she gets a lucrative job with the Senegalese Embassy in the United States of America. Some of the male characters in So Long a Letter tend to take advantage of women. An example is Tamsir, Modou’s brother who, despite already having three wives, still want to marry Ramatoulaye. His attitude shows that men like to treat women as property to be owned. Iba, the law student who impregnates Ramatoulaye’s daughter out of wedlock, also demonstrates little or no sense of responsibility....