So Long a Letter, by Mariama Ba

992 Words2 Pages

Mariamma Ba’s So Long a Letter and the role women and impact of western culture on Islamic women in post-colonial Senegal: A critical analysis of Aissatou.
European Culture vs. African: France occupied Africa and brought in the language and educational system, but the cultural traditions of marriage, living, and the place of woman is still under African traditions.
Senegal, a country colonized by the French, witnessed a slight change in the role and place of women. In Senegal the disparity between the men and women went in the favour of the men. Senegalese culture which was already a male chauvinist culture coupled with the Islam religion which in many ways favoured men was a recipe for disaster for Senegalese women. It is vastly populated by Muslims.
Post-colonialism refers to the freedom from the governing influence of a nation over dependent country. After Senegal attained independence, their women had a change in their way of life. They got affected economically, socially and politically. Most of the young Muslim women were torn between their traditional culture and the western ways which most Africans are now adapting to. The major problem being the way that Muslim women dressed, and their craving for education and other privileges that were supposed to be ascertained by men only. Also, they no longer appreciate polygamy even though it is not against the law of Islam. This can be said in reference to the decision made by a character, Aissatou, in So Long a Letter by Mariamma Ba, when she decides to leave her husband Mawdo, after having four kids with him because he wants to marry a woman whom his mother approves of. Many Senegalese women became aware of their rights and begun to stand up to defend themselves against unjust l...

... middle of paper ...

...ttached of breaking away from the Muslim religion
It seems in the novel the women are judgmental and separate themselves from each other because they are afraid of being a replaced by a younger wife. Therefore, woman separate, but Mariamma Ba urges woman to do the opposite because numbers will increase the strength of woman.
Ramatoulaye realizes that she was obeying and depending on her husband and following the societal norms and urges all the other women to unite and be independent of a man that doesn't appreciate a woman. Also, Ramatoulaye makes a choice to be a single woman that will do anything for her children and doesn't want to be with a man like Daouda who might be rich, but has a wife already.
Bibliography
http://findpdf.net/documents/So-long-a-letter-Ramatoulaye.html
http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/4615/ar_rizwana_muslim_women.pdf?sequence=1

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