Characters
Abou
Daba Fall's husband, Abou, advocates for equality between partners. He assists Daba in reclaiming some of her father's belongings following Moudou Fall's passing.
Amy
See Aminata Fall.
Aissatou Bâ
Aissatou, Ramatoulaye's closest friend, is also a well-educated woman. When her husband took a second wife, Aissatou refused to accept it. She divorced him and pursued her own empowerment. When Ramatoulaye writes to her, Aissatou is employed at the Senegalese embassy in the United States, managing her sons' education and showcasing her independence. As the daughter of a goldsmith, Aissatou had always been rebellious. She married Mawdo Bâ, a man from a higher caste, despite his family's objections. Later, she ignores critics who claim her sons will suffer irreparably from the divorce. She believes, rightly, that her sons will be strengthened by her determination.
Mawdo Bâ
Mawdo Bâ, Aissatou's husband and Moudou's best friend, is a distinguished doctor. He married Aissatou against his family's wishes. His mother, a tribal princess, feared that their family's honor would be tainted by his marriage to a goldsmith's daughter. To placate his mother, Mawdo eventually takes a second wife of noble lineage. He professes that he still loves only Aissatou, but in accordance with Muslim law, he regularly engages in marital relations with his new wife. Ramatoulaye and Aissatou are appalled that Mawdo can separate emotional love from physical love. When Aissatou divorces him, Mawdo is heartbroken. However, as his new wife continues to bear children, Ramatoulaye feels little sympathy for him.
Jacqueline Diack
Ramatoulaye recounts the story of her friend Jacqueline, a black Protestant woman, to illustrate the suffering women can endure in marriage. Originally from the Ivory Coast, Jacqueline is never fully accepted into Senegalese society. She experiences a nervous breakdown due to her husband's numerous infidelities. Ramatoulaye describes Jacqueline's story as "happy" because, in the end, Jacqueline recovered, and her husband, "moved by his wife's breakdown," became more affectionate. By sharing this story, Ramatoulaye acknowledges that she did not divorce her husband because she too hoped for a happy ending.
Samba Diack
Samba Diack is Jacqueline's husband. His frequent affairs drive her into severe depression.
Daouda Dieng
Daouda Dieng, a doctor and politician, was Ramatoulaye's first suitor. Although she always respected him, and he was her mother's preferred choice, Ramatoulaye knew she could never love him. Thirty years after his unsuccessful courtship, Daouda still loves Ramatoulaye. After Moudou's death, he proposes to her. His feelings unchanged, he is willing to care for her and her twelve children. However, Ramatoulaye still cannot reciprocate his love. Moreover, Daouda has taken a first wife, and Ramatoulaye refuses to cause her pain by becoming his second wife.
Farba Diouf
Farba Diouf is Aunty Nabou's brother and young Nabou's father. He entrusts young Nabou to Aunty Nabou to raise.
Aissatou Fall
Ramatoulaye's second-oldest daughter, Aissatou, finds herself pregnant outside of marriage. Ramatoulaye describes Aissatou as a nurturing and maternal girl who provided invaluable support during her period of seclusion. She is taken aback that Aissatou could have participated in premarital sex. Despite this, Ramatoulaye's love for Aissatou outweighs societal expectations that she should disown her daughter. Together with Aissatou's partner, Iba, they strategize on how to best handle the situation.
Alioune Fall
Alioune is one of Ramatoulaye's sons.
Aminata Fall
Aminata, also known as Amy, is one of Ramatoulaye's twin daughters.
Arame Fall
Arame, one of Ramatoulaye's daughters, is part of the inseparable "trio" of siblings. The "trio" often defy Ramatoulaye's rules and are known for smoking.
Awa Fall
Awa is Ramatoulaye's other twin daughter.
Binetou Fall
Binetou, the second wife of Moudou Fall, is depicted...
(This entire section contains 2009 words.)
