So Long a Letter Essay Questions

What is an Islamic funeral like?

The funeral rites in Islamic countries differ from the ones in Christian countries. The body is usually buried in less than a day from the moment a person dies and a strict process is followed. First, the body is washed by mourners. This usually takes place only hours after a person dies and the people allowed to take part in the bathing must be of the same sex as the deceased. Then, the body is wrapped in a simple cloth and mourners are allowed to pass by it and say their final goodbyes. Then, the body is taken to its final resting place and usually only the men are allowed to go with the corpse to the burial site. Bodies are never cremated. After the corpse is buried, those who were close to the deceased mourn for a period of three days. If the person who died was a man, then his wife is required to mourn for a period of four months and ten days.

What is the mirasse?

Ramatoulaye mentions the fact that after her husband’s funeral was over and after the guests finished the three-day mourning period, she will enter the mirasse, a period of mourning for the former wives of the deceased. The mourning period is supposed to last for a period of four months and ten days, during which the widow is not supposed to meet with other eligible men. One of the reasons why the mourning period lasts for such a long time is because the widow had to make sure that she was not pregnant with her former husband’s child. Even if the woman was separated from her husband, she was still required to be in mourning as a sign of respect for her dead husband.

Is polygamy a common Islamic practice?

Ramatoulaye was the first wife to her husband and after 25 years of marriage, he decides to take another wife. In some Islamic countries, polygamy is permitted and even encouraged. However, only men are allowed to have multiple partners, and they are permitted to take a maximum of four wives.

How are the nation and the family related in the novel?

Ramatoulaye thinks of the nation as a entity made up of families. As the book progresses, the personal, familial struggles of the characters occur against the backdrop of the larger national struggles Senegal is facing post-independence. The harmony of their family is deeply connected with their ability to do good political work. Overall, as Ramatoulaye mentions at the end of the book, love is the bond that will hold both together.

How does education influence the lives of the women in the novel?

The women in the novel are influenced by their educations in varying ways. For Ramatoulaye and Aissatou, education provided a way for them to learn about themselves and advocate for women in Senegal, as well as to teach the next generation. For Aissatou in particular, it enables her to socially advance and to make a life for herself outside of Senegal. Young Nabou uses it to gain a profession, and Binetou uses it to gain entrance into richer people's homes. It is also notable that almost all of the female characters have a college education or higher.