Pride in A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry Essay

In Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun a number of social issues are both explicitly and subtly exemplified through out the characters experiences and relationships. Living in a cramped Chicago apartment, the Youngers’ display both influential goals and conflicting restraints. Beneatha Youngers is a controversial character; she complicates society’s typical gender roles, introduces the wrestle between assimilation and ancestry of African-Americans, but specifically serves as a paradigm for her generation in the play.

She goes on dates with George but finds him boring and is offended that he finds her dreams of being a doctor stupid. She is a strong independent woman who is at the brink of being a full thrown feminist and is not at any time giving into the pressures of society to marry the richest man she can find. George is an African-American who shows no interest in his African roots, he does not like talking about Africa or talking to those who advocate it. George has completely assimilated into the American culture to gain the respect of the white people being one of the African-American families who cracked on the pressures of society assimilate. George’s wealth was not something that swayed Beneatha, his wealth sure could assist her in pursuing a medical career but she did not want to be tied by any boundaries. Asagai was different from George because he did not want to marry Beneatha to tie her down, he wants to marry her to set her free.

Hansberry communicates that assimilation is negative through her portrayal of assimilation and the beliefs of society as directly responsible for the deference of dreams. Society is responsible for instilling disillusion and defeat within the family to the point that Mama believes that “God didn't see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams.” The idea that because of their ethnicity, everything they want in life must remain an impossible fantasy. Assimilation has tied Mama to what she has been told is her harsh reality, that she can never own a house and a garden. Mama’s assimilation and dream deference do not only affect Mama’s life, but the lives of Beneatha and Walter as well because Mama’s submission to society’s constraints cause her to discourage her children in pursuing their dreams.

Nobody in the play is as influential on Beneatha as the people she dates. George is the first person she goes one a date with. He comes from a very wealthy African-American family he looks and dresses preppy. Her family loves him, but she is not serious about him. Beneatha says,”...I couldn’t ever

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun” written by Lorraine Hansberry, she is able to take us to place to see what it was like for an African American family to survive in the mid-twentieth century. The play details how the main characters are going through an evolving social and economic position, as well as the evolving gender roles. Hansberry uses the characterization of Beneatha, Ruth, and Walter in order to show the expectations and assigned gender roles for the characters in the story. In short, Beneatha is depicted as a woman who is challenging gender norms and expectations upheld by her family, whereas Ruth is seen as an example of a submissive housewife fulfilling her expected duties. Using “A Raisin in the Sun,” as well as “Marxists

Hansberry uses the character of George Murchison to emphasize the growing gap between middle and working class African Americans during the post-war period of suburbanization. Before George Murchison appears in the play, he is described by Beneatha Younger as “so shallow” (Hansberry 48). His family is “honest-to-God-real-live-rich colored people” (Hansberry 49) who are “more snobbish” (Hansberry 49) than their wealthy white counterparts. Even so, Beneatha admits to liking George, but not enough to “really be serious” (Hansberry 48) about a possible romantic relationship. Although never explicitly stated in the play, one can surmise that Beneatha

One way that Beneatha struggles with her identity is how she should wear her hair. When she is around George, her hair is straightened so it looks “normal” like the rest of the American society. George feels ashamed to be with Beneatha when her hair is not straightened whereas Asagai encourages Beneatha to embrace her culture and

The play demonstrates several examples that Beneatha is ashamed of her culture through her hair. In act two , Beneatha is criticized by Asagai “ And so to accommodate that - you mutilate it every week?”(II.ii.62). This being Bentha changes her hair to simulate between African or American society .In addition , she portrays many men and women that change their appearance to conform a group in society.

    One way Hansberry places in the play is the perfect timing between Beneatha’s boyfriends occurring. Hansberry has them show up at different times to butter Beneatha up with gifts and display their views of life and give their opinion on who Beneatha should be. Joseph represents the ideal back to the roots person and the Afrocentrism figure within the play. He gives Beneatha

Hansberry reveals the significance of Joseph Asagai who motivates Beneatha to learn awareness of her African roots. Asagai persistently expresses the worth of his culture to Beneatha through the African custom such as language, music, cloth, and hair. He calls Beneatha a nickname, Alaiyo, which means “One for Whom Bread—Food—Is Not Enough” in his Yoruba word (945). Asagai brings Beneatha gifts such as robes and records from his country; he teaches her how to drape the Nigerian wardrobe that is from his sister. The records

Afro and Clothes that Beneatha has represents her proudness as being an african american. House Plant represents Mama’s American Dream and growth of her family. Eggs are used for Walter to be enlightened, realizing how harsh real life is and how fragile he is. Beneatha’s dream is to become a doctor, which is a job that was typically hard for women to become during the 1950s, a time where prejudice and discrimination were implanted in majority of people’s mind.

When confronted about marrying George Murchison, a rich man that Beneatha is going out with, she says, “Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet—if I ever get married…Oh I probably will…but first I’m going to be a doctor...I am going to be a doctor and everybody around here better understand that!” (Hansberry 50). Beneatha dismisses the worries of her mother and sister-in-law, stating that she is much more concerned with getting through school and establishing her future. When Beneatha says, “if I ever get married,” it is a very startling and controversial statement for a woman of her time to make (Hansberry 50). Instead of accepting her role in patriarchal society, Beneatha focuses more so on achieving her individual dreams. Beneatha insists that she will achieve her dreams, and urges her family to accept this. Additionally, as an intelligent and focused student, Beneatha is aware of her potential. Thus, she is growingly frustrated with the misogyny that she faces daily. Hansberry employs the phrase, “everybody around here better understand that!” to demonstrate how the constant discrimination that Beneatha faces

Continuing to fight the societal norms and her traditional family, Beneatha makes many choices her family considers as radical. She decides to grow into her heritage by changing her straight, “mutilated hair” into a more traditional, natural afro (Hansberry 1789); this symbol works into the movement of the time that Black is Beautiful. She also dances around in traditional African clothing, becoming more aware and prideful of her own sense of culture. Beneatha also shocks her family by being disconcerted with the idea of marriage, even after Asagai asked her to “marry him today and go to Africa” (Hansberry 1824). Once again,

Beneatha is a woman a little younger than Walter. She has a feud with mama about how she likes to try a lot of things, because she wants to learn how to express herself in many different ways to see which way is right for her. She is more educated than the rest of the people in her family, so she is pretty smart. She wants to become a doctor because she once saw a kids face get split open, and a

challenging in a white man’s neighborhood. Beneatha has been heavily considering to move to Africa with Jospeh Asagai. The scene starts with Ruth and Walter quietly talking in the kitchen. Mama is in her room and Travis is outside playing. Beneatha will soon disrupt the silence as she opens and comes through the front door.