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as a beautiful and intelligent young woman. Coming from a poor background, she has made friends with the children of the elite through her schooling. Binetou is best friends with Dada Fall, Ramatoulaye's eldest daughter. She confides that her family is pressuring her to marry an older man she cannot love. Despite her resistance, her mother eventually convinces her to accept the older suitor as her duty. Both Dada and Ramatoulaye are stunned to discover that the "sugar daddy" is Moudou, their father and husband. After the marriage, Binetou is forced to abandon her education. She indulges in a life of excess, seeking solace in nightclubs and luxury cars. Unhappy in her marriage, she convinces Moudou to distance himself from his first wife and twelve children. Binetou flaunts her newfound wealth while Moudou's first family struggles to maintain a middle-class lifestyle. Nonetheless, Binetou is portrayed as a victim of societal customs that limit women's autonomy.
Daba Fall
Ramatoulaye's eldest daughter, Daba, is a staunchly modern woman. She urges her mother to divorce Moudou after he marries Binetou. Previously, she had attempted to persuade Binetou to reject the marriage proposal from her "sugar daddy." Daba herself marries for love but believes that if love fades, no vows should keep the couple together.
Dieynaba Fall
Dieynaba, another of Ramatoulaye's daughters, is also part of the inseparable "trio" of siblings. The "trio" frequently defy Ramatoulaye's rules and are known for smoking.
Malick Fall
Malick is one of Ramatoulaye's sons. He suffers a broken arm after being hit by a car.
Mawdo Fall
Mawdo, another of Ramatoulaye's sons, complains about a racist teacher, saying, "The teacher cannot tolerate a black boy coming first in philosophy." Ramatoulaye has her daughter Daba address the situation.
Moudou Fall
Moudou Fall is Ramatoulaye's wayward husband. At the start of the novel, he has just passed away unexpectedly. Ramatoulaye recounts his life story in her letter to Aissatou. A lawyer by profession, Moudou was educated in France and climbed the political ladder as a leader of trade union organizations. His pragmatic approach led to significant improvements in workers' conditions. Five years prior to the novel's beginning, Moudou fell deeply in love with Binetou, his daughter's best friend. He promised Binetou and her family material comforts, convincing the girl, who was physically repulsed by him, to become his second wife. Without informing Ramatoulaye, Moudou married Binetou. Disregarding Islamic law, Moudou essentially abandoned Ramatoulaye and their twelve children. He spent all his money trying to please Binetou, neglecting his first family both materially and emotionally.
Omar Fall
Omar is one of Ramatoulaye's sons.
Ousmane Fall
Ousmane is the youngest son of Ramatoulaye.
Ramatoulaye Fall
Ramatoulaye, the author of the lengthy letter to her friend Aissatou, is a recent widow. In her letter, she details the numerous changes in her life and, indirectly, in her country. An educated woman, Ramatoulaye adheres to Muslim customs but remains open to change. She observes the rituals that require her to stay secluded for forty days as a new widow. Previously, she had accepted her husband's decision to take a second wife without protest. However, Ramatoulaye is fiercely independent and strong. As the mother of twelve children, she can financially support herself and her family through her teaching job, which she views as a vital calling. As a teacher, she feels a responsibility for her country's future. Most importantly, Ramatoulaye believes in the possibility of finding happiness. She will not remarry unless she falls in love, refusing to settle for the security and social status a new husband might offer. Instead, she guides her family into the future with love, ready to face challenges such as an unmarried daughter's pregnancy.
Tamsir Fall
Tamsir, Moudou Fall's eldest brother, is depicted as a despicable man. He is the one who informs Ramatoulaye of her husband's betrayal, and she never forgives him for assuming such news would not devastate a loving wife. After Moudou's death, Tamsir, following his Muslim faith, asks Ramatoulaye to marry him. He pretends it is out of respect, but Ramatoulaye knows he covets her house and wealth. He already lives off the earnings of his three other wives, who work hard while he benefits. Rejecting his proposal, Ramatoulaye candidly tells Tamsir what she thinks of him.
Yacine Fall
Yacine, one of Ramatoulaye's daughters, is part of the "trio." The "trio" consists of three inseparable siblings. They defy Ramatoulaye's rules and smoke in defiance.
