Safiya
Safiya is the central character in How to Say Babylon. Safiya is a curious and courageous girl who wants to challenge the societal order that oppresses women and denies them their rights. In the Rastafarian culture, women are not expected to disobey men because that is considered impurity. For a woman to be pure, she must wear long dresses, avoid wearing pants and always obey men.
Safiya reads many books to learn about women's empowerment and freedom. After Safiya understands her rights, she develops a voice and courage to demand her rights. Safiya’s rebelliousness puts her at a crossroads with her patriarchal father. Nonetheless, Safiya remains focused on pushing for equal rights, and she encourages other women to embrace Western culture that empowers them to do whatever they wish.
Safiya’s mother
Safiya's mother is a submissive and obedient ancient woman. Safiya's mother follows everything her husband asks her to do. However, she suffers a lot because her husband is oppressive. After all, he denies her the freedom to do whatever she wishes. In addition, Safiya's mother does not say anything that annoys her husband, and she has no freedom to express her feelings. Interestingly, Safiya's mother knows his daughters can make a difference and gifts them various books to read. The books enlighten the daughters, who grow up knowing what they want.
Safiya’s father
Safiya’s father is a patriarchal man who believes that women must obey men to be considered pure. The father has set rules in the house that require all females to wear long dresses that cover their legs and arms. The father also commands the females in his household not to wear pants. The author describes Safiya's father as oppressive and violent because he does not want any woman to challenge him. Safiya's father represents many men in the Rastafarian culture who mistreat women and deny them the chance to express their feelings freely. When Safiya becomes rebellious, her father becomes extremely violent and angry with her.
