Over the past century, women in the Western world have made incredible progress in closing the equality gap between them and men. While Western women are beginning to enjoy freedoms that their mothers did not share, women in less developed countries continue to lag behind in terms of equality. Many elements reinforce this difference between the West and developing countries. Religion, culture and history are some of the main elements, but many agree that the greatest obstacle to women's rights is the belief that women are inferior to men because of their role biological in reproduction. Mariama Ba's novel, So Long a Letter, is undoubtedly a work of feminist literature. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get original essay So Long a Letter by Mariama Ba is set in Senegal, a West African country located just north of Guinea and western Mali. This setting is important because it is where Ba was born and raised. From a young age, she began to recognize the harsh inequalities between the sexes and to formulate critiques that she would later incorporate into this book. She expresses these criticisms through the development of two central female characters who contradict the traditional role of the Senegalese woman. Ba attempts to challenge societal norms that promote the disempowerment of women by consolidating the ideals of its two main characters. Even today, the Senegalese view of women prioritizes their ability to produce and raise many children. The character, Ramatoulaye, gives birth to twelve children during a thirty-year marriage. After childbearing, women's roles include household chores such as cleaning, caring for children, and cooking for the family. The education rate of women is much lower than that of men, widening the gender divide and reinforcing patriarchy. Ramatoulaye or "Rama" is a recently widowed teacher who recounts her emotional struggles after the death of her husband in the form of a letter. . She is not so much upset by the death of her partner, but rather by his decision to take a second, much younger wife and leave their family with nothing. It is common for men to take several wives in Senegal. The more wives you have, the more powerful you appear. Aissatou finds himself in a similar situation. She leaves her husband after he marries a second wife after years of marriage. She clearly expresses her disapproval of polygamy because she sees it as a lack of respect for the dignity of women. “I strip myself of your love, of your name. Clothed in my dignity, in the only garment, I set out on my way. She leaves the familiarity of Senegal and travels to the United States to begin a new, independent life. Both women distanced themselves from the traditions of their culture. Ba refrains from painting a standardized picture of African women and instead presents two strong, independent individuals who realize their worth. Ba recognizes the dilemma of Senegalese women who are subject to patriarchal influence over them and states that women are "...often muzzled, all women have almost the same fate, which religions or unjust legislation have sealed." This relationship between Ramatoulaye and Aissatou creates a new community that does not follow the norms of Islamic groups in West Africa. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a personalized essay. Rama describes their.