Economic Development in Urban Areas Essay - 762 Words

Economic Development in Urban Areas Economic change has helped lead America into urban crisis for the following reasons. First of all, because urban problems are no longer confined to the inner city, but are regional in nature. The federal government has, also, largely drawn from the urban policy arena, thereby having cities and sates to develop their own solutions to local problems. Furthermore, the economy of cities is no longer organized around a central business district, but is dispersed throughout a metropolitan region. Next, the national economy has experienced a fundamental reorganization and many cities have experienced the direct effects of deindustrialization and disinvestments. Additionally, the fiscal crisis within the†¦show more content†¦Another problem that is contributing to the urban crisis is the rise of single-parent families and present-orientated values. The problem here is that the divorce rate in America is getting higher and higher, and also the amount of children being had out of ma rriage is greatly increasing also. This creates one parent raising a child. The problem here is that there is no proper care for children in this situation. The parent has too much responsibility. They are to provide for the family, as well as adequately care for their children. When the single parent has to go to work, to get money to pay for a place to live, food, and clothing, there leaves no time to watch and take care of the children, meaning children are left to take care of themselves after school is over, and this results in a lot of problems for the communities. These children cause trouble. They are the ones who commit most crimes in an urban environment. This is why in an urban city there is a lot more crime. There are a lot of children left unsupervised for most of the day and night. Another problem is the ethnic tensions that there are in America. There are many things that are wrong with this. The first problem is that because of racism, people are secluded. They are pushed to all live together, because people dont want to live next to them. This is how a ghetto is started, and slums. All the people of low incomes live in the same neighborhood together. They also contain the high crimeShow MoreRelatedwith reference to examples, discuss the degree to which the level of economic development in a country affects planning and management in urban areas1357 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ With reference to examples, discuss the degree to which the level od economic development in country affects planning and management in urban areas. The type of urban problems that require careful planning and management are largely decided by the economic wealth of a countryside. LEDC countries have problems with rapid urbanisation into the cities. 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Iga Nephropathy In Kuwait Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays

string(147) " Evaluation of nephritic biopsy slides was performed harmonizing to the Hass categorization of IgA nephropathy \( 8 \) showed ; 25 patients \( 36\." Methods: From all nephritic biopsies done between January 2000 and December 2004 in Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital, instances of IgA kidney diseases were selected and their medical records every bit good as biopsy findings were reviewed. Consequences: Eighty patients ( 9.2 % of all native kidney biopsies ) were diagnosed to hold IgA nephropathy. We will write a custom essay sample on Iga Nephropathy In Kuwait Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sixty nine biopsies were included in the survey and eleven were excluded because of presence of any of the exclusion standards or losing clinical informations. Forty three ( 62.3 % ) instances were males, and 26 ( 37.7 ) instances were females. Fifty instances ( 72.5 % ) were below the age of 40 old ages. Average continuance of follow up was 3.6 ±1.3 old ages. The first presentation included nephrotic scope albuminuria ( 49.3 % ) , and nephritic damage ( 50.7 % ) . During the follow up period, 56 ( 81.2 % ) were stable or improved. Hass categorization of biopsies showed ; 36.2 % had Class I, 27.5 % had category II, 13.0 % had category III, 5.8 % had category IV, and 17.4 % had category V IgAN. Females had milder signifiers of the disease than males. Macroscopic haematuria and nephritic damage at presentation were seen more in patients with category IV and V. The presenting serum creatinine and uric acid were higher in those with Hass categories III to V. Deterioration of nephritic map during the follow up period was more important in presence of high blood pressure, nephritic damage and macroscopic haematuria at clip of biopsy. Decision: The incidence of IgAN in Kuwait is approximately 9.2 % . Nephritic damage at presentation and macroscopic haematurias were seen in patients with more aggressive nephritic lesions and property to hapless result. Cardinal words: Proteinuria, IgA nephropathy, nephritic Biopsy, Hass categorization Introduction IgA kidney disease ( IgAN ) was first described in 1968 by Berger and Hinglais. ( 1 ) It is now recognized as the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. ( 2 ) It presents with haematurias and frequently proteinuria. Although a moderate grade of albuminuria is common in patients with IgAN, nephrotic syndrome is considered uncommon in these patients. ( 3 ) The class of IgAN is variable, and 15 % -40 % of patients progress to end-stage nephritic disease over 10-20 old ages. ( 4 ) The pathogenesis of IgAN is complex and non wholly understood. Both environmental and familial factors have been found to be involved in the disease oncoming and patterned advance. ( 4,5 ) Humoral unsusceptibility is believed to play an of import function, characterized by the prevailing mesangial IgA1 deposition and associated secondary inflammatory response. ( 5 ) Curative attempts have been directed at either cut downing or forestalling antigen entry, and changing the unnatural immune response and its effects. However, the appropriate therapy for IgAN remains unsure and healing therapy is still non available. ( 6,7 ) The purpose of this survey was to reexamine instances of IgAN in Mubarak Al kabeer Hospital- Kuwait between January 2000 and December 2004, and to analyze the spectrum of clinical presentation and histopathological findings Method All nephritic biopsies performed in Mubarak Al kabeer Hospital from January 2000 to December 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Biopsies performed on grownup patients with IgAN were selected and reviewed. Patients were excluded from the survey if clinical or serologic grounds of Henoch Schonelin peliosis, collagen vascular diseases, liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, or other kidney diseases were present. Kidney transplant instances were besides excluded from the survey. Clinical and research lab informations at presentation and during the follow up period and the intervention given were obtained by careful retrospective survey of the infirmary records of each patient. The histopathology glass slides were reviewed and the pathology studies were retrieved from the section of pathology computerized filing system. Each kidney biopsy was prepared by cutting paraffin blocks at 3 um subdivisions and staining 2 slides with peroidic acid schiff, 2 slides for Hematoxylin and Eosin, 1 slide for Jones Methenamine splinter and one slide for trichrome. Immunoperoxidase staining was besides performed routinely on all slides for IgG, IgA, IgM and C3. Antibodies were from Dako and titration was performed harmonizing to the cusps with the antibody phials. Electron microscopy ( EM ) was non routinely done on all instances in the establishment, nevertheless, on selected instances EM was performed and the movies were retrieved and reviewed along with the EM study. Statistical methods: ISSN 1110-0834Numerical variables are expressed as Mean  ± SD. The relation within and between the clinical and the histopathological variables were obtained utilizing ?2 trial or Fisher ‘s exact chance trial for categorical variables and nonparametric Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis trials for uninterrupted variables. P A ; lt ; 0.05 was considered as statistically important. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing SPSS for Windowss version 16 ( SPSS, Inc, Chicago, IL ) Consequence A entire figure of 1575 nephritic biopsies were performed in the institute during the 5 old ages study period. Eight hundred 70 one biopsies were performed on native kidneys, and 704 were performed on transplanted kidneys. Eighty patients ( stand foring 9.2 % of the native kidney biopsies, 5.1 % of the entire biopsies ) were found to hold IgA nephropathy harmonizing to the biopsy consequences. Eleven patients were excluded from the survey because of losing informations or the presence of any of the exclusion standards. Sixty nine patients were enrolled in the survey. Forty three ( 62.3 % ) were males and 26 ( 37.7 % ) were females. The average age at presentation was 35.52 ±10.13 old ages. Fifty patients ( 72.5 % ) were below age of 40 old ages and 19 ( 27.5 % ) were ? 40 old ages. Average continuance of follow up was 3.6 ±1.3 old ages. Cases were presented by either microscopic ( 82.6 % ) or macroscopic haematurias ( 17.4 % ) . Nephrotic scope albuminuria was seen in 34 ( 49.3 % ) instances while non-nephrotic albuminuria was detected in 35 ( 50.7 % ) instances. High blood pressure was detected in 35 ( 50.7 % ) of instances and nephritic damage was detected in 35 ( 50.7 % ) of instances. Fifty Six ( 81.2 % ) were stable or improved during the follow up period. Serum IgA, C3, and C4 degrees were all within the normal mention scope. Patient clinical and laboratory informations were mentioned in tabular array I. Evaluation of nephritic biopsy slides was performed harmonizing to the Hass categorization of IgA nephropathy ( 8 ) showed ; 25 patients ( 36.2 % ) had Class I IgAN, 19 ( 27.5 % ) had category II IgAN, 9 ( 13.0 % ) had category III, 4 patient ( 5.8 % ) had category IV, and 12 patients ( 17.4 % ) had category V IgAN. ( table II ) ( fig 1, 2 ) Seven ( 10.4 % ) patients were treated with methyl Pediapred pulsation for crescentic lesions, 41 patients ( 59.4 % ) treated with unwritten steroids, 10 ( 14.5 % ) received mycophenolate mofetile or Imuran, 18 patients ( 26.1 % ) received cyclosporine, and 58 patients ( 84.1 % ) treated with angiotonin change overing enzyme inhibitors or angiotonin receptor blockers. Fish oil was given as an accessory therapy in 46 ( 66.7 % ) instances. Females had milder histological signifier of the disease ( category I ) whereas males tended to hold more aggressive signifiers ( category IV and V ) ( P A ; lt ; 0.05 ) . No relation was found between the Hass categorization and any of the age at presentation, high blood pressure, presence of hydrops or the degree of albuminuria ( P A ; gt ; 0.05 ) . Macroscopic haematuria was seen more in category IV ( 75 % ) and category V ( 25 % ) than category I ( 8 % ) ( P A ; lt ; 0.05 ) . Nephritic damage at presentation was seen more in patients with category IV ( 75 % ) and category V ( 91 % ) than category I ( 28 % ) ( P A ; lt ; 0.001 ) . The showing serum creatinine and uric acid were higher in those with Hass categories III to V than category I and II ( P A ; lt ; 0.001, A ; lt ; 0.05 severally ) . ( table III ) Deterioration of nephritic map during the follow up period was more important in presence of high blood pressure, nephritic damage at clip of biopsy, and macroscopic haematuria ( P A ; lt ; 0.05 ) whereas the showing degree of albuminuria, age, gender, and Hass categorization had a non important consequence on the impairment of kidney maps ( P A ; gt ; 0.05 ) . The higher the showing serum creatinine the more the impairment of nephritic map during