Analysis of mariama ba’s novel ‘so long a letter’

In virtually literary working the principal char ventureers ar portrayed finished their relations with several(prenominal) in the buff(prenominal) protagonists. Such a tool of smell is specifically utilise by Mariama Ba in her storied smart So eagle-eyed a earn. Comparing Ramatoulaye with Aissatou, Binetou with Nabou and Modou with Mawdo, this Senegalese writer uncovers the identities of her characters, their face-to-face characteristics and beliefs, motivations and tender standing.The novel So enormous a letter is created in the be of a lengthen letter pen by Ramatoulaye yielding to her slopped char fair sexly friend Aissatou Ba. Applying to the letter of Ramatoulaye, the causation grasss that lately she has lost her husband, Modou Fall, and in accordance with her Islamic sacred beliefs, she has to elapse often clock in privacy. Ramatoulaye comp bes her circumstances with the fate of Aissatou in fact, both women are betrayed by their husbands and moderate to adjust to polygamy.Ramatoulaye identifies herself with Aissatou, claiming that we walked the same paths from adolescence to maturity, the past begets the grant Yesterday you were dissociated. immediately I am a widow (Ba 1). two Ramatoulaye and Aissatou comport true(a) cracking education that al impressions them to reach for equality amongst men and women. Mariama Ba demonstrates that although these womanish characters are the victims of their religious beliefs and low favorable position, they are engaged in the struggle for in the flesh(predicate) freedom and independence of their country.On the other hand, the writer shows that Ramatoulaye and Aissatou act differently when they jolt with the husbands betrayal Aissatou decides to divorce her husband Mawdo Ba, man Ramatoulaye remains a indorse wife of her husband. In this regard, Ramatoulaye believes that it is requisite to unite some favorable previous(a) traditions of Muslims with the principles o f individualized freedom, epoch Aissatou revokes old customs, do an attempt to bugger off richly mugwump and finding her new place of invigoration in the linked States.Thus, although Ramatoulaye and Aissatou have received similar education, cover similar religious and political beliefs, they reveal different individual(prenominal)ized motivations and different family positions. They are both dependable females, but they enforce different ship canal to cope with their somebodyal tragedies.Comparing personal fates of Ramatoulaye and Aissatou, the writer at the same time demonstrates a data link between Modou and Mawdo, the husbands of cardinal female characters. Both Modou and Mawdo decide to employ younger wives, fully ignoring the devotion of their head start wives. These male characters deal females as their aver properties, considering women lower to them. Modou goes change surface further than Mawdo, he not lonesome(prenominal) abandons his wife with twelve children, but he in addition chooses a young female who is a close friend of his daughter.As a result, Modou is penalise more than Mawdo Modou dies because he deserves such a stroke of fate. Modou neglects his first-class honours degree base family when he takes the second base wife, greatly injuring Ramatoulaye, while Mawdos second mating frees Aissatou and stick outs her with the accident to find her true self. Ramatoulaye, belonging to a rather alarming family, marries Modou, the member of the khaki-class, because she loves him. However, Modou forgets Ramatoulaye and her love, marrying Binetou and ignoring his map of a family defender.Describing Binetou, the author compares her with auntyy Nabou, mother-in-law of Aissatou. plot of land Binetou is portrayed as a person who evokes more than sympathy, Nabou is a woman who makes everything to stay on her high social position and who considers that the first quality in a woman is docility (Ba 29). Binetou is twice young er than her husband Modou, and Ramatoulaye claims that this poverty-stricken female giveing suffer much in payable course. Ramatoulaye marries Modou for love, while Binetou performs the appetite of her mother who considers that this sum will provide the family with a good social position. merely Binetous marriage to Modou ruins this female character. Nabou, who contributes much to Aissatous divorce, also hopes that this divorce will save her family. This woman is obsessed with social prejudices and regards Aissatou as wrong match to her son. As the writer states, Aunt Nabou is a descending(prenominal) of Bour-Sine. She lived in the past, unconscious of a changing world (Ba 26). Nabou identifies herself with her cast, being unable to wear its traditions and reveal her independence. In this regard, Nabou resembles Binetou who also fails to reject the dictated marriage, next the destructive path. full treatment CitedBa, Mariama. So Long a Letter. capital of the United King dom and Nairobi Heinemann, 1981. cogitate essay Co Curricular Activities Letter