"So Long a Letter," was a story written in the form of a letter, that discussed the trails and tribulations that Ramatoulaye and her friend Assioute encountered after their husband wedded for a second time. With Senegal moving into a time of modernization, woman begun to have a new outlook on their rights after they became enlighten by education and the outside world. From the opening pages of So Long a Letter, the book revolved around a complex theme of abandonment in two relationships; which resulted from the sub-themes of abandonment of traditional ideas. Not only did both women face the same issue of their husband acquiring a second wife, but their decision on how to handle the situation of their husbands wedding for a second time was bought on by the onset of the modernization of ideas in Senegal; which resulted in the abandonment of certain ideas, beliefs and tradition that dominated Senegal culture. .
During this time period in Senegal, Senegal was undergoing a culture reform by the introduction of new laws an policies, which gave more rights to woman. Many people where giving up their traditional trades and attending school to acquire enlightenment. Some of these people studied in other countries and where heavily influenced by the other cultures of the hosting country. The newer generation that acquired this insight threw the country into a period of reform of ideas, which caused conflict between traditional practice that where common within their culture. This was highlighted in the story between two women Ramatoulaye and Assioute, who decided to move on with their lives after their husband wedded for a second time, which is an acceptable practice in the Islamic faith. .
Assioute and Ramatoulaye where friends that attend the same school, and became activist for acquiring rights for woman within Senegal. As they learned more about the modern world they began to slow but surely abandon certain parts of their tradition.
