Choose Your Role

The depiction of traditional and nontraditional gender roles within So Long A Letter and “My Son The Fanatic” are shaped and torn by the struggle between tradition and modernity. Both works center on family units that are at odds with each other, the balance of one member’s Islamic beliefs and traditional roles that it defines upset by another’s move toward modernity and westernization that ensue as aspects of their life and surroundings change. This tension is seen within the roles that the husbands and wives of the works, with their children often opposite them in behavior and belief. Sharply contrasting presentations result within each work, highlighting the traditional and non-traditional roles that both men and women are expected to adhere to or ones that they have chosen in light of the modern influences present in their lives. The majority of characters within each work are not static but dynamic, showcased in their changing opinions that develop as time and circumstance interfere, with their actions often torn between strictly traditional or modern with an alternating combination as a result. In one scenario it is a mother shocked by her daughters’ behaviors that goes against their religious beliefs and traditional roles, and in the other it is a fundamentalist son who is appalled at his father’s desire for modernization and westernization, allowing his wife to behave in a nontraditional role.
Within the contents of Ramatoule’s letter in Mariama Bâ’s novel, the reader sees the more traditional role that Ramatoule has taken upon herself, contrasted by the modern roles that several of her daughters and her close friend Aissatou have chosen. There are some points of contention in Ramatoule’s role, the most prominent being that she is highly educated for a woman in her social and religious environment and is employed as as a teacher, a somewhat “modern” profession. The emphasis that she places on her duty as a wife and mother is made clear in her actions and opinions. The heavy importance traditionally placed on producing children was certainly upheld in her case, and after thirty years of marriage with loins that “beat as to the rhythm of childbirth” (2), Ramatoule provided her husband with loyal devotion and twelve children. Her husband’s second marriage is a turning point in Ramatoule’s development. Despite her anguish she reluctantly accepts the new position expected of her, preparing herself “for equal sharing, according to the precepts of Islam concerning polygamic life” (46). This preparation was in vain however, as her husband fails to fulfill his duties in accordance with religious tradition, her “empty hands” (46) left to pick up the slack left in his wake. Ramatoule’s statement, “I accepted my subordinate role” (86), made in response to her daughter Aissatou’s unplanned pregnancy and future plans summarizes the path that Ramatoule has taken most of her life. While the female influences around Ramatoule have adopted more modern roles, from Aissatou’s divorce to her own daughter’s unplanned pregnancy, Ramatoule’s chosen role as mother and wife overpower her desire to change.
Opposite to Ramatoule’s struggles are that of Parvez in “My Son the Fanatic”, his desire to be modern and his wife Minoo’s nontraditional role exemplified by her outbursts and strong opinion are stridently offset by their son Fareed’s newly-found belief in Islamic fundamentalism and the changes in his treatment towards women that result. While Parvez had always played the role of the head of the household with his wife remaining at home while he goes to work, her criticism of him seems to be less along the lines of a subordinate female role, particularly that he “allows” Minoo such freedoms as speaking her mind without fear of retaliation or punishment. The Islamic leader living with them drastically alters the role that she carries out, as it is because of his presence and beliefs that she is reduced to nothing more than a maid, performing domestic duties such as cooking and cleaning, confined to keeping out of sight even at mealtimes. Parvez’s outburst upon this discovery reflects his belief in the equality of women, something not usually associated with Middle Eastern practices. Parvez’s marriage and personal opinions show the contrasts between his situation and that of Ramatoule, him holding his wife as much more his equal that Ramatoule’s husband views her.
The struggles that both families face in their respective situations are a result of the influence of Islamic religion and the traditionally defined gender roles it encompasses. The presence of both traditional and modern aspects has a strong impact on the role that is expected of the individuals and the role that they choose for themselves. The married couples in each experience shifts in the roles that the individuals play, with the influence of their children’s actions playing a part in their own choice and behavior. While Ramatoule has a more personal struggle between adhering to her own religion or following the path and influence of others by selecting a more modern and less traditional role, Parvez’s opposition is in the form of Islamic fundamentalism and its introduction to his life through his son’s radical behavior.