So Long a Letter

by

Mariama Bâ

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So Long a Letter: Chapter 25 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Ramatoulaye summons Ibrahima Sall, and he comes to visit her. She is pleasantly surprised by him: he is clean, dresses well, and conducts himself with tact. He assures her that he and Aissatou II have figured everything out: his parents will take care of the baby until Aissatou and Ibrahima finish their studies. Luckily, the baby is due during the holidays, so Aissatou will be able to hide her pregnancy and avoid expulsion. Ramatoulaye is impressed by all of this, and adds nothing to the plan. She writes that she feels that Aissatou has entered Ibrahima’s care; Ramatoulaye is no longer her daughter’s primary guardian.
Ibrahima and Aissatou’s open dialogue, careful planning, and their love and mutual respect for each other offer a clear counterpoint to Ramatoulaye’s and (other) Aissatou’s failed marriages. By Senegalese standards, Ibrahima and Aissatou’s union is entirely unconventional—even immoral—and yet in practice it seems like a far healthier relationship than the others the novel has offered thus far. Their example gives Ramatoulaye hope.
Themes
Custom, Modernity, and Progress Theme Icon
Feminism and Islam Theme Icon
Motherhood Theme Icon
Friendship vs. Marital Love Theme Icon
Dialogue and Address Theme Icon