n to care for-but that she had household assistance and was able to manage without undue hardships while finding a great deal of satisfaction in her life. When her husband deserts her for a young woman, Ramatoulaye then feels the great burdens of motherhood. Ramatoulaye's vivid descriptions of her daily efforts-the "details" of her life as mother, for example:“The purchase of basic foodstuffs kept me occupied at the end of every month; I made sure that I was never short of tomatoes or of oil, potatoes or onions during those periods when they became rare in the markets… The last date for payment of electricity bills and of water rates demanded my attention. I was often the only woman in the queue. Replacing the locks and latches of broken doors, replacing broken windows was a bother… My son Mawdo Fall complained about burnt-out bulbs that needed replacement” (Ba 51). Her life, though, while exhausting and frustrating and, undoubtedly, terrifying at times - particularly when children become ill or injured, Ramatoulaye has money for sufficient food and even has modern conveniences in her home.Nevertheless, Ramatoulaye has other experiences as the protagonist - while the children cause a great deal of her daily trials and drain her energy, these same dependents rouse her from her personal misery. Rama explains: "I adopted a sprightly tone to rouse my battalion. The coffee warmed the atmosphere, exuding its sweet fragrance. Foaming baths, mutual teasing, and laughter." After documenting numerous further items of their lives, she summarizes these particulars with a brief but plaintive cry: "I shed tears of joy and sadness together: joy in being loved by my children, the sadness of a mother who does not have the means to change the course of events" (53). Concurrently with the experience of motherhood, the novel also examines the life of Rama and Assitou as women in their societies. Decisions regarding marriage, fami...
