Scarlet Song: A Self-Fulfilled Interest

America’s thirty-second President and conqueror of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt, quoted, “Self-interest is the enemy of all true affection” (Roosevelt). When an individual makes decisions that involve the love and feelings of another person, it is important to refrain from taking for granted their affection just for one’s own personal benefits and interests. Scarlet Song tells the story of two young lovers who find true love for one another despite their religious and cultural differences, and fail to remain committed to maintaining their marriage. Ousmane Gueye, a Muslim from Senegal, and Mireille De La Valle, a white daughter of a French Diplomat, engage in an interracial marriage in which neither Ousmane’s nor Mireille’s parents approve. Once Mireille makes considerably large sacrifices to enter a foreign life, Ousmane begins to devalue their relationship and balance the marriage around only his needs and desires.

Initially digging into Ousmane’s family background will exhibit that he rebelled to create his own life and personal happiness. He was the son of Djibril Gueye, a truly devout Muslim married to his one wife, Yaye Khady. Subsequently viewing Ousmane’s manners and actions towards his first wife, Mireille, demonstrates Ousmane’s egotistical character. He does not act in response to the independence of his African background when he marries a second wife, Ouleymatou, but instead in a way to satisfy his cravings for more affection and superiority. Ousmane lives by his own interests because he retreats and follows the status he is granted as a man in Africa, and he surrenders to his temptations without first dedicating himself to his first wife and son.

Probing into Ousmane’s home setting, on...

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... relationship with Mireille after she makes substantial sacrifices to be his wife demonstrates Ousmane’s egocentric character. Ousmane is a man who takes action based on his personal interests and benefits because he lives by his culture and society’s definition of an African man, rather than his own values and roots. Also, Ousmane marries Ouleymatou without committing first to Mireille or respecting his family honors of rejecting polygamy. As Franklin D. Roosevelt quoted, “Self-interest is the enemy of all true affection” (Roosevelt), one can relate this to Ousmane in which his self-interests have deteriorated his values and love for Mireille.

Works Cited

Bâ, Mariama. Scarlet Song. Harlow, Essex, England: Longman, 1986. Print

Roosevelt, Franklin D. BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .