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Mariama Bs So very long a Page depicts lifespan of a newly widowed Ramatoulaye who creates a notice to her the child years best friend Aissatou, describing her life as being a co-wife and an oppressed woman in the Senegalese traditions and traditions. By writing the story in an epistolary form, mcdougal indicates that ladies are silenced and do not have the right to publically express their very own outcry against injustice. Bs epistolary novel, with the use of roundabout characterization, reinforces the significant unfavorable stereotypes of wives, partners, and mothers to highlight the inequality within a Senegalese culture. In So very long a Page, female characters are communicated as subjects of the Senegalese societal patriarchy. The protagonist and narrator of the new, Ramatoulaye Land, is viewed as a stereotypical Senegalese woman that may be silenced and oppressed simply by her community and society’s accepted rules.
In the novel, which in turn uses an epistolary type, Ramatoulaye evokes her recollections of her failed matrimony post her husband Modou’s death. Modou Fall hitched a more youthful woman since his second wife with no consent of his initial wife. Even though she would not display it, Ramatoulaye’s frequent suffering overpowers her obligations since along with her “former duties, [she] took over Modou’s as well” (B53). Stuck within a vicious cycle, Ramatoulaye goes on pleasing her husband rather than herself, irrespective of his lack of presence. Ramatoulaye declines further more marriage pitch made by Daouda Dieng, her former mate and chooses to “remain faithful to the love of [her] youth” (59), even though it was after Modou’s fatality, showing her total dependence on her husband. Long after the two segregated, Ramatoulaye even now “[cried] for Modou” (59). Binetou, Modou’s co-wife, is additionally portrayed like a woman without having voice and since a fans of the society’s norms. In spite of not wanting to marry Modou, the girl does mainly because like various other women, the girl with “a lamb slaughtered on the altar of affluence” (40), showing that she is not responsible to behave upon her reasoning and make decisions based for her own health and wellness. By being a new co-wife by force, the girl with “exiled in the world of adults, that has been not her own” (50), but goes on participating in that foreign world to make sure you her partner. Binetou is likewise characterized as an object which can be “sold” (50) to an elderly man, making her Modou’s ultimate property and obedient object for her husband. In addition to being viewed as a subject, she is furnished with “jewelry and wealthy boubous” (52), making her resemble a trophy-wife. Although the representation of girls is stereotypical and bad, Aissatou problems those stereotypes by if, perhaps the role of a strong-minded and self-employed woman. Aissatou, opposed to Ramatoulaye and Binetou, takes her life in control by departing her spouse and deciding on to operate France. In addition to Aissatou, Bcharacterizes women in a adverse form in the Senegalese traditions, representing them as quietened, oppressed and obedient. Finally, the leading part Ramatoulaye and her competitor Binetou of So Long a Letter highlights these stereotypes of a Senegalese wife that is completely dependent on her hubby.
Girls are not the only ones which have been represented with strong Senegalese stereotypes in the novel. Bportrays the Senegalese men characters as misogynistic and since a source of oppression toward women due to their interpretations of Islam, but are also ridiculed in the story. Modou Fall rejects the choice of polygamy at the beginning of his marriage with Ramatoulaye, and goes against his parents’ word to marry her. Thirty years and twelve kids later, this individual embraces the conventional Senegalese custom made of polygamy and marries Binetou, a student who will be forced in to the marriage by simply her mother. Although his actions will be supported by the views of Islam, it truly is viewed as shocking and sudden since Ramatoulaye did not give her approval and the co-wife is the friend of Modou’s daughter. B by having Ramatoulaye characterize Modou, criticizes his patriarchal habit and mocks his appearance such as his “graceless sag of a twice chin” and also the fact that this individual “would color his curly hair every month” (B50). This gives the result that Modou tries to impress his more youthful wife by trying to stay young him self, although Binetou “would hardly ever miss an opportunity of having a laugh wickedly for him” (50) due to his foolishness. Furthermore, the Qur’an states that men can marry approximately four girls as long as they treat them all equally and with value, so that it is usually “more likely that [he] will not do injustice” (Qur’an 4: 3). Instead of starting a harmonious life together with his two girlfriends or wives as allowed, Modou abandons his 1st wife pertaining to Bientou. His actions reveal a misogynistic behavior due to the abandonment of his kids and partner, and highlights his indifference towards Ramatoulaye’s feelings. With out divorcing her, Modou leaves Ramatoulaye like “a fluttering leaf that no hand dare[s] to pick up” (56), showing his selfish and egocentric aspect, and only making use of the Islamic hope for his convenience. Furthermore, Mawdo, Aissatou’s husband, also uses his religion and Senegalese practices in his convenience by getting married to a younger woman, in spite of initially neglecting to do so. Contrarily to Modou, Mawdo even now cares for Aissatou and would like to continue living with her since the traditions requires, even though she neglects and progresses. His initial suggestion of only finding Young Nabou, his co-wife, to “fulfill a duty” (31) may suggest that he only wished her intended for pleasure rather than for love. Although he carries on to follow the Senegalese traditions and Islamic faith as convenient, which oppresses Aissatou to a extent in which she leaves him to maneuver to England. The author portrays Modou as being a misogynistic oppressor and ridicules him pertaining to his appearance, and additionally risible Mawdo by simply representing him as a naïve and easily inspired by his mother.
Mothers, in the Senegalese lifestyle, are o as prominent, materialistic and being in constant control of a couple’s life. In So Long a Letter, Bportrays the motherly statistics as irrational and ordering towards the decisions they make for his or her children or children-in-law. Binetou’s mother, also referred to as Lady Mother-in-Law in the new, does not think twice about making her daughter end her education and to get married to a man tall enough to be her father just to be able to possess a luxurious life-style. When Binetou told her mom about Modou, her mother “cried a lot [and] begged her daughter to give her life a happy end” (B37), with out taking in account the relationship both have collectively or whether it be something Binetou wants. The actions manufactured by Lady Mother-in-law portray her as a self-centered and succinct, pithy woman that would prefer to gain luxury “from the marriage” (40) rather than care for her daughter’s would like. Furthermore, her sudden increase in social position due to the matrimony makes the community “spiteful and jealous of [her] promotion” (40), which indicates that her lack of morality and rational thinking. One more woman that is certainly portrayed as being a dominant and controlling girl is Aunty Nabou, Mawdo’s mother, who raises Small Nabou as being a perfect better half for her kid. After disapproving of her son’s initial marriage, the girl “thought a growing number of of her revenge” (26) to deliberately sabotage Aissatou’s relationship with Mawdo. Which has a specific objective in mind, Aunty Nabou elevates her relative to become a unoriginal Senegalese better half – obedient and quietened. She elevates Young Nabou with a classic mentality becoming a typical housewife and midwife only, as “a women does not need excessive education” (29). Aunty Nabou despised Aissatou for her abundant education and tried keeping her away from her kid since “school turns [girls] into demons who entice [men] away from right path” (17). Her actions uncover a traditional and authoritarian perspective in her son’s relationship that lead to the divorce. Bshows the motherly figures because selfish and dominant, as women who will not necessarily mean the very best for their kids or children.
Eventually, Bfocuses on the stereotypes of women, husbands and mothers in Senegal with the use of roundabout characterization through the entire novel. Ladies are perceived as oppressed, obedient and victims of a patriarchy, while males are portrayed as the original source of oppression and as misogynistic. The mother-in-laws, are been shown to be materialistic and dominant within a couple’s personal life. Bs reinforcement of stereotypes in the Senegalese traditions shows the conflict of gender roles and inequality in the country.
