▁especially ▁the ▁French , ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁country ▁after ▁they ▁received ▁independence . ▁ ▁When ▁Hou ph ou ë t - Bo igny ▁took ▁the ▁presiden cy , ▁the ▁country ▁experienced ▁an ▁economic ▁bo om , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" I vor ian ▁mi racle ". ▁This ▁bo om ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁middle ▁class . ▁With ▁this ▁rise ▁in ▁wealth ▁for ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁many ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁send ▁their ▁children ▁to ▁school , ▁especially ▁pe as ants . ▁A ▁peak ▁in ▁the ▁primary - school ▁en roll ment ▁rates , ▁at ▁ 9 . 1 % ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁reflect s ▁this ▁change . ▁Education , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁social ▁influ ences , ▁made ▁many , ▁mostly ▁women , ▁aware ▁of ▁their ▁rights . ▁This ▁began ▁to ▁mix ▁African ▁ide als ▁with ▁European ▁ide als . ▁Women ▁began ▁fighting ▁back ▁against ▁legisl ation ▁which ▁was ▁aim ed ▁at ▁sexual ▁inequality ▁and ▁often ▁succeeded ▁in ▁doing ▁so . ▁As ▁many ▁women ▁became ▁educated , ▁they ▁received ▁more ▁and ▁more ▁power ▁when ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁relationships , ▁especially ▁mar ri ages . ▁Another ▁example ▁of ▁the ▁combination ▁of ▁cult ures ▁is ▁language . ▁Through out ▁the ▁country ▁there ▁are ▁many ▁local ▁languages , ▁but ▁the ▁official ▁language ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁is ▁French . ▁Again , ▁these ▁influ ences ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁throughout ▁the ▁novel , ▁especially ▁through ▁the ▁female ▁characters . ▁ ▁Major ▁them es ▁Ad van cement