Female Solidarity in Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter

Abstract

This research report analyzes implementation of female solidarity in the novel So Long a Letter written by Mariama Ba. It examines the impact of race, class gender and religion on women’s relationship. The study sheds the light on female solidarity from Islamic Feminist perspective. Healing strength comes out of female bonding among female characters. Mariama Ba presents patriarchal institutions as a potential threat to women’s relationship with each other and with men. Her novel So Long a Letter describes the plight of women owing to different forms of oppression. So Long a Letter makes a stronger plea to average women to develop female bonding and financial independence to liberate themselves from the burden of patriarchal oppression. Evidently, Ramatoulaye and Aissatou, two friends are victimized by polygamous Islamic culture but their strong bonding helps them resist oppression and subjugation. As the finding, this study foregrounds the healing power of female bonding, which allows women to overcome cultural prejudices and survive to enjoy female empowerment and to extend female friendship into female solidarity that helps them fight against strict Islamic patriarchal norms and values.