the follow up period ( P A ; lt ; 0.05 ) . ( table IV ) Fig. 1: A instance of crescentic IgA kidney disease. Mesangial enlargement with a cellular crescent. PAS x 400 Fig. 2: Immunoperoxidase staining shows a outstanding Mesangial form. IgA immunoperoxidase x 400 Table I: Clinical and laboratory informations of patients holding IgA nephropathy ( n=69 ) Age in old ages ( mean ±SD ) 35.52 ±10.13 Gender ( male ) N ( % ) 43 ( 62.3 ) Smoking N ( % ) 17 ( 24.6 ) Hypertension N ( % ) 35 ( 50.7 ) Hematuria N ( % ) Microscopic Macroscopic 57 ( 82.6 ) 12 ( 17.4 ) Proteinuria N ( % ) Nephrotic scope Non- Nephrotic scope 34 ( 49.3 ) 35 ( 50.7 ) Serum creatinine  µmol/l ( mean ±SD ) 162.97 ±148.1 Creatinine clearance ml/min/1.73m2 ( average  ± SD ) 48.2 ±37.1 Nephritic damage N ( % ) 35 ( 50.7 ) Serum albumen gm/l ( mean ±SD ) 31.33  ±7.08 Serum Cholesterol mmol/l ( mean ±SD ) 5.65 ±1.9 Serum Triglycerides mmol/l ( mean ±SD ) 1.96 ±1.1 Serum IgA degree gm/l ( mean ±SD ) 2.69 ±1.0 Serum C3 degree gm/l ( mean ±SD ) 1.04 ± 0.15 Serum C4 degree gm/l ( mean ±SD ) 0.94 ±0.12 Edema N ( % ) 30 ( 43.5 ) Treatment given N ( % ) Methyl Pediapred pulsation Angiotensin change overing enzyme inhibitors Oral Steroids Azathioprine Cyclosporine Fish oil 7 ( 10.1 ) 58 ( 84.1 ) 41 ( 59.4 ) 10 ( 14.5 ) 18 ( 26.1 ) 46 ( 66.7 ) Duration of follow up ( mean ±SD ) old ages 3.6 ±1.3 Prognosis N ( % ) Stable / Improved Deterioration of nephritic maps 56 ( 81.2 ) 13 ( 18.8 ) Table II: Histoathological spectrum of nephritic biopsy consequences harmonizing to Hass categorization among IgA N patients ( n=69 ) Hass Classification Number ( % ) Class I 25 ( 36.2 ) Class II 19 ( 27.5 ) Class III 9 ( 13.0 ) Class IV 4 ( 5.8 ) Class V 12 ( 17.4 ) Table Three: Relation between clinical presentation and Hass categorization ( n=69 ) Clinical and research lab informations Hass Classification Trial of significance P value Class I N ( % ) Class II N ( % ) Class III N ( % ) Class IV N ( % ) Class V N ( % ) Gender Male Female 12 ( 48 ) 13 ( 52 ) 10 ( 52.6 ) 9 ( 47.4 ) 7 ( 77.8 ) 2 ( 22.2 ) 3 ( 75 ) 1 ( 25 ) 11 ( 91.7 ) 1 ( 8.3 ) A ; lt ; 0.05* Age at presentation A ; lt ; 40 old ages A ; gt ; 40 old ages 20 ( 80 ) 5 ( 20 ) 9 ( 47.4 ) 10 ( 52.6 ) 8 ( 88.9 ) 1 ( 11.1 ) 3 ( 75 ) 1 ( 25 ) 10 ( 88.3 ) 2 ( 11.7 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 High blood pressure 11 ( 44 ) 9 ( 47 ) 4 ( 44.4 ) 3 ( 75 ) 8 ( 66 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 Edema 13 ( 52 ) 6 ( 31.6 ) 5 ( 55.6 ) 2 ( 50 ) 4 ( 33.3 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 Nephrotic scope Proteinuria 12 ( 48 ) 6 ( 31 ) 5 ( 55.6 ) 3 ( 75 ) 8 ( 66.7 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 Macroscopic haematuria 2 ( 8 ) 4 ( 21 ) 0 ( 0 % ) 3 ( 75 ) 3 ( 25 ) A ; lt ; 0.01* Nephritic damage 7 ( 28 ) 8 ( 42.1 ) 6 ( 16.7 ) 3 ( 75 ) 11 ( 91.7 ) A ; lt ; 0.001* Showing serum Creatinine  µmol/l 84.4 ±31.7 171.3 ±179.6 203.2 ±198.7 288.5 ±84.5 278.5 ±140.1 A ; lt ; 0.001* Serum Uric acid mmol/l 312.6 ±71.8 381.4 ±171.3 428.2 ±20.3 459.5 ±188 412 ±143.9 A ; lt ; 0.01* Table Four: Factors finding deterioration of the kidney map during the follow up Period ( n=69 ) Clinical and research lab informations Deterioration of kidney map Trial of significance P value Yes n ( % ) No n ( % ) Gender male female 11 ( 25.6 ) 2 ( 7.7 ) 32 ( 74.4 ) 24 ( 92.3 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 Age A ; lt ; 40 old ages A ; gt ; 40 old ages 11 ( 22 ) 2 ( 10.5 ) 39 ( 78 ) 17 ( 89.5 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 High blood pressure Yes No 10 ( 28.6 ) 3 ( 8.8 ) 25 ( 71.4 ) 31 ( 91.2 ) A ; lt ; 0.05* Hematurias Microscopic Macroscopic 8 ( 14 ) 5 ( 41.7 ) 49 ( 86 ) 7 ( 58.3 ) A ; lt ; 0.05* Albuminurias Non-Nephrotic scope Nephrotic scope 5 ( 14.3 ) 8 ( 23.5 ) 30 ( 85.7 ) 26 ( 76.5 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 Nephritic damage at presentation Yes No 10 ( 28.6 ) 3 ( 8.8 ) 25 ( 71.4 ) 31 ( 91.2 ) A ; lt ; 0.05* Edema Yes No 6 ( 20 ) 7 ( 17.9 ) 24 ( 80 ) 32 ( 82 ) A ; gt ; 0.05 Discussion Many studies of glomerulonephritis associated with mesangial IgA sedimentations have been published since the original study of IgAN by Berger and Hinglais. The evident incidence of this upset has varied in surveies from different states. In France, ( 9 ) Spain, ( 10 ) Japan, ( 11 ) and Italy ( 12 ) the incidence has ranged from 11.7 to 43.3 % of nephritic biopsies. Much lower incidences have been reported in the United provinces, ( 13 ) England, ( 14 ) and Canada ( 15 ) with the incidence runing from 2.0 to 8.5 % in these states. Berger ( 16 ) suggested that the higher reported incidence of this disease in certain states compared to others may reflect the pattern of everyday one-year uranalysis in the states with high incidence rates. To the best of our Knowledge this is the first survey from the Arab states showing the incidence of IgAN. We reported the incidence to be 9.2 % of native kidney biopsies in Kuwait. Since the original description of IgAN, a figure of surveies have attempted to correlate initial clinical and pathological findings with the subsequent class of the disease. The present survey was in conformity with the old surveies in demoing that females had milder pathologic alterations whereas males were shown to hold more aggressive signifiers. ( 17 ) There is a distinguishable geographical difference in the incidence of macroscopic haematuria in grownup patients. ( 18 ) In European states the reported incidence exceeded 50 % , ( 19,20 ) whereas in Japan, the incidence scope was from 15 to 31 % ( 21,22 ) This difference in distribution can be attributed to difference in the disease nature that could be linked to familial factors. ( 19 ) The predictive significance of macroscopic haematuria was controversial. In the present survey macroscopic haematuria was detected in 17.2 % of instances and found to be associated with aggressive histologic findings and correlatives with hapless forecast. This confirmed the consequences of the South West Pediatric Nephrology Study Group. ( 17 ) Furthermore, Bennet and Kinciad-Smith ( 23 ) reported that nephritic map became significantly worse in those with macroscopic haematurias, and emphasized the high incidence of crescent formation in these instances. However, Clarkson et Al. ( 24 ) demonstrated that nephritic map and lesions were significantly better in patients with macroscopic haematurias than those without it. In our survey nephritic damage at presentation was seen more in patients with category IV and category than category I. Correlation between more extended pathologic characteristics and terrible clinical manifestation were besides documented by Hass et Al. ( 25 ) The presenting serum uric acid correlated with the diseased findings with higher degrees in those with Hass categories III to V than category I and II. This confirmed the consequences of Myllimaki et Al. ( 26 ) who proved a strong correlativity between serum uric acid degree and badness of nephritic harm on biopsy. The overall forecast of IgA N remains to be confirmed. In grownup surveies the incidence of nephritic inadequacy varies from less than 10 % to 48 % in patients followed for more than 1 twelvemonth. ( 27 ) The present survey is in conformity with this consequence as nephritic inadequacy was seen in 18.8 % of instances. Bartosik et Al. ( 28 ) proved that the clinical parametric quantities, such as high blood pressure and badness of albuminuria appear to be stronger predictive indexs than histological findings. Furthermore, Van Der Peer et Al. ( 29 ) found that those with more high blood pressure, more albuminurias, and more pronounced histologic findings deteriorate their nephritic map more during follow up. Other survey showed that females and younger patients were found to hold a better forecast. ( 30 ) In the present work, impairment of nephritic map during the follow up period was more important in presence of high blood pressure, nephritic damage, and macroscopic haematuria at clip of biopsy whereas, the showing degree of albuminuria, age, gender, and Hass categorization have a non important consequence on the impairment of kidney maps. In decision, the incidence of IgAN in Kuwait is 9.2 % . A multicenter survey should be conducted to observe the exact incidence. About 18.8 % of instances deteriorate their nephritic maps during the survey period but a longer follow up is needed. How to cite Iga Nephropathy In Kuwait Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples

Business Investment Bond Income and Assets

Question: Discuss about the Business Investment Bond for Income and Assets. Answer: Discussion Paper Statement of Advice (SOA) Reasons for this advice Dylan and Angela are planning to retire soon. Therefore, they need advice for organizing their income and assets. The discussion focuses on efficiently managing the superannuation funds. The advice will be helpful to compensate their mortgage amount quickly without affecting the cash flow, to protect them financially in order to deal with unpredicted traumatic incidents and to bring out the best possible way to save and manage the budget as well as their savings in the bank account. What is included in our advice The advice will include suggestions on organizing Dylans and Angelas superannuation, as they are planning to for their retirements. In order to ensure efficient financial management, greater emphasize will be given to the generic products, such as income protection, managed funds and insurance bonds, in the advice. On the other hand, Dylan and Angela will be encouraged to retrain from applying for investment products or insurance products. Instead, they will be advised to focus on the generic products, which can protect them from potential investment risk. It is very important to act responsibly and in a transparent manner when advising the clients, as it is apparent that they lack adequate understanding regarding the management of their personal finances. In this regard, applicable laws, statutes, risks involved and the benefits obtainable will be clearly communicated to them in a comparative manner. Clients personal and financial position Dylan and Angela are married with a son. They have mortgaged a home for $500,000. Dylans income is $115,000 per annum with Super Guarantee (SG) and Angelas earning amounts to $65,000 per annum with SG. They are planning to retire and are seeking advice to manage Dylans superannuation. They expect to save at least $200,000 per annum and desire to compensate the mortgage sooner. They wish to attain financial protection for any unforeseen event such as death. Net worth calculation work sheet: Assets Liabilities Cash $180,000 Current Debts (115,000+ 65,000) Mortgages: Home $500,000 Total assets $180, 000 Total liabilities $500,000 Total assets-Total liabilities = Net Wroth = ($320,000) Risk Profile The risk profile can be considered as the mechanism, which enables a better analysis of the degree of risk. It guides in implementing appropriate decision-making process regarding the investments, which would be suitable for the clients. In addition to this, the risk profiling tools help in reducing the errors and thereby, enhance the quality of the advices offered to the clients (Moore, 2012). However, the risk profile also have some drawbacks, since it does not include any kind of important information related with the clients investment and other investment alternatives. Therefore, inappropriate questions by the advisors are likely to produce unsuitable advices for the clients (Norman, 2014). In this regard, asset allocation can be referred as developing and implementing the plans related to the investment strategy by maintaining a balance between the proportion of the assets and the risks. The asset allocation strategies can be effective only when the assets are categorized into different sections consisting of bonds, cash balances and stocks. This will enable the clients to follow the most