Like the works of many other feminist african women writers, ba s writing challenges many prevalent stereotypes that reinforce the african womans acceptance of her place in society. An autobiographical rereading of mariama ba s novel. It means a man from the upper class decides to marry a woman from the lower class. This 33page guide for so long a letter by mariama ba includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 27 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. The novel so long a letter, by mariama ba, is based on the senegalese culture and shows how important tradition is in africa. Published in 1980, mariama bas so long a letter recounts the stories of two women and their husbands, lifelong friends living in senegal during the postcolonial period of national reformulation. Abstract feminism as an assertion of womanhood, a demand for the recognition of the potentialities of women and a call for granting women equal. The occasion for writing is ramatoulayes recent widowhood. Despite the fact that it is a short text of only 90 pages, ba is able to construct and augment every character we meet in a beautiful and intelligible manner. What are the setting and plot of so long a letter by. Mariama ba, a longtime womens activist, set out to write a book that exposed the double standard between men and women in africa. So long a letter essays are academic essays for citation.
This novel is in the form of a letter, written by the widowed ramatoulaye and. Click download or read online button to get download so long a letter pdf book now. So long a letter by mariama ba is an entry in the book 500 great books by women by erica baumeister. So long a letter 1989 so long a letter so long a letter page front matter to abibatou niang, pure and constant, lucid and. Mariama bas novel consists of so long a letter that newly widowed ramatoulaye writes to her good friend, aissatou. Female friendship in toni morrisons sula and love, mariama bas so long a letter and sefi attas everything good will come by kadidia sy a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of. Aug 20, 20 back to so long a letter, ramatoulayes friend aissatou was a gnegno, while her husband was a geer. Download so long a letter by mariama ba pdf lagranja. Despite the fact that it is a short text of only 90 pages, ba is able to construct and augment every character we meet in a. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Essay about tradition and customs in so long a letter by. The classic read for african womens studies, gender, and womanhood. The brief narrative, written as an extended letter, is a sequence of reminiscences some wistful, some bitterrecounted by recently widowed senegalese. The brief narrative, written as an extended letter, is a sequence of reminiscences some wistful, some bitterrecounted by recently widowed senegalese schoolteacher ramatoulaye fall.
So long a letter summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Our lives developed in parallel, and they continue to do so, as both have recently lost their husbands yesterday you were divorced. In keeping with muslim custom, ramatoulaye must observe a mirasse, a fortyday period of isolation and. I highly recommend every black woman pick up a copy of this light read, read it, and. So long a letter characters from litcharts the creators. An autobiographical rereading of mariama bas first novel by phlip etyang abstract so long a letter is a sequence of. Waveland press so long a letter by mariama ba translated.
The short narrative, written as a longer letter, is a chain of reminiscencessome wistful, a few bitterrecounted by way. Aissatou is ramatoulayes old childhood friend, and the addressee of her letter. Mariama ba s so long a letter is story that dives deeply into the struggles of being a woman in a society that has no thoughts for your pain. Love, mariama bas so long a letter and sefi attas everything good will come by kadidia sy under the direction of renee schatteman, chris kocela and margaret harper abstract this study analyzes female friendship in four novels written by black diasporic women.
What are the setting and plot of so long a letter by mariama ba. Much of ramas character development over the course of the book involves her growing ability to see women, including herself, as fully autonomous humans deserving of equality. So long a letter is a landmark book a sensation in its own country and an education for outsiders. I am part of the goodreads group by the same name, and i have made it a long term goal to read as many of the choices as possible. Hers is the generation responsible for the slow process of senegalese selfdetermination. Mariama bas so long a letterand the educational empowerment. Mariama bas so long a letter rizwana habib latha looks at the issue of feminisms in an african muslim postcolonial context, using the semiautobiographical novella, so long a letter by senegalese writer mariama ba as its basis t nhe semiautobiographical novella, so long a letter by mariama ba, focus. The short narrative, written as a longer letter, is a chain of reminiscencessome wistful, a few bitterrecounted by way of lately widowed senegalese.
As the novel begins, ramatoulaye fall is beginning a letter to her lifelong friend aissatou ba. A discussion of so long a letter by the west african woman writer, mariama ba, is used as a basis for highlighting the empowering and disempowering effects of. Written through awardwinning african novelist mariama ba and translated from the unique french, so lengthy a letter has been famous as one among africas a hundred most sensible books of the 20 th century. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Her first novel, so long a letter 1979, which revealed her clarity of vision and persuasive rhetoric, is written in an epistolary style. Mariama bas noma award winner novel so long a letter is a cry from the heart of a senegalese woman, because it articulates. Mariama bas so long a letter is story that dives deeply into the struggles of being a woman in a society that has no thoughts for your pain. Need help with chapter 1 in mariama bas so long a letter.
