Aspects of Feminism in the Literary Works of Mariama Ba’s Novels: “So Long a Letter” and “Scarlet Song”

Abstract

The study attempts to investigate some aspects of feminism in the African literary works of Mariama Ba’s “So Long a Letter (SLA)” and “Scarlet Song (SS)”. The main concern is to identify the issues behind the endless conflicts between genders in social life, particularly in marriage relationships, polygamy, patriarchal, racism, and men/women oppression. Furthermore, the study is concerned with the voices of women who keep demanding for their social rights. The plot analysis, descriptive and analytical methods are used to examine the data which were collected. The researcher tries to answer the main questions that the study concerns with as to get suitable results through standing on the themes and characterization of the Mariama’s two novels “SLA and SS”. The findings have revealed a group of results that play great roles in destroying the traditional-communities. The study further reaches to the reasons that drive women to empower themselves in order to have their rights. Furthermore, the results, which prove the validity of the assumptions that mentioned above, are concluded to the most important points of the study that deepen the awareness of unity in families as well as the importance of the right way in dealing with women now and then. The study has recommended that life must be governed with law and justice to control each person. Additionally, the thesis suggested that literature is an interesting way to transfer ethics and the concealed feelings of human being. Thus, writings about the main problems such as gender conflicts that truly affect the society should be focused on.