favourable returns for the risks identified (MFS Investment Management, 2016). Diversifying the assets will also benefit the clients to apply different methods of investments. Accordingly, restoring of the assets is also essential to improve the allocation (Polyak, 2016). Strategy discussion Financial strategies considered The clients will need to focus on wealth accumulation, through which they will need to increase the assets considering internal and external superannuation. An efficient management of debts will help the clients to adopt the most appropriate plan to repay loans sooner. The adaptation of the generic products by the clients would also help them manage the risks better, in order to protect the assets (RSM, 2016). Financial strategy The objectives of the clients are to combine their superannuation income accounts with one of the existing funds. To compensate the remaining housing mortgage in a less possible time, savings for the unpredicted traumatic events can also be taken into consideration. The strategy will also focus on reducing the investment risks by saving the retirement fund. How it works The clients can ensure the overall effectiveness of the financial strategies, by including the superannuation. The superannuation consolidation will enable the client to reduce the saving costs by paying only a single set of fee and reducing manual effort or paperwork. The clients can increase their fund by making savings from their salary, which will also allow them taxation benefits. In addition, the clients are advised to apply the generic products rather than any investment or insurance products. The below presented table provides a clearer understanding of the requirement. Generic products How does it works Manage funds It will be helpful for the clients to expand their investment in different assets. Managing funds in this case will enable them to set investment strategies on a regular basis, which can be further invested for capital growth (Franzen, 2010). Insurance bonds In case of insurance bonds, the clients will receive interests on a regular basis. Therefore, they can easily attain the income from the savings (Australian Unity, 2016). Income protection Considering the situation of the clients, long-term income protection insurance schemes can be helpful to cover their financial requirements. The clients can fix a certain period comparing with the anticipated time of mortgage repayment to invest in income protection schemes (Marx Nelson, 2012). Benefits of this strategy The strategy would be beneficial in preparing for the future needs and establishing financial protection, which may be useful for the traumatic events. The accumulation of wealth will enable the clients to take appropriate decisions, by controlling their current expenses in order to increase their savings required in future. By diversifying the investment into different categories of assets, the clients will be able to reduce instability in the investment. Outcomes There are two kinds of phases witnessed post retirement, which include the accumulation phase and the pension phase. In case of the accumulation phase, the clients will require to make an extra effort in order to save for the future. In this stage, greater emphasis will be levied on wealth accumulation, as the clients require reducing the current spending for the future. In addition, the incentives received from the government would be helpful for making investments. The person holding the superannuation for more than a year will enable the clients to minimize the marginal tax rate (Hewish, 2016). Risks you need to consider The risk may affect the quality of the advice offered to the clients. There are number of risks, which can be identified on the basis of the financial strategies advised to the clients. For instance, falling annuity rates may lower the rate of income. If the market in unstable and investment is high, it may also cause risks for the clients. Therefore, if the clients focus on saving their retirement funds, it may help to reduce the investment risks further (AXA, 2015). References Australian Unity, 2016. Investment bond, viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.australianunityinvestments.com.au/our-products/investment-bonds AXA, 2015, What are your pre-retirement investment options?, Retirement, pp 6-16. Franzen, D. (2010), Managing Investment Risk in Defined Benefit Pension Funds, OECD Publishing, Vol 38, pp.1-60. Grant Thornton Australia Limited, 2015. Superannuation consolidation, viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.grantthornton.com.au/client-alerts/2015/superannuation-consolidation/ Hewish, J. Pre-Retirement Retirement Strategies. UGC, viewed 5 September 2016, https://ugc.net.au/pre-retirement-retirement-strategies-part-1/ Marx, I Nelson, K 2012, Minimum Income Protection in Flux, Palgrave Macmillan, USA. MFS Investment Management., 2016. Asset Allocation Strategies. Education Planning, viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.mfs.com/wps/portal/mfs/us-investor/education-and-planning/asset-allocation/!ut/p/a1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOL9A40C_c09jAzcjYOdDYxcTPyNTUONDUN8TPULsh0VAabBl04!/ Moore, E., 2012. Warning over adviser risk profile mismatch. Investments. viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87ca7ddc-42f0-11e2-a3d2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz4JMeYHiiG Norman, T., 2014. How do advisers sort the good risk-profiling tools from the bad? News, viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/how-do-advisers-sort-the-good-risk-profiling-tools-from-the-bad/ Polyak, I., 2016. Finding the right asset allocation is what counts. Portfolio perspective, viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/24/finding-the-right-asset-allocation-is-what-counts.html RSM, 2016. Retirement planning. Business Advisory, viewed 5 September 2016, https://www.rsm.global/australia/service/wealth-management/retirement-planning

So Long a Letter Essay Example

So Long a Letter Essay So Long a Letter is a novel written by Mariama Ba, a black Sengalese author. It was assumed that she had lived a life that was very similar to the two main female characters of her story. Mariama Ba is an educated woman, who attended school at Ecole Normale Institution, an exclusive Western school situated in her own native country. During the publication of her work, she was a schoolteacher who is doing her share to help ease the societys unrest caused by their transition to freedom from being Frances colony for a long time. Mariama Ba is an active feminist and a women’s rights activist. And as a divorced woman herself, she is against polygamous marriages. And it is primarily because of the many difficulties that it causes women.II. Type of WorkSo Long a Letter was a novel that is presented in a form of a letter. The main character in the story writes a very long epistle to her friend, narrating all the pains and hardships that she had been through from the time her husband t ook a second wife up until his recent death and thereafter. The literary work touches on Muslim-African culture and traditions. It was written against a backdrop of a turbulent society where women are inferior to men.III. Type of PlotSo Long a Letter follows an episodic type of a plot. The book is composed of several series of stories included in each chapter that narrates the lives of the main characters in the story.   All these stories are linked to each other. They were all about trials, difficulties, and the choices people have to make. Each chapter has its own climax that slowly builds towards an end. Generally, there were no overall high point or plot to the entire story.   Instead, everything was a smooth and steady narration of the events that happened in the storyteller’s life in a reversed chronological order, starting from the death of his husband and back to the time he took a second wife, where most of the storys tragedies occurred. But the story doesnt stop there. It pushed forward into the future towards the time when the main character dealt with her loss and the things she did to live with a new life following her husbands death.IV. Setting, Time, and Locale of the PlotThe story is set during the time that Senegal was in transition to become an independent country. Senegal was previously a colony of France; and as they move towards liberty, the society is in total unrest. Politics was always brewing and trade unionism was very rampant. New Africa is expected to be on the rise. And it is also during the said point in time that the society follows the strict Islamic tradition of putting men in a pedestal much higher than the women. It is the time where the husbands are supposed to provide for their wives and their children and the women’s main job is to merely take care of their husbands.V. Social or Political ContextIt was only in 1960 that Senegal has gained its independence from France and became a separate entity. Senegal was under the French colony since the 17th century. And during that period of time, there were civic disturbance everywhere. It is also in the same year that only a few African women were given a chance to education. Most of privileged few that were able to study came only from the elite society, as not many believe in the importance of education for African women. A lot of it is because women are given a role in the society that doesnt require much of education. With the great influence of Islam in the nation of Senegal, the only thing that a woman should do for the country is to rear children. And it is not important that she be educated to do that well.Mariama Ba, like the main characters of her story, were one of those few educated women of Africa. As a result, she was able to teach in schools and was able to give back to the younger generation what she had attained. With this story she had written, she unconsciously aims to raise the position of Senegalese women in a rank thatà ¢â‚¬â„¢s closer, if not within the same level, as with the men.V. Character AnalysisThe main characters of the story are as follows:RamatoulayeRamatoulaye is the main character of the story. She is also the same one who wrote the letter to her friend, Aissatou. It is her life story that was the main focus of the novel. Ramatoulaye is a schoolteacher in Senegal and when she wrote the letter, she was 55 years old and a widow.Ramatoulaye is a strong woman and was able to live through the pain and struggles associated with the Islamic traditions and the transformations in the society. Despite the infidelity directed to her by her husband, she was still the same woman who performs most inside a family setting. And as such, she stood by her children throughout the ordeal. Ramatoulaye is the perfect blend of the old and new woman of the society. She is devoted to her children and yet she is able to hold on a career that enriches her being. And more importantly, she never believes that wome n were merely meant for the home and has lesser rights than men.AissatouAissatou is Ramatoulaye’s friend who is the recipient of the letter. Ramatoulaye regards her like a true sister, as both of them had shared childhood went to the same school and together. And like Ramatoulaye, Aissatou had gone through the same hardships when his husband took a second wife. Being educated and liberal, Aissatou left Senegal after she requested for a divorce and served in the Senegal Embassy in the U.S. She lived independently and provided for her son then after.If Ramatoulaye is a showcase of a woman both of the past and of the present, Aissatou is a picture of the modern liberated female. She doesn’t want to conform to the beliefs that the society unresistingly accepts, more particularly about polygamous marriage. Instead, she came out and openly asserted herself and her right. She lived liberally after which.Modou FallModou Fall is the husband of Ramatoulaye. He was the object of love and