t. Her self-assurance and confidences is shown when Modou’s brother proclaims that he would like to take on Ramatoulaye as a wife. Ramatoulaye explodes and laments that she is “not like a piece of currency that can be exchanged.” Here she breaks tradition and holds her head up high, she will not marry Modou’s brother because she does not love him nor does she approve of the way he treats his other wives. When another love from the past comes and proclaims his love to her, she also denies the marriage proposal. She does not want to marry him and have his first wife feel the hurt that she felt. Though marrying him would mean security to her family of twelve. Another generation of friends that choose different paths is between Binetou and Ramatoulaye’s daughter Daba. When Ramatoulaye hears about Binetou’s “sugar daddy” she tells Daba to encourage her friend to continue her education to enlighten herself. Yet she does not know that this quiet girl would soon become her rival. Binetou is the tragedy figure in this novel. Although the reader might have an instant dislike for Binetou (being the home wrecker) when one looks deeper into this situation, one cannot help but feel sorry for her. She is chained down by tradition, even though she has the opportunity to grasp the modern world and the freedom that comes with it (education, self-reliance). Although she is educated she falls victim to the whims of her family. She is forced to give up most of the carelessness that accompanies youth because tradition holds that she has obligations to her mother to marry a wealthy man that will provide security to bring them out of their poverty. In exchange for the luxuries (villa, trip to Mecca for her parents) that are the rewards for this marriage she sacrifices her own dreams of finding a man that she really loves. When Binetou goes clubbing with Modou, she can’t help but notice the othe...
