Critical Lens: Gender by Crain, Jaclyn T

Critical Lens: Gender by Crain, Jaclyn T https://padlet.com/jaclyn_crain/x5l01yp0jjxy An analysis of Mariama Ba's "So Long a Letter" en-us 2020-02-09 03:49:00 UTC 2020-02-15 00:12:48 UTC hello@padlet.com So Long a Letter Through The Gender Critical Lens jaclyn_crain https://padlet.com/jaclyn_crain/x5l01yp0jjxy/wish/442632645 Throughout So Long a Letter gender plays a large role in the relations between characters and decisions being made. The gender critical lens itself allows readers to read the text and evaluate gender related issues and or attitudes. This lens is used to analyze the difference between men and women (Steuben). I will consider the impact of gender as I analyze So Long a Letter written by Mariama Ba a Senegalese author and feminist. So Long a Letter, which is written as a compilation of letters written from one character to another, is heavily impacted by gender, and the author's background as a feminist also impacts the gender implications in the novel.

Steuben, Von. "Eight Critical Lenses Through Which Readers Can View Texts," Metropolitan Science Center, 2016.]]> 2020-02-09 04:01:00 UTC https://padlet.com/jaclyn_crain/x5l01yp0jjxy/wish/442632645 Gender Roles Affects of Characters jaclyn_crain https://padlet.com/jaclyn_crain/x5l01yp0jjxy/wish/442632879 Ramatoulaye: Ramatoulaye the narrator of So Long a Letter is widowed in the first chapter of the novel. From the sudden death of her husband, from a heart attack, she is forced to learn what is expected of her after her husband's death. Throughout the text, it is visibly apparent that gender plays a very important role in the society in which the narrator lives. Even with the death of her husband, as a widow, the narrator was required and expected to maintain a certain status with her in-laws. Additionally, a large part of Senegalese culture affects gender roles. This includes the expectation for women to devote their lives to their in-laws even after the death of their husbands. In the novel, Ramatoulaye must provide for her in-laws, this includes her requirement to give up all the money she received from her husband's death. This is expected of a woman, in a sense, it was her duty. This just shows the imbalance between a man and a woman's life and the different traditions a woman must uphold. Her gender means she is required to follow these traditions otherwise she might be outcast for not fitting into the stereotype of a traditional household wife. The expectation within Senegalese culture is to uphold the stereotypical ideal housewife image.

Although most of Ramatoulaye's decisions are influenced by her culture, which suppresses most of her feminist views she still in someways expresses her feminist views. Even under this suppression, Ramatoulaye rejects advances by Modou’s brother Tamsir to marry her. Additionally, she rejects Daouda’s marriage proposal, rather than choosing the obvious choice of financial stability Ramatoulaye finally chooses to do something for in her own interest. Additionally, Ramatoulaye was tolerant of her three daughters who smoked and wore pants, which was obviously deemed inappropriate for a woman. Although Ramatoulaye also disapproved of these behaviors she felt it necessary to allow her daughters to express herself. This is alarmingly different from society's expectations of women in Senegal, which is far from being unique and expressing one's emotions but rather by conforming to the ideal woman who is suppressed and inferior to men. Ramatoulaye also supported her daughter who got pregnant before she married. Although this is against all characteristics of being a good woman, she supported her daughter and was even willing to accept her daughter's love for a schoolboy. Her defining feminist characteristics are only truly embraced after the death of her husband, and even then she follows some gender roles which have been outlined by her culture but for the most part she embracings her feminist beliefs.

Aissatou: Aissatou to whom most of the letters Ramatoulaye writes are addressed is considered to me as a gender-defying character. While Ramatoulaye is defined by her gender Aissatou often defies what would seem to be culturally acceptable as a woman according to the gender roles that have been set up. Although Aissatou was influenced by Senegal tradition she broke free from tradition and left her husband because she did not want to be in a polygamous marriage, this is an example of how Aissatou's identity had not been completely defined by her culture and religion. Her strength to leave her husband signifies her capability to be a strong capable woman willing to make her own decision in a society that puts women below the status of men. She is a large exception throughout the book, she is capable of being her own person without conforming herself to the standards of women in Senegal’s culture. Aissatou is the one person whose identity remains largely intact without major influence from culture and tradition. Although gender roles define most characters, including Ramatoulaye, Aissatou rarely falls victim to her gender's roles and expectations.

Bâ Mariama. So Long a Letter. Waveland Press, 2012.

]]> 2020-02-09 04:02:55 UTC https://padlet.com/jaclyn_crain/x5l01yp0jjxy/wish/442632879 Gender Expectations in Senegalese Society: Polygamy jaclyn_crain https://padlet.com/jaclyn_crain/x5l01yp0jjxy/wish/443488921 In Senegalese society, a society that is largely Muslim, very specific roles are expected of both men and women, especially specificities for the roles of women. Although, this specificity defines women's expectations to be good housewives and mothers, in addition to acknowledging their inferiority to men, "gender relations are very complicated and much less cut and dried than simply the gender dynamics of conservative Islam" (Dougall). As Dougall presents in her article, the most obvious representation of the "complicated" relations between men and women gender roles is polygamy. Polygamy is not only legal in Senegal but also widely accepted, and heavily mentioned in So Long a Letter (Dougall).

Throughout So Long a Letter there are instances where polygamy is mentioned as an accepted and common occurrence. However, the instances represented in the book shed a different light on the topic. So Long a Letter highlighted the various reasons for polygamy, whether it be financial security or family expectations, or even both. Ramatoulaye understands why both Nabou, Aissatou’s co-wife, and Binetou married, she understood the cultural influences. Binetou was influenced by a sense of duty to her family a cultural need as a woman to provide a better standing and lifestyle for her family, as Ramatoulaye described it, “Binetou, like many others, was a lamb slaughtered on the altar of affluence” (Bâ 40-41).

Although it seemed to be apparent that most women are against polygamy, in the novel both Ramatoulaye and Aissatou had their own views although both were against the idea. If you would like to further explore the topic of polygamy, a link to a video on "Senegal and Polygamy" and provided below.

Bâ Mariama. So Long a Letter. Waveland Press, 2012.

Dougall, Sarah Mac. “Religion and Traditional Values Complicate Gender Roles in Senegal.” Berkley Center For Religion, Peace and World Affairs, 18 Oct. 2011, berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/religion-and-traditional-values-complicate-gender-roles-in-senegal.

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