obsession of Ramatoulaye for a whole twenty-five years. And she was equally adored by Modou Fall up until he decided to marry a much younger woman. Modou and Ramatoulaye had twelve children and all of them had suffered from the day their father was absent in favor of his new wife. Modou Fall died of heart attack years after he had remarried.Modou Fall is but society’s regular male. He does according to his whims and tries to justify it with the law. He had not the courage to even face Ramatoulaye when he abruptly decided to marry another woman. He is basically weak and had merely used religion as a weapon. He is a coward who can’t even face his wife under his supposedly muscular build.Mawdo BaMawdo Ba is Aissatou’s husband. He is a doctor by profession and a man who is well regarded by a society where herbs and potions are next best thing when it comes to finding a cure for common sicknesses. However, Mawdo Ba’s elitist mother is not in favor of his marriage to Aissatou, even if it is very clear that Mawdo loved her so much. Mawdo Ba is Modou Fall’s friend. He is also the one who had introduced the two to each other.Mawdo Ba is the type of a man whose resolve is not absolute. He succeeded in going against her mother’s wishes when he chose to marry Aissatou. But he merely threw that resolution away the very moment he blindly fell into her own mothers trap by leading her to take another woman as a second wife. This fact could even go to show that men might just be polygamous in nature.BinetouAlthough Binetou’s actions in the story are not much told about, her role is very important for it is her who caused a turn in Ramatoulaye’s life. Binetou is the second wife Modou Fall had took indiscriminately. She is a much younger woman and actually the friend of Modou’s oldest daughter, Daba. Binetou was not rich and doesn’t have a father to look out for her. And so when Modou proposed marriag e, it was mother who was very much in favor of it. Binetou accepted Modous proposal for a marriage because of the security blanket that it would be able to provide her and her family. Binetou was merely 19 when Modou Fall died.TamsirTamsir is Modou Fall’s elder brother. He, along with Mawdo and the local Imam, is the person who broke the news to Ramatoulaye about Modou having a second wife. And on the fortieth day of Modou’s death, Tamsir indicated that he would like to marry Ramatoulaye in regards to the Islam tradition that the younger brother is supposed to inherit another brother’s wife the moment he died. Tamsir intended to use the tradition eventhough he is Modou’s elder brother and not a younger brother just like the custom implied.Daba FallDaba is Ramatouleye’s oldest daughter. She is also the person who took Binetou to their house because she was her friend and schoolmate. It was during those times that Binetou was their guest that their f ather had developed some affection to the young girl. Modou always volunteers himself to bring her home. Consequently, Binetou has Daba as confidante when it comes to the things that were happening in her life.   But when she talks about her story, she omits Modou’s name and merely referred to him as a sugar daddy. Daba even asked for an advice from her mother to help out Binetou, not knowing that they are actually talking about Binetou and her father all the while.Daouda DiengDaouda Dieng is Ramatoulaye’s former suitor. He is also the same person that her mother wants her to marry. Daouda Dieng is also a doctor and he had reappeared in Ramatoulayes life from Modou’s funeral thereafter. And much of it is because he still cares for her. Like Tamsir, Daouda Dieng also expressed his desire to marry Ramatoulaye. But Ramatoulaye openly refused. Daouda Dieng already has a wife and although their law permits taking another wife, Ramatoulaye chooses not to go between him and his family. She doesn’t want to do what Binetou had done to her.VI. Summary of the Storyâ€Å"So Long a Letter† started off with Ramatoulaye reminiscing the events that happened to her the past few days. She created the letter with the main intention of telling Aissatou about the death of his husband, Modou. And along that path, Ramatoulaye had begun a journey back in time, starting from when she and Modou met.Modou died from heart attack while dictating something to his secretary in his office. He was a lawyer. He studied in France and went back to Senegal to practice. But he wasn’t like any regular lawyer who merely works for money. Primarily, he does his job for the community. This is what makes Modou a person of great dignity and social position. Ramatoulaye had described him as the perfect man during their courtship stages. And despite her mother’s disapproval of Modou, she chose him to be her husband because she felt that he was the man that was meant for her.Ramatoulaye and Aissatou were best friends and even treat each other as sisters. They both went to the Western same school and are one of the few women who were given the elusive opportunity to finish a degree. Ramatoulaye became a schoolteacher. And in the long twenty-five years that she is married to Modou, she had balanced her time between her work and her family with great success.Everything was perfect in Ramatoulaye’s household up until her oldest daughter, Daba, brought a classmate with her in the house. And just like any mother, Ramatoulaye merely shrugs the fact that her husband is especially fond with Daba’s classmate, whose name is Binetou. But she was able to see the young woman’s transition from wearing plain and basic clothes to something that comes from an expensive clothes store. The once shy and timid girl is no longer one either. And she had made it very apparent every time she was in their house.But despite that, Ramatoulaye never had once doubted Modou’s love for her. That was up until her brother-in-law Tamsir, Mawdo, and the local Imam had paid her an unannounced visit one day. They have all come to inform her that Modou had, just a few seconds ago, married another woman, giving himself a second wife. And that woman was indeed, Binetou.During those years that Modou left them abandoned, Ramatoulaye had tried to live in the exact same way as she does. But even so, she started to question the whole idea surrounding polygamous marriages. She even would like to shout out the fact that even if a man is allowed a second wife, each wife should be treated as equal. It is as if his husband had forgotten that he still has a lot of responsibility to her and her children. But even so, Ramatoulaye and her twelve children had managed on their own. And despite their hardships, she still want her children to think well of their father. It is just that they all fail to understand what was happening to them and why it did. The biggest pain of all was with their oldest daughter, Daba.But as Ramatoulaye recounts her story, she can’t stop writing about Aissatou’s ordeal along with it. Like her, Aissatou was a victim of a polygamous marriage. Mawdo Ba, who eventually became Aissatou’s husband, was a doctor. It was Modou who introduced Mawdo to their circle of friends and that had included Aissatou. When the two of them decided to get married, Mawdo’s mother was very much against it. Mawdo’s mother used to be a Princess of the Sine and she could not dwell on the fact that her only son is marrying an ordinary woman without wealth, title, and social prominence. Despite being educated, Mawdo’s mother regarded Aissatou merely as a goldsmith’s daughter. But Mawdo was resolute. He married Aissatou against her mother’s wishes.But her mother was not soon to be defeated. She actually devised a ploy to make Mawdo marry Nabou. Nabou is the daughter of Diouf and Diouf is her younger brother. Mawdo gave in and in essence, he took his cousin as his second wife. When that happened, Aissatou didnt sit back and merely watch thing befall her. She asserted herself, asked for a divorce, and fled to a different land to start a new life. Since then, she had worked in the Senegal Embassy in the U.S. After the divorce, she had lived independently supporting herself and her son.Ramatoulaye’s reaction to her husband’s second marriage was different though. She chose to stick with the situation in the hope that Modou will assume his forgotten responsibility to her and her family in due time. But all her thoughts were disrupted with the death of her husband. And it is only during that time that she started to break free from the idea that women are merely created to serve, act, and think, behind the shadow of men.During the days of seclusion and mourning, Ramatoulaye was able to realize a lot of things. And on the fortieth day fol lowing Modou’s death, Modou’s elder brother Tamsir asked for her hand in marriage. Ramatoulaye knew that he was doing this merely for economic reasons. So she outwardly turned down the offer telling him that he cannot simply ask that of her because she is a woman with her own mind, body, and dignity. And that marriage and companionship means a lot to her so she wouldn’t marry anybody she doesn’t have affection for.Ramatoulaye has another suitor, Daouda Dieng. Daouda Dieng is the man who had cared for her tracing back from the day she had first met Modou. In fact, her mother voted for Daouda Dieng instead of Modou. And after Modou’s death, he became visible again. He even shared Ramatoulaye’s the ideas about feminism and believed that there should be more laws that protect women in the same way as men. In their resurrected friendship, Ramatoulaye had rekindled her fondness for Daouda Dieng. And much of it is because they share parallel views on a lot of things. Daouda Dieng never lost his love for her either. And one day, he asked for Ramatoulaye’s hand in marriage. But being the woman who learned so much from her own experiences, Ramatoulaye had refused his offer for the reason that Daouda Dieng already has a family. And even if Islam allows men to have up to four wives, she did not choose to come between him and his family.VII. Analysis of the WorkThe novel â€Å"So Long a Letter† is an accurate overview of Senegal circa 1970. It can even be used as a historical basis of what was happening prior to the development of New Africa. But digging deeper in the social and political context of the literary work, it is depicts as a mesh of African culture with a Muslim religion in a semi-European context.The overall tone of the letter is remorse and pain. And the feminist ideas integrated in it cannot be left ignored. This is because a woman wrote the novel – a woman who has long been regarded as merely a face without a name and a shadow instead of a person. But more importantly, that woman is black. History has it that African natives have long been suffering the pains of inferiority over the white race. Therefore, it can be said that the narrative is spoken with the voice of a black woman who has been victim in many ways. And being so, you can never underestimate the magnitude of her cry.What the whole story would like to impart were the choices that are presented to a woman. With the society, tradition, and culture all seemingly working in favor of the men, women are left with nothing but their own strength to drive their selves upon. In a society where polygamous marriages are allowed, it has become easy for the man to put the woman in her position – and it is a position that was way below where he is. In 1960 Senegal, that position is somewhere down the deepest remorse of her own soul.Through her novel, Mariama Ba had shown those choices to the many women who had gone thr ough the same circumstances similar to her and her two main characters. When a womans husband takes another wife, she is presented two options – you can either stick by him and do what was expected of you; or leave him and reclaim your own independence. And those are exactly what Ramatoulaye and Aissatou had done. Ramatoulaye had chosen to sit back and wait for everything else to be how it used to be