What is the summary of the novel So Long a Letter?
Overview. So Long A Letter follows the story of two women from Senegal, Ramatoulaye and Aissatou. They are childhood friends whose paths diverge in adulthood when Aissatou emigrates to America, leaving Ramatoulaye behind in Senegal.
What is the significance of the main characters in So Long a Letter?
I argue that the main characters of Mariama Bâ’s So Long a Letter are significant largely because they represent a marginalized population to Western readers. Indeed, the novella foregrounds the struggles of Senegalese women addressing customs such as polygamy in an Islamic culture.
Why does Ramatoulaye stay with her husband?
She is bond by her Islamic values, insecurities, and the conditions of her family consisting of 12 children. Her liberal attitude is defeated by that of tradition; she will reluctantly stay with her man. Ramatoulaye is going through many pragmatic challenges such as raising children and supporting them financially.
Who is Aissatou husband?
Ibrahim Sall
Aïssatou: Ramatoulaye and Modou’s daughter, who is named after her best friend. She enters into a relationship with a boy named Ibrahim Sall, whom she calls “Iba,” a poor student who impregnates her. They claim to love each other and plan their marriage after their studies.
How does So Long a Letter end?
Ramatoulaye concludes her long letter by anticipating Aissatou’s impending return to Senegal. She looks forward to seeing her friend, and trusts that despite the physical changes they’ve endured, their friendship will be strong as ever.
What is the meaning of So Long a Letter?
So Long a Letter (French: Une si longue lettre) is a semi-autobiographical epistolary novel originally written in French by the Senegalese writer Mariama Bâ. It was her first novel. Its theme is the condition of women in Western African society.
What is the background of So Long a Letter?
A novel set in urban Senegal from the 1950s to the 1970s; published in French (as Une si longue lettre) in 1979, in English in 1981. In a letter written to an old friend, a newly widowed schoolteacher reflects upon her life as a Muslim woman in Senegal.
Why did Ramatoulaye stay with her husband?
Ramatoulaye is going through many pragmatic challenges such as raising children and supporting them financially. These challenges are overwhelming her liberal feminist attitude which is why she chooses to stay with her husband.