Mariama B (1929-1981)

Born in a powerful Senegalese family

Father first minister of health of Senegal

Traditional Islamic background
Divorced mother of 9 children

Attended teachers college

A teacher and a school inspector

Mariama B and feminism

Became an icon of African feminism
Did not acknowledge that her novel was
autobiographical
Influenced by Alice Walker

The Colour Purple 1982

Womanism: perspective and experiences of
"women of color"

Expresses disappointment of all women

Senegal
Population 11 M Muslim 94%, Christian 5%
1659 French foundation of Saint-Louis
1677 Occupation of Gore
1879-1880 Conquest
1895 Becomes part of A.O.F.
1960 Independence
Republic : Leopold Sedar Senghor,
Abdou Diouf, Abdoulaye Wade

So long a letter (1980)

Epistolary novel

Ramatoulaye writes to Aissatou

A diary
Presents an intimate view of the
characters thoughts
Artificial?

Traditional Senegalese
society
Class system

Castes

Rituals

Death
Marriage

Griots

Transmitters of lore

A patriarchal society
Mens privileges

Infidelity
Polygamy

Justification

Difference in nature between men and

women
Feminist theory: gender is constructed

Womens lives
Broken marriages

Aissatou
Ramatoulaye

Depression/sorrow

Jacqueline
Binetou

Submissiveness

Nabou

Womens ambiguous
posisition
Transmitters of tradition

Mothers
Binetous

Mothers and sisters-in-law

Aissatous, Ramatoulayes

Fortune-teller
Farmata

Bs Moderate Feminism
Refuses total rebellion

Aissatous divorce

Believes in

Romantic love
Liberation through education
Possible synthesis
Ramatoulaye stays in the marriage but is

working woman

Moderate feminism and

humanism
Conciliation between men and women
possible
Dedication to all men and women of
good will

Ramatoulaye/B
Courage and devotion
A generous testimony
Tries to reconcile Western and African
values

Wants her daughters happiness

Works double shift

At home/outside

Criticism of moderate
feminism
Based on misplaced trust
Impossibility of changing the patriarchal
system from within
Continued exploitation of women

Myth of romantic love

Need for radical changes

Radical feminism