while her husband is in the company of another wife. Aissatou, on the other hand, is different. Instead of choosing to do what everybody had anticipated, she body did otherwise, went against the current, and liberated her own self from the claws of the society.The novel had also clearly depicted the mentality of African Muslim women. The characters in the story have represented the varied frame of thinking women have – while all of them being influenced by all the events transpiring around them. Ramatoulaye is the ever trusting and faithful wife. Aissatou is the liberal wo man ready to face the world, with or without the company of men. Binetou is the woman ready to give anything and do anything in exchange for financial security and social standing. Modou’s mother is much the same. All she wanted to do was to clothe herself in what her son had attained and make it the subject of envy to all her friends– even if she was never material in any of it. All she could do was to associate her own success to anything that her son possesses. On the other hand, Mawdo Ba’s mother is the woman who clutches firmly to what was used to be hers – and that would be her fame and glory of long ago.These are the type of women that Mariama Ba would like to identify her own women audience with. Indirectly, the author is infusing change in the way society thinks by showing them the errors in their mentalities.VIII. Thematic Structure and Development of ThemeThe major theme of the story is the depiction of the clash between African-Muslim traditio ns and French-European ways. African-Muslim traditions say men are allowed to have multiple wives while the French-European culture indicates that the answer to infidelity is divorce. And much of that is because a woman is free to do what she wants. The idea behind that new-found freedom has a lot to do with the fact that a woman should decide whether she would like to delegate herself as one of the wives or not.And this theme leads us to yet another, which is the feminist tone of the novel. A lot of ideologies that are added in the story are subconsciously evoking to empower the rest of the women readers black, Muslim, or neither, to break free from the clutches of tradition and be their own person. The novel is also a call for all women to unite – because with their varied ideologies and mentalities, it is near impossible to achieve the change that all women wanted to attain. The novel attempts to make a woman realize her important role in the society, including all the co mmon situations she is involved in. The novel presents the woman her options. And the story’s theme greatly implies that she has the ability to do whatever she wanted to do. Her very existence gives her that right.IX. Language, Structure, and StyleSo Long a Letter is a type of an epistolary novel. Epistolary novels are literary works that use long narratives, mostly in the form of a correspondence, a diary, or news clippings. In this particular work, the main character, Ramatoulaye, relates the most recent and past events of her life to her friend, Aissatou in a very long missive. The author even referred to it as a diary in the first few pages of the narrative. As the story progresses, Ramatoulaye conveys both the events and her feelings about it. She broadcasts her thoughts to the letters recipient, as well as quotes important conversations that had transpired between her and others.The authors choice of using this format must be the fact that she would like to make her wor k appear as real as possible. The subject is certainly close to her heart, because she has been through the same pains and aches as the main story of the character had. It is also very apparent that both of them almost share the same ideas and principles when it comes to the role of the female in the society. And this is why the main character of the story is directly compared to her. Though it, readers can see and feel through the realism, or at least the appearance of it, that echoes out of from the pages of the literary work.X. Literary Techniques and DevicesThe choice of the authors literary techniques and devices are all very effective in this novel. Being an epistolary novel, which is a literary technique on its own, the work had clearly relayed all the events that happened before and after the main characters husband has died. The main purpose of writing the letter was to inform Aissatou that Modou had died – but as she did so, Ramatoulaye was not able to resist the te mptation of recounting the events that happened since the time she and her husband met, up until he decided to leave her in favor of a younger second wife. She also cannot stop herself from point out the fact that she and Aissatou had experienced the same fate in the hands of their husbands. Ramatoulaye had related not only her own story as she goes along, but the life story of Aissatou, the letters recipient, as well.Ramatoulayes and Aissatous characters are a juxtaposition, which is another literary technique. The author had placed two people with the same experiences in one story. But their ways of solving the conflicts that were presented to them were different. When Aissatou learned about her husbands second marriage, she revolted and moved away. Ramatoulaye, on the other hand, went along the situation and continued her life as is. It is the purpose of the author to make readers compare the two women in the hope that they can identify themselves with them.In this story, it is a lso clear that Mariama Ba had successfully used another literary technique, the author surrogate technique. Clearly, one of the two characters of the story is an idealized version of the author. Mariama Ba, known to be divorced and a feminist herself, had wanted to show her audience the things that she had been through and how she should have handled it. It is also possible that Mariama Ba is a little bit of the two main characters combined, and she is merely conveying the choices women like her has, given the same situation.XI. Critical Evaluation/General AssessmentSo Long a Letter had effectively captured the sentiments of all women, not merely the Africans or the Muslims. Reading the novel had allowed a lot of people to realize the emotions of a woman and how hard it must have been for them to be given limited choice and be virtually powerless over the men. Through her work, Mariama Bas had indeed found a creative way of voicing out her feminist views. As a result, this work was written along the refreshing views of a woman writer. There have been quite too few of them before. This, added to the fact that the author is a true African in her own right, made the whole story a lot more realistic that it ought to be.The words and lines used are all rich and clear. The thoughts conveyed are straightforward. And the events in the story are related in a highly logical and comprehensible manner. Mariama Bas style of writing is simplistic. And it allows readers to easily understand the things, ideas, and concepts that she is trying to point out. There was never any event and information that can be considered irrelevant to the main story. Simply stated, the novel was concise and true to its form.Overall, the novel is written with the voice of a victim – but it is the type of a victim who would like to see changes. The story is not about a victim who merely sits and laments. The story is about the victim who tries to struggle out from where her place is suppos ed to be. This is a story of empowerment. And even if it is a storyline that is expected of black authors, the power of it has never diminished. The victim-perpetrator type of a story can still captivate and move, especially if it is done in the same heart-felt way as this story was.From my own critique of the story, So Long a Letter can be considered as a masterpiece. It will never cease to touch the emotions of both the women and even men for that matter, who had seen, much more gone though, the same instances that the characters of the story had. And because the story deals on the three popular sectors of the society, namely the women, the Blacks and the Muslims, it definitely had a universal appeal as expected.Outlineâ€Å"So Long a Letter† started off with Ramatoulaye reminiscing the events that happened to her the past few days. It is a novel that is presented in a form of a letter.   The main character, Ramatoulaye, created the letter with the main intention of telli ng Aissatou about the death of his husband, Modou. And along that path, Ramatoulaye had begun a journey back in time, starting from when she and Modou met.Modou died from heart attack while dictating something to his secretary in his office. He was a lawyer. But he mostly does his job for the community. As such he is a person of great dignity and social position.Ramatoulaye and Aissatou were best friends and even treat each other as sisters. They both went to the Western same school and are one of the few women who were given the elusive opportunity to finish a degree. Ramatoulaye became a schoolteacher. She was married for long twenty-five years to Modou.Then Modou abruptly made the decision to have a second wife. And worse, it was in the person of his daughters friend. He didnt even have the courage to face her that he did remarry. Instead, he just sent his bother, his friend, and the Imam to tell her wife about it.Even so, the story had shown that Ramatoulaye was a strong woman a nd was able to live through the pain and struggles associated with the Islamic traditions and the transformations in the society. Despite the infidelity directed to her by her husband, she was still the same woman who performs most inside a family setting. And as such, she stood by her children throughout the ordeal. Ramatoulaye is the perfect blend of the old and new woman of the society. She is devoted to her children and yet she is able to hold on a career that enriches her being. And more importantly, she never believes that women were merely meant for the home and has lesser rights than men.On the other hand, Modou Fall is a portrait of society’s ordinary male. He does according to his whims and tries to justify it with the law. He had not the courage to even face Ramatoulaye when he abruptly decided to marry another woman. He is basically weak and had merely used religion as a weapon. He is a coward who can’t even face his wife under his supposedly muscular build .In her letter, Ramatoulaye also wrote Aissatou’s ordeal that was very much like her. Aissatou was also a victim of a polygamous marriage. Mawdo Ba was Aissatou’s husband. When the two of them decided to get married, Mawdo’s mother was very much against it. Mawdo’s mother used to be a Princess of the Sine and she could not dwell on the fact that her only son is marrying an ordinary woman without wealth, title, and social prominence. Despite being educated, Mawdo’s mother regarded Aissatou merely as a goldsmith’s daughter. But Mawdo was resolute. He married Aissatou against her mother’s wishes.But her mother was not soon to be defeated. She actually devised a ploy to make Mawdo marry Nabou. Nabou is the daughter of Diouf and Diouf is her younger brother. Mawdo gave in and in essence, he took his cousin as his second wife. When that happened, Aissatou didnt sit back and merely watch thing befall her. She asserted herself, asked for a di vorce, and fled to a different land to start a new life. Since then, she had worked in the Senegal Embassy in the U.S. After the divorce, she had lived independently supporting herself and her son.If Ramatoulaye is a showcase of a woman both of the past and of the present, Aissatou is a picture of the modern liberated female. She doesn’t want to conform to the beliefs that the society unresistingly accepts, more particularly about polygamous marriage. Instead, she came out and openly asserted herself and her right. She lived liberally after the ordeal.The overall tone of the letter is remorse and pain. And the feminist ideas integrated in it cannot be left ignored. This is because a woman wrote the novel – a woman who has long been regarded as merely a face without a name and a shadow instead of a person. But more importantly, that woman is black. History has it that African natives have long been suffering the pains of inferiority over the white race. Therefore, it ca n be said that the narrative is spoken with the voice of a black woman who has been victim in many ways. And being so, you can never underestimate the magnitude of her cry.The storys author, Mariama Ba had successfully used the author surrogate technique in her work. Clearly, one of the two characters of the story is an idealized version of the author. Mariama Ba, known to be divorced and a feminist herself, had wanted to show her audience the things that she had been through and how she should have handled it. It is also possible that Mariama Ba is a little bit of the two main characters combined, and she is merely conveying the choices women like her has, given the same situation.;;; So Long a Letter Essay Example So Long a Letter Paper So Long a Letter is a novel written by Mariama Ba, a black Sengalese author. It was assumed that she had lived a life that was very similar to the two main female characters of her story. Mariama Ba is an educated woman, who attended school at Ecole Normale Institution, an exclusive Western school situated in her own native country. During the publication of her work, she was a schoolteacher who is doing her share to help ease the societys unrest caused by their transition to freedom from being Frances colony for a long time. Mariama Ba is an active feminist and a women’s rights activist. And as a divorced woman herself, she is against polygamous marriages. And it is primarily because of the many difficulties that it causes women.II. Type of WorkSo Long a Letter was a novel that is presented in a form of a letter. The main character in the story writes a very long epistle to her friend, narrating all the pains and hardships that she had been through from the time her husband t ook a second wife up until his recent death and thereafter. The literary work touches on Muslim-African culture and traditions. It was written against a backdrop of a turbulent society where women are inferior to men.III. Type of PlotSo Long a Letter follows an episodic type of a plot. The book is composed of several series of stories included in each chapter that narrates the lives of the main characters in the story.   All these stories are linked to each other. They were all about trials, difficulties, and the choices people have to make. Each chapter has its own climax that slowly builds towards an end. Generally, there were no overall high point or plot to the entire story.   Instead, everything was a smooth and steady narration of the events that happened in the storyteller’s life in a reversed chronological order, starting from the death of his husband and back to the time he took a second wife, where most of the storys tragedies occurred. But the story doesnt stop there. It pushed forward into the future towards the time when the main character dealt with her loss and the things she did to live with a new life following her husbands death.IV. Setting, Time, and Locale of the PlotThe story is set during the time that Senegal was in transition to become an independent country. Senegal was previously a colony of France; and as they move towards liberty, the society is in total unrest. Politics was always brewing and trade unionism was very rampant. New Africa is expected to be on the rise. And it is also during the said point in time that the society follows the strict Islamic tradition of putting men in a pedestal much higher than the women. It is the time where the husbands are supposed to provide for their wives and their children and the women’s main job is to merely take care of their husbands.V. Social or Political ContextIt was only in 1960 that Senegal has gained its independence from France and became a separate entity. Senegal was under the French colony since the 17th century. And during that period of time, there were civic disturbance everywhere. It is also in the same year that only a few African women were given a chance to education. Most of privileged few that were able to study came only from the elite society, as not many believe in the importance of education for African women. A lot of it is because women are given a role in the society that doesnt require much of education. With the great influence of Islam in the nation of Senegal, the only thing that a woman should do for the country is to rear children. And it is not important that she be educated to do that well.Mariama Ba, like the main characters of her story, were one of those few educated women of Africa. As a result, she was able to teach in schools and was able to give back to the younger generation what she had attained. With this story she had written, she unconsciously aims to raise the position of Senegalese women in a rank thatà ¢â‚¬â„¢s closer, if not within the same level, as with the men.V. Character AnalysisThe main characters of the story are as follows:RamatoulayeRamatoulaye is the main character of the story. She is also the same one who wrote the letter to her friend, Aissatou. It is her life story that was the main focus of the novel. Ramatoulaye is a schoolteacher in Senegal and when she wrote the letter, she was 55 years old and a widow.Ramatoulaye is a strong woman and was able to live through the pain and struggles associated with the Islamic traditions and the transformations in the society. Despite the infidelity directed to her by her husband, she was still the same woman who performs most inside a family setting. And as such, she stood by her children throughout the ordeal. Ramatoulaye is the perfect blend of the old and new woman of the society. She is devoted to her children and yet she is able to hold on a career that enriches her being. And more importantly, she never believes that wome n were merely meant for the home and has lesser rights than men.AissatouAissatou is Ramatoulaye’s friend who is the recipient of the letter. Ramatoulaye regards her like a true sister, as both of them had shared childhood went to the same school and together. And like Ramatoulaye, Aissatou had gone through the same hardships when his husband took a second wife. Being educated and liberal, Aissatou left Senegal after she requested for a divorce and served in the Senegal Embassy in the U.S. She lived independently and provided for her son then after.If Ramatoulaye is a showcase of a woman both of the past and of the present, Aissatou is a picture of the modern liberated female. She doesn’t want to conform to the beliefs that the society unresistingly accepts, more particularly about polygamous marriage. Instead, she came out and openly asserted herself and her right. She lived liberally after which.Modou FallModou Fall is the husband of Ramatoulaye. He was the object of love and obsession of Ramatoulaye for a whole twenty-five years. And she was equally adored by Modou Fall up until he decided to marry a much younger woman. Modou and Ramatoulaye had twelve children and all of them had suffered from the day their father was absent in favor of his new wife. Modou Fall died of heart attack years after he had remarried.Modou Fall is but society’s regular male. He does according to his whims and tries to justify it with the law. He had not the courage to even face Ramatoulaye when he abruptly decided to marry another woman. He is basically weak and had merely used religion as a weapon. He is a coward who can’t even face his wife under his supposedly muscular build.Mawdo BaMawdo Ba is Aissatou’s husband. He is a doctor by profession and a man who is well regarded by a society where herbs and potions are next best thing when it comes to finding a cure for common sicknesses. However, Mawdo Ba’s elitist mother is not in favor of his marriage to Aissatou, even if it is very clear that Mawdo loved her so much. Mawdo Ba is Modou Fall’s friend. He is also the one who had introduced the two to each other.Mawdo Ba is the type of a man whose resolve is not absolute. He succeeded in going against her mother’s wishes when he chose to marry Aissatou. But he merely threw that resolution away the very moment he blindly fell into her own mothers trap by leading her to take another woman as a second wife. This fact could even go to show that men might just be polygamous in nature.BinetouAlthough Binetou’s actions in the story are not much told about, her role is very important for it is her who caused a turn in Ramatoulaye’s life. Binetou is the second wife Modou Fall had took indiscriminately. She is a much younger woman and actually the friend of Modou’s oldest daughter, Daba. Binetou was not rich and doesn’t have a father to look out for her. And so when Modou proposed marriag e, it was mother who was very much in favor of it. Binetou accepted Modous proposal for a marriage because of the security blanket that it would be able to provide her and her family. Binetou was merely 19 when Modou Fall died.TamsirTamsir is Modou Fall’s elder brother. He, along with Mawdo and the local Imam, is the person who broke the news to Ramatoulaye about Modou having a second wife. And on the fortieth day of Modou’s death, Tamsir indicated that he would like to marry Ramatoulaye in regards to the Islam tradition that the younger brother is supposed to inherit another brother’s wife the moment he died. Tamsir intended to use the tradition eventhough he is Modou’s elder brother and not a younger brother just like the custom implied.Daba FallDaba is Ramatouleye’s oldest daughter. She is also the person who took Binetou to their house because she was her friend and schoolmate. It was during those times that Binetou was their guest that their f ather had developed some affection to the young girl. Modou always volunteers himself to bring her home. Consequently, Binetou has Daba as confidante when it comes to the things that were happening in her life.   But when she talks about her story, she omits Modou’s name and merely referred to him as a sugar daddy. Daba even asked for an advice from her mother to help out Binetou, not knowing that they are actually talking about Binetou and her father all the while.Daouda DiengDaouda Dieng is Ramatoulaye’s former suitor. He is also the same person that her mother wants her to marry. Daouda Dieng is also a doctor and he had reappeared in Ramatoulayes life from Modou’s funeral thereafter. And much of it is because he still cares for her. Like Tamsir, Daouda Dieng also expressed his desire to marry Ramatoulaye. But Ramatoulaye openly refused. Daouda Dieng already has a wife and although their law permits taking another wife, Ramatoulaye chooses not to go between him and his family. She doesn’t want to do what Binetou had done to her.VI. Summary of the Storyâ€Å"So Long a Letter† started off with Ramatoulaye reminiscing the events that happened to her the past few days. She created the letter with the main intention of telling Aissatou about the death of his husband, Modou. And along that path, Ramatoulaye had begun a journey back in time, starting from when she and Modou met.Modou died from heart attack while dictating something to his secretary in his office. He was a lawyer. He studied in France and went back to Senegal to practice. But he wasn’t like any regular lawyer who merely works for money. Primarily, he does his job for the community. This is what makes Modou a person of great dignity and social position. Ramatoulaye had described him as the perfect man during their courtship stages. And despite her mother’s disapproval of Modou, she chose him to be her husband because she felt that he was the man that was meant for her.Ramatoulaye and Aissatou were best friends and even treat each other as sisters. They both went to the Western