The female characters in Aya

Aya – Adjoua – Bintou

The female characters in Aya are portrayed in two different ways. The two ways are seen in Aya and her friends. Aya is portrayed as a good and innocent girl who does not get into trouble. She strives to be a doctor, thought her parents specifically her father do not agree. This can be seen on page 22. At the begging of the graphic novel Aya’s parents want her to marry a rich man’s son and does not what her to be a doctor, suggesting that Aya is what parents wanted in their children at that time as she did not go out and party with men but was more conservative, however she did want to be a doctor. Aya strives to do what she wants and does not let anything get in her way. This causes tension with her friends who are very different to her. However, out of all of the female characters in this graphic novel Aya demonstrate second wave feminism the most with her wanting to become a doctor.

Aya’s friends Adjoua and Bintou are very similar as they have a very similar goal in life.  As seen on page 18, they want to own at a dress shop paid by their husband. This suggests that they do not want to strive for a higher education, they would rather work but not have to worry about money as they will marry a rich man. These two girls unlike Aya do go out and party, results in Adjoua getting pregnant. These girls are flirtier and spend more time out. In society they are not expected to do much and throughout the novel they do not seen to do much apart from party and hang out with each other. Like any friendship they do not always get one but do look out for each other.

The male characters in Aya

Ignace – “Mamabou” Afro man – Moussa 

In Aya the male character are portrayed from two different sides. Similar to the women, but this time it is seen in the different generations. The older generation (the parents) act differently to the younger generation (the children and young adults).

The older generation seen in Ignace and the other fathers want their daughter to get married and believe that they should do what they say and show them respect. When they do not they will use violence as punishment as seen on page 25 and 26. They are also very concerned with the reputation and do not want bad things said about the family. This is seen on age 82 when Moussa’s father suggests that Moussa and Adjoua get married as she is pregnant. finally, the older generation also carries more about money and want their children, especially their daughter to marry into money, this is seen on page 22.

The younger generation seen in Mamabou (afro man) and Moussa do not care as much about money or reputation. They are more interested in having fun and not worrying about responsibility. They act with a lot of freedom and when confronted with responsibility they cannot handle it well. This can be seen on page 60 and 61. Though similar to young females the fathers do seem to care what they do and make them own up and be punished for what they do. This is shown on page 72. They interact with the other characters freely within the book and do not seem scared of anyone, execpt may their own fathers.

What do you think Abouet is saying about the comparative position of men and women in Post-colonial Ivory Coast?

Over all I think that Abouet was making a comparison between the men and women and their position in Post-colonial Ivory Coast as not even, with the women still being judged for what they do more than men, however based on the different ways that the men act the mind set seems to be changing with the new generation as they do not seen to care as much about money or reputation. The younger women also seem to want more (as seen in Aya), though some still are happy to depend on a man. All of this suggests that Abouet was making a comparison of not only the difference in men and women, but the difference in the different generations.