The book Such a Long Letter from Mariama Ba was published in 1979 in Senegal. It is an autobiographical novel that talks about women in the western part of African society. This essay will explain what the novel is about and how it depicts the picture of Africa. It will also explain the main characters of the novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Firstly, the subject of the novel is the situation of women in West African culture. Such a Long Letter, Mariama Bâ's first novel, is in reality composed like a long letter. Throughout the book there are 3 main characters. The first character is Ramatoulaye, she is the storyteller of Such a Long Letter. The book is both his diary and a long letter to his partner Aissatou. Ramatoulaye has a place with age who grew up under the French provincial routine and became an adult in the same way that Senegal achieved its freedom. The second character is Aissatou. Aissatou is Ramatoulaye's former beloved companion and the recipient of his letter. She comes from a fairly poor family, her father is a goldsmith. The last character is called Modou. Modou is related to Ramatoulaye, he is her husband. People consider him the organizer of the union. Secondly, So Long a Letter is composed of a long letter from the main character Ramatoulaye Fall to his closest companion Aissatou following the unexpected death of Ramatoulaye's better half, Modou, following an unexpected heart attack. The letter is written while Ramatoulaye is participating in the 'iddah, a mourning procedure lasting several months and several days that widows of Senegalese Muslim culture must follow. Through the letter, Ramatoulaye describes the feelings that overwhelmed her during the first days after her loved one's death and speaks in depth about how he lost his life. She then talks about the life she led with her partner, paving the way for the moment when Modou betrayed her by taking a second wife without her knowledge after 30 years of marriage. Ramatoulaye explains to Aissatou how she handled this betrayal with sincerity and how she grew with every opportunity in her life. That was mainly what the book was about. In Such a Long Letter, the late Mariama Bâ offers a touching description of the battle of women in her local Senegal for the start of autonomy. Neither a questioning nor an exhortation manual, Bâ investigates the confusing challenges faced by two Muslim women as they grapple with their spouse's second relational union. In the book Mariama Bâ explains all the challenges that women face in Senegal. “It is the moment dreaded by every Senegalese woman, the moment when she sacrifices her possessions as a gift to her in-laws; and, worse still, beyond her possessions, she abandons her personality” this quote is taken from chapter 2 page 21. What Mariama Bâ is trying to say through this quote is that women abandon their personality when they follow specific procedures. If I had the chance to change something in the novel, I would change the concept from focusing only on women to focusing on both men and women. I would change it because at that time in Senegal, not only were women facing many challenges, but also men were facing problems. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get Custom Essay What makes So Long a Letter great isn't just its courageous and heartfelt account of the ordeal of polygamy for 2019.