same school and are one of the few women who were given the elusive opportunity to finish a degree. Ramatoulaye became a schoolteacher. And in the long twenty-five years that she is married to Modou, she had balanced her time between her work and her family with great success.Everything was perfect in Ramatoulaye’s household up until her oldest daughter, Daba, brought a classmate with her in the house. And just like any mother, Ramatoulaye merely shrugs the fact that her husband is especially fond with Daba’s classmate, whose name is Binetou. But she was able to see the young woman’s transition from wearing plain and basic clothes to something that comes from an expensive clothes store. The once shy and timid girl is no longer one either. And she had made it very apparent every time she was in their house.But despite that, Ramatoulaye never had once doubted Modou’s love for her. That was up until her brother-in-law Tamsir, Mawdo, and the local Imam had paid her an unannounced visit one day. They have all come to inform her that Modou had, just a few seconds ago, married another woman, giving himself a second wife. And that woman was indeed, Binetou.During those years that Modou left them abandoned, Ramatoulaye had tried to live in the exact same way as she does. But even so, she started to question the whole idea surrounding polygamous marriages. She even would like to shout out the fact that even if a man is allowed a second wife, each wife should be treated as equal. It is as if his husband had forgotten that he still has a lot of responsibility to her and her children. But even so, Ramatoulaye and her twelve children had managed on their own. And despite their hardships, she still want her children to think well of their father. It is just that they all fail to understand what was happening to them and why it did. The biggest pain of all was with their oldest daughter, Daba.But as Ramatoulaye recounts her story, she can’t stop writing about Aissatou’s ordeal along with it. Like her, Aissatou was a victim of a polygamous marriage. Mawdo Ba, who eventually became Aissatou’s husband, was a doctor. It was Modou who introduced Mawdo to their circle of friends and that had included Aissatou. When the two of them decided to get married, Mawdo’s mother was very much against it. Mawdo’s mother used to be a Princess of the Sine and she could not dwell on the fact that her only son is marrying an ordinary woman without wealth, title, and social prominence. Despite being educated, Mawdo’s mother regarded Aissatou merely as a goldsmith’s daughter. But Mawdo was resolute. He married Aissatou against her mother’s wishes.But her mother was not soon to be defeated. She actually devised a ploy to make Mawdo marry Nabou. Nabou is the daughter of Diouf and Diouf is her younger brother. Mawdo gave in and in essence, he took his cousin as his second wife. When that happened, Aissatou didnt sit back and merely watch thing befall her. She asserted herself, asked for a divorce, and fled to a different land to start a new life. Since then, she had worked in the Senegal Embassy in the U.S. After the divorce, she had lived independently supporting herself and her son.Ramatoulaye’s reaction to her husband’s second marriage was different though. She chose to stick with the situation in the hope that Modou will assume his forgotten responsibility to her and her family in due time. But all her thoughts were disrupted with the death of her husband. And it is only during that time that she started to break free from the idea that women are merely created to serve, act, and think, behind the shadow of men.During the days of seclusion and mourning, Ramatoulaye was able to realize a lot of things. And on the fortieth day fol lowing Modou’s death, Modou’s elder brother Tamsir asked for her hand in marriage. Ramatoulaye knew that he was doing this merely for economic reasons. So she outwardly turned down the offer telling him that he cannot simply ask that of her because she is a woman with her own mind, body, and dignity. And that marriage and companionship means a lot to her so she wouldn’t marry anybody she doesn’t have affection for.Ramatoulaye has another suitor, Daouda Dieng. Daouda Dieng is the man who had cared for her tracing back from the day she had first met Modou. In fact, her mother voted for Daouda Dieng instead of Modou. And after Modou’s death, he became visible again. He even shared Ramatoulaye’s the ideas about feminism and believed that there should be more laws that protect women in the same way as men. In their resurrected friendship, Ramatoulaye had rekindled her fondness for Daouda Dieng. And much of it is because they share parallel views on a lot of things. Daouda Dieng never lost his love for her either. And one day, he asked for Ramatoulaye’s hand in marriage. But being the woman who learned so much from her own experiences, Ramatoulaye had refused his offer for the reason that Daouda Dieng already has a family. And even if Islam allows men to have up to four wives, she did not choose to come between him and his family.VII. Analysis of the WorkThe novel â€Å"So Long a Letter† is an accurate overview of Senegal circa 1970. It can even be used as a historical basis of what was happening prior to the development of New Africa. But digging deeper in the social and political context of the literary work, it is depicts as a mesh of African culture with a Muslim religion in a semi-European context.The overall tone of the letter is remorse and pain. And the feminist ideas integrated in it cannot be left ignored. This is because a woman wrote the novel – a woman who has long been regarded as merely a face without a name and a shadow instead of a person. But more importantly, that woman is black. History has it that African natives have long been suffering the pains of inferiority over the white race. Therefore, it can be said that the narrative is spoken with the voice of a black woman who has been victim in many ways. And being so, you can never underestimate the magnitude of her cry.What the whole story would like to impart were the choices that are presented to a woman. With the society, tradition, and culture all seemingly working in favor of the men, women are left with nothing but their own strength to drive their selves upon. In a society where polygamous marriages are allowed, it has become easy for the man to put the woman in her position – and it is a position that was way below where he is. In 1960 Senegal, that position is somewhere down the deepest remorse of her own soul.Through her novel, Mariama Ba had shown those choices to the many women who had gone thr ough the same circumstances similar to her and her two main characters. When a womans husband takes another wife, she is presented two options – you can either stick by him and do what was expected of you; or leave him and reclaim your own independence. And those are exactly what Ramatoulaye and Aissatou had done. Ramatoulaye had chosen to sit back and wait for everything else to be how it used to be while her husband is in the company of another wife. Aissatou, on the other hand, is different. Instead of choosing to do what everybody had anticipated, she body did otherwise, went against the current, and liberated her own self from the claws of the society.The novel had also clearly depicted the mentality of African Muslim women. The characters in the story have represented the varied frame of thinking women have – while all of them being influenced by all the events transpiring around them. Ramatoulaye is the ever trusting and faithful wife. Aissatou is the liberal wo man ready to face the world, with or without the company of men. Binetou is the woman ready to give anything and do anything in exchange for financial security and social standing. Modou’s mother is much the same. All she wanted to do was to clothe herself in what her son had attained and make it the subject of envy to all her friends– even if she was never material in any of it. All she could do was to associate her own success to anything that her son possesses. On the other hand, Mawdo Ba’s mother is the woman who clutches firmly to what was used to be hers – and that would be her fame and glory of long ago.These are the type of women that Mariama Ba would like to identify her own women audience with. Indirectly, the author is infusing change in the way society thinks by showing them the errors in their mentalities.VIII. Thematic Structure and Development of ThemeThe major theme of the story is the depiction of the clash between African-Muslim traditio ns and French-European ways. African-Muslim traditions say men are allowed to have multiple wives while the French-European culture indicates that the answer to infidelity is divorce. And much of that is because a woman is free to do what she wants. The idea behind that new-found freedom has a lot to do with the fact that a woman should decide whether she would like to delegate herself as one of the wives or not.And this theme leads us to yet another, which is the feminist tone of the novel. A lot of ideologies that are added in the story are subconsciously evoking to empower the rest of the women readers black, Muslim, or neither, to break free from the clutches of tradition and be their own person. The novel is also a call for all women to unite – because with their varied ideologies and mentalities, it is near impossible to achieve the change that all women wanted to attain. The novel attempts to make a woman realize her important role in the society, including all the co mmon situations she is involved in. The novel presents the woman her options. And the story’s theme greatly implies that she has the ability to do whatever she wanted to do. Her very existence gives her that right.IX. Language, Structure, and StyleSo Long a Letter is a type of an epistolary novel. Epistolary novels are literary works that use long narratives, mostly in the form of a correspondence, a diary, or news clippings. In this particular work, the main character, Ramatoulaye, relates the most recent and past events of her life to her friend, Aissatou in a very long missive. The author even referred to it as a diary in the first few pages of the narrative. As the story progresses, Ramatoulaye conveys both the events and her feelings about it. She broadcasts her thoughts to the letters recipient, as well as quotes important conversations that had transpired between her and others.The authors choice of using this format must be the fact that she would like to make her wor k appear as real as possible. The subject is certainly close to her heart, because she has been through the same pains and aches as the main story of the character had. It is also very apparent that both of them almost share the same ideas and principles when it comes to the role of the female in the society. And this is why the main character of the story is directly compared to her. Though it, readers can see and feel through the realism, or at least the appearance of it, that echoes out of from the pages of the literary work.X. Literary Techniques and DevicesThe choice of the authors literary techniques and devices are all very effective in this novel. Being an epistolary novel, which is a literary technique on its own, the work had clearly relayed all the events that happened before and after the main characters husband has died. The main purpose of writing the letter was to inform Aissatou that Modou had died – but as she did so, Ramatoulaye was not able to resist the te mptation of recounting the events that happened since the time she and her husband met, up until he decided to leave her in favor of a younger second wife. She also cannot stop herself from point out the fact that she and Aissatou had experienced the same fate in the hands of their husbands. Ramatoulaye had related not only her own story as she goes along, but the life story of Aissatou, the letters recipient, as