Ramatoulaye is born and educated under the french colonial regime, and she lives through senegalese independence. So long a letter is a novel written in the first person point of view. So long a letter, mariama bas first novel, is literally written as a long letter. As she gives her friend the details of her husbands death, she recounts the major events in their lives.
This paper dwells on the analysis of so long a letter, a novella by mariama ba, a senegalese woman with a view to bringing out the issue of polygamy. Pdf polygamy victim in so long a letter researchgate. I commend the fact that this book was made mandatory in several frenchspeaking countries, but should 12 years old kids read this kind of work. Feb 02, 2017 the senegal depicted in so long a letter is a country on the threshold, passing between two historical eras. This paper dwells on the analysis of so long a letter, a novella by mariama ba, a senegalese woman with a view to bringing out the issue of polygamy as. So long a letter is a semiautobiographical epistolary novel originally written in french by the senegalese writer mariama ba. Apr 25, 20 published in 1980, mariama bas so long a letter recounts the stories of two women and their husbands, lifelong friends living in senegal during the postcolonial period of national reformulation. Mariama ba s so long a letter rizwana habib latha looks at the issue of feminisms in an african muslim postcolonial context, using the semiautobiographical novella, so long a letter by senegalese writer mariama ba as its basis t nhe semiautobiographical novella, so long a letter by mariama ba, focus. I chose this story is because i have been married to a nigerian for the past fourteen years, and i can remember all the horrible stories i was told of why i should not marry him. So long a letter study guide contains a biography of mariama ba, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. So long a letter questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. The letter is occasioned by the sudden death of modou, ramatoulayes estranged husband. Pdf this article explores the investigation of a letter so long, a novel by mariama ba, a senegalese author with a point of view to handle.
Download so long a letter by mariama ba download free ebooks. We will forever be indebted to mariama ba for this masterpiece. Feminism feminism is a particularly strong theme throughout the novel. May 06, 2012 written by awardwinning african novelist mariama ba and translated from the original french, so long a letter has been recognized as one of africas 100 best books of the 20th century. As the novel begins, ramatoulaye fall is beginning a letter to her lifelong friend. Like the works of many other feminist african women writers, bas writing challenges many prevalent stereotypes that reinforce the african womans acceptance of her place in society. Dec 21, 2015 the relationship between senegalese men and women. So long a letter, a work of fiction by mariama ba, is set in dakar, senegal, where the main character ramatoulaye writes a letter to her friend, aissatou, who lives in america. The brief narrative, written as an extended letter, is a sequence of reminiscences some wistful, some bitterrecounted by recently widowed senegalese schoolteacher. So long a letter summary from litcharts the creators of.
So long a letter, a work of fiction by mariama ba, is set in dakar, senegal, where the main character ramatoulaye writes a letter to her friend, aissatou, who lives in. In this book, the author recognized the immense contributions african women have made and continue to make in the building of their societies. So long a letter begins when ramatoulaye, a senegalese woman living in dakar, the countrys capital, decides to write a letter to her old friend aissatou, who lives in america. Aissatous decision to leave her husband after he takes a second wife is a clearly feminist act. Tradition and customs in so long a letter by mariama ba tradition and customs very often hold an important position in ones life and culture. Written by awardwinning african novelist mariama ba and translated from the original french, so long a letter has been recognized as one of africas 100 best books of the 20th century. So long a letter by mariama ba under the neem tree. People must be instructed, cultured and educated, so that things can advance stringer 1996. Through the device of a letter, ramatoulaye narrates her story to her friend as a diary, offering a firsthand account of ramatoulayes life and emotions, distilled.
Mariama ba this novel is in the form of a letter, written by the widowed ramatoulaye and describing her struggle for survival. An autobiographical rereading of mariama ba s first novel by phlip etyang abstract so long a letter is a sequence of reminiscences recounted in the form of a letter, by the fictional recently widowed senegalese school teacher ramatoulaye. So long a letter questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on so long a letter. So long a letter summary and study guide supersummary. A study of mariama bas so long a letter and flora nwapas one is enough. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of so long a letter by mariama ba. Pdf downloads of all 1285 litcharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish.
Of course, the motherinlaw couldnt take it, its a classic. The short narrative, written as a longer letter, is a chain of reminiscencessome wistful, a few bitterrecounted by way of lately widowed senegalese schoolteacher ramatoulaye fall. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Mariama bas noma award winner novel so long a letter is a cry from the heart of a.
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