Farmata
A "griot woman," which the novel's footnotes explain as being "part-poet, part-musician, part-sorcerer," Farmata serves as an intermediary for Ramatoulaye. She delivers Ramatoulaye's letter rejecting Daouda Dieng's marriage proposal to the disappointed suitor. Additionally, Farmata informs Ramatoulaye about her unwed daughter's pregnancy. Farmata believes that Ramatoulaye should either expel her daughter from the house or sue the baby's father for damages. As always, Ramatoulaye disregards Farmata's counsel.
Iba
See Ibrahima Sall.
The Iman
The Muslim cleric visits Ramatoulaye, accompanied by Mawdo Bâ and Tamsir, to inform her that Moudou has married Binetou. Ramatoulaye is disgusted by his attempts to sugar-coat the news, suggesting that she should welcome the presence of a co-wife. The Iman also joins Tamsir when he proposes to Ramatoulaye. In her emphatic rejection of Tamsir's unwelcome proposal, Ramatoulaye feels she exacts her revenge on these men who support polygamy, a system that invariably harms women.
Tamsir Fall
Moudou Fall's eldest brother, Tamsir, is portrayed as a despicable man. He is the first to inform Ramatoulaye of her husband's betrayal. She never forgives Tamsir for acting as though such news would not devastate a loving wife. After Moudou's death, Tamsir, adhering to his Muslim faith, asks Ramatoulaye to marry him, pretending that he asks out of respect. However, Ramatoulaye knows that Tamsir covets her house and wealth. He already lives off the hard work of his three other wives. Rejecting his proposal, Ramatoulaye tells Tamsir exactly what she thinks of him.
Yacine Fall
Yacine, one of Ramatoulaye's daughters, is known as a member of the "trio." The "trio" consists of three siblings who are inseparable. They frequently break Ramatoulaye's rules and defiantly smoke.
Farmata
A "griot woman," defined in the novel's footnotes as "part-poet, part-musician, part-sorcerer," Farmata acts as an intermediary for Ramatoulaye. She delivers Ramatoulaye's letter rejecting Daouda Dieng's marriage proposal to the rejected suitor. Farmata also informs Ramatoulaye about her unwed daughter's pregnancy. She believes that Ramatoulaye should either expel her daughter from the house or sue the baby's father for damages. As usual, Ramatoulaye ignores Farmata's advice.
Lady Mother-in-Law
Binetou's mother, referred to as Lady Mother-in-Law, is depicted as a greedy and grasping woman. Of low social standing, she desires wealth and respect. To achieve this, she persuades her daughter to marry Moudou, a man Binetou cannot love. Moudou provides her with everything she desires: a trip to Mecca, a new house, new clothes, and social connections. After Moudou's death, his daughter Daba takes pleasure in stripping Lady Mother-in-Law of the wealth she gained by marrying off her daughter.
Aunty Nabou
Mawdo Bâ's mother, known as Aunty Nabou, is a tribal princess who takes immense pride in her heritage. She is deeply displeased when her son marries Aissatou, the daughter of a goldsmith. To retaliate against Aissatou for taking her son, Aunty Nabou devises a plan for Mawdo to marry his cousin, young Nabou. Aunty Nabou embodies the traditional Senegalese woman, wielding power through her status as a princess and a mother. Ramatoulaye believes that Aunty Nabou influences young Nabou through the ancient folk tales she repeatedly narrates, teaching her how to be a "proper" wife for Mawdo.
Young Nabou
Young Nabou is raised by her aunt, Aunty Nabou, with the purpose of becoming Mawdo Bâ's wife. She is a skilled midwife and earns Ramatoulaye's respect. Although her marriage to Mawdo leads to the dissolution of his marriage to Aissatou, Ramatoulaye still considers young Nabou "one of us." This means she is seen as an intelligent and principled woman capable of standing on her own. Raised to love Mawdo, she naturally becomes a good wife. However, young Nabou's opportunities are constrained by the ancient traditions she follows.
Ibrahima Sall
Aissatou Fall's boyfriend, Iba, is a college student who gets Aissatou pregnant out of wedlock. Despite this, his love for her is evident in the plans he makes for their future. Ramatoulaye, who initially expects to despise the man who "ruined" her daughter, eventually finds him to be a wonderful addition to her family.