well.Ramatoulayes and Aissatous characters are a juxtaposition, which is another literary technique. The author had placed two people with the same experiences in one story. But their ways of solving the conflicts that were presented to them were different. When Aissatou learned about her husbands second marriage, she revolted and moved away. Ramatoulaye, on the other hand, went along the situation and continued her life as is. It is the purpose of the author to make readers compare the two women in the hope that they can identify themselves with them.In this story, it is a lso clear that Mariama Ba had successfully used another literary technique, the author surrogate technique. Clearly, one of the two characters of the story is an idealized version of the author. Mariama Ba, known to be divorced and a feminist herself, had wanted to show her audience the things that she had been through and how she should have handled it. It is also possible that Mariama Ba is a little bit of the two main characters combined, and she is merely conveying the choices women like her has, given the same situation.XI. Critical Evaluation/General AssessmentSo Long a Letter had effectively captured the sentiments of all women, not merely the Africans or the Muslims. Reading the novel had allowed a lot of people to realize the emotions of a woman and how hard it must have been for them to be given limited choice and be virtually powerless over the men. Through her work, Mariama Bas had indeed found a creative way of voicing out her feminist views. As a result, this work was written along the refreshing views of a woman writer. There have been quite too few of them before. This, added to the fact that the author is a true African in her own right, made the whole story a lot more realistic that it ought to be.The words and lines used are all rich and clear. The thoughts conveyed are straightforward. And the events in the story are related in a highly logical and comprehensible manner. Mariama Bas style of writing is simplistic. And it allows readers to easily understand the things, ideas, and concepts that she is trying to point out. There was never any event and information that can be considered irrelevant to the main story. Simply stated, the novel was concise and true to its form.Overall, the novel is written with the voice of a victim – but it is the type of a victim who would like to see changes. The story is not about a victim who merely sits and laments. The story is about the victim who tries to struggle out from where her place is suppos ed to be. This is a story of empowerment. And even if it is a storyline that is expected of black authors, the power of it has never diminished. The victim-perpetrator type of a story can still captivate and move, especially if it is done in the same heart-felt way as this story was.From my own critique of the story, So Long a Letter can be considered as a masterpiece. It will never cease to touch the emotions of both the women and even men for that matter, who had seen, much more gone though, the same instances that the characters of the story had. And because the story deals on the three popular sectors of the society, namely the women, the Blacks and the Muslims, it definitely had a universal appeal as expected.Outlineâ€Å"So Long a Letter† started off with Ramatoulaye reminiscing the events that happened to her the past few days. It is a novel that is presented in a form of a letter.   The main character, Ramatoulaye, created the letter with the main intention of telli ng Aissatou about the death of his husband, Modou. And along that path, Ramatoulaye had begun a journey back in time, starting from when she and Modou met.Modou died from heart attack while dictating something to his secretary in his office. He was a lawyer. But he mostly does his job for the community. As such he is a person of great dignity and social position.Ramatoulaye and Aissatou were best friends and even treat each other as sisters. They both went to the Western same school and are one of the few women who were given the elusive opportunity to finish a degree. Ramatoulaye became a schoolteacher. She was married for long twenty-five years to Modou.Then Modou abruptly made the decision to have a second wife. And worse, it was in the person of his daughters friend. He didnt even have the courage to face her that he did remarry. Instead, he just sent his bother, his friend, and the Imam to tell her wife about it.Even so, the story had shown that Ramatoulaye was a strong woman a nd was able to live through the pain and struggles associated with the Islamic traditions and the transformations in the society. Despite the infidelity directed to her by her husband, she was still the same woman who performs most inside a family setting. And as such, she stood by her children throughout the ordeal. Ramatoulaye is the perfect blend of the old and new woman of the society. She is devoted to her children and yet she is able to hold on a career that enriches her being. And more importantly, she never believes that women were merely meant for the home and has lesser rights than men.On the other hand, Modou Fall is a portrait of society’s ordinary male. He does according to his whims and tries to justify it with the law. He had not the courage to even face Ramatoulaye when he abruptly decided to marry another woman. He is basically weak and had merely used religion as a weapon. He is a coward who can’t even face his wife under his supposedly muscular build .In her letter, Ramatoulaye also wrote Aissatou’s ordeal that was very much like her. Aissatou was also a victim of a polygamous marriage. Mawdo Ba was Aissatou’s husband. When the two of them decided to get married, Mawdo’s mother was very much against it. Mawdo’s mother used to be a Princess of the Sine and she could not dwell on the fact that her only son is marrying an ordinary woman without wealth, title, and social prominence. Despite being educated, Mawdo’s mother regarded Aissatou merely as a goldsmith’s daughter. But Mawdo was resolute. He married Aissatou against her mother’s wishes.But her mother was not soon to be defeated. She actually devised a ploy to make Mawdo marry Nabou. Nabou is the daughter of Diouf and Diouf is her younger brother. Mawdo gave in and in essence, he took his cousin as his second wife. When that happened, Aissatou didnt sit back and merely watch thing befall her. She asserted herself, asked for a di vorce, and fled to a different land to start a new life. Since then, she had worked in the Senegal Embassy in the U.S. After the divorce, she had lived independently supporting herself and her son.If Ramatoulaye is a showcase of a woman both of the past and of the present, Aissatou is a picture of the modern liberated female. She doesn’t want to conform to the beliefs that the society unresistingly accepts, more particularly about polygamous marriage. Instead, she came out and openly asserted herself and her right. She lived liberally after the ordeal.The overall tone of the letter is remorse and pain. And the feminist ideas integrated in it cannot be left ignored. This is because a woman wrote the novel – a woman who has long been regarded as merely a face without a name and a shadow instead of a person. But more importantly, that woman is black. History has it that African natives have long been suffering the pains of inferiority over the white race. Therefore, it ca n be said that the narrative is spoken with the voice of a black woman who has been victim in many ways. And being so, you can never underestimate the magnitude of her cry.The storys author, Mariama Ba had successfully used the author surrogate technique in her work. Clearly, one of the two characters of the story is an idealized version of the author. Mariama Ba, known to be divorced and a feminist herself, had wanted to show her audience the things that she had been through and how she should have handled it. It is also possible that Mariama Ba is a little bit of the two main characters combined, and she is merely conveying the choices women like her has, given the same situation.;;;

Free Essays on Union Sucession

The breakup of the Union was inevitable. The south was always going to secede; it was just a question of when. The southern and northern states varied on many issues. There were deep economic, social, and political differences between the north and the south. All of this was a different interpretation of the United States Constitution on both sides. In the end, all of these disagreements led to the Civil War. There were reasons other than slavery for the south’s secession. The south relied heavily on agriculture, as opposed to the north which was highly populated by factories. The south grew cotton, which was its main cash crop. Many southerners knew that heavy reliance on agriculture would hurt the south, but their warnings were not taken into serious consideration. Constitutionally the north favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution. They wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states. The south relied upon it for their economic well being. The north’s economy was not reliant on such labor. This issue overshadowed all others. Southerners compared slavery to the wage-slave system of the North. Southerners believed the slaves received better care than the northern factory workers did. Many southern preachers proclaimed that slavery was sanctioned in the Bible. Thomas Dew, a professor from William and Mary, said that all of the patriarchs of the bible were slaveholders. Abraham had more than three hundred. After the American Revolution slavery died in the North, just as it was becoming more popular in the South. By the time of 1804 seven of the northern most states had abolished slavery. During this time a surge of democratic reform swept the North and West. There were demands for political equality and economic and social advances. Northerners said that slavery revoked the human right of being a free person. When new te... Free Essays on Union Sucession Free Essays on Union Sucession The breakup of the Union was inevitable. The south was always going to secede; it was just a question of when. The southern and northern states varied on many issues. There were deep economic, social, and political differences between the north and the south. All of this was a different interpretation of the United States Constitution on both sides. In the end, all of these disagreements led to the Civil War. There were reasons other than slavery for the south’s secession. The south relied heavily on agriculture, as opposed to the north which was highly populated by factories. The south grew cotton, which was its main cash crop. Many southerners knew that heavy reliance on agriculture would hurt the south, but their warnings were not taken into serious consideration. Constitutionally the north favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution. They wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states. The south relied upon it for their economic well being. The north’s economy was not reliant on such labor. This issue overshadowed all others. Southerners compared slavery to the wage-slave system of the North. Southerners believed the slaves received better care than the northern factory workers did. Many southern preachers proclaimed that slavery was sanctioned in the Bible. Thomas Dew, a professor from William and Mary, said that all of the patriarchs of the bible were slaveholders. Abraham had more than three hundred. After the American Revolution slavery died in the North, just as it was becoming more popular in the South. By the time of 1804 seven of the northern most states had abolished slavery. During this time a surge of democratic reform swept the North and West. There were demands for political equality and economic and social advances. Northerners said that slavery revoked the human right of being a free person. When new te...