ipl-logo

Lena Younger Identity

809 Words4 Pages

People all have their own individual idea on wealth. To an extent, society paints a picture for everyone to work in order for them to gain wealth as a means to live a more comfortable lifestyle. While most people want material luxury, being wealthy goes much deeper than that for many people, as they have different motives as to why they want to be wealthy, whether they want to be seen as successful or are seeking out their identity. This idea is brought up in Lorraine Hansberry’s story A Raisin in the Sun, which later had a film adaptation released in 1961. The story revolved around an African American family living together in an apartment in Chicago with different attitudes towards money. Lena Younger is a mammie figure in A Raisin in the Sun, but Hansberry digs deeper and creates a character that goes beyond the typical mammie stereotype, as she is depicted as a dignified, Christian woman. Upon her arrival, she becomes head of the household. She worked her whole life as a domestic taking care of houses and children. In …show more content…

Her values regarding success are different from how she sees her identity, as she is more of the free spirit of the family in search of her identity. Beneatha does not share the same Christian values as Lena and the rest of her family and also want to look into her African roots. Early on in Hansberry’s story, it’s seen that Beneatha is always discovering new expensive hobbies, which include photography and horseback riding. Wealth is a means for Beneatha to discover who she is. Beneatha also wants to rely on money to help her succeed in society. Wanting to become a doctor, Beneatha is going through med school with the financial help of her family. Similar to how Walter wanted a sum of his father’s insurance check to invest in a liquor store, she wanted money from the check to pay for her success. Unlike the rest of her family, Beneatha wants money to benefit

Show More
Related
700 Words | 3 Pages

Beneatha’s money too?” (29) after she finds out he just blew all of the money. This quote emphasises the discomfort and pure shock and disappointment of Mama at losing all of the money. Mama also cries in the play, "You mean your sister 's school money, you used that too?" (29) revealing her discomfort and despair in this quote shows just how upset that she is that Walter has gone and blown all of Beneatha’s money that was going to be her future on his little gamble.

Read More
587 Words | 3 Pages

She was not like other young women that would be housewives or maids at her age but instead is independent. Looking after herself and making more of a life for herself, she attends school, tries to play guitar, and looks for a love interest. This breaks the stereotype of a “normal” woman who is a housewife or maid and shows Beneatha is different. Therefore, Beneatha overcomes this criticism of her “unnatural ways”, and proceeds to make her life successful.

Read More
878 Words | 4 Pages

, But are consistently being differed. Lena Younger, otherwise known as, “Mama” is Walter and Beneatha’s mother and the head of the household. With her deceased husbands ten thousand dollar insurance check Lena bought a three thousand-dollar house with a garden where her family would be happy and hopes to save the rest of the money for Beneatha’s medical school. Lena’s dream, “ Festers like a sore” and is the only dream that somewhat comes true.

Read More
934 Words | 4 Pages

Beneatha 's dream is to go to college and become a doctor. She wants to prove her family´s disbeliefs of her becoming a doctor wrong. Yet she feels defeated after her brother, Walter, goes out and gives away all of her college money to some man that ends up disappearing with the money. She faces challenges financially and faces backlash from her family.

Read More
1686 Words | 7 Pages

In this way she expresses herself, but would never have done so without the provocation of Asagai. He also rebukes her need for her father’s insurance money to continue her education. He shows her that her dream of attending medical school is still going to be fulfilled without the insurance money, as it was never promised to her before she conjured up that dream. Advocating for Beneatha to finish her educational journey to become a doctor is another way he develops her confidence and wants her to become all she can be. Asagai believes she is the epitome the New World can offer: an educated, stubborn, beautiful black woman who owns her own heart and constantly betters her mind.

Read More
699 Words | 3 Pages

Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor, is often affected by some of her family members’ decisions. She begins to lose hope, thus enabling her to become a realist.

Read More
941 Words | 4 Pages

George’s negative outlook is something that he received from his upbringing. When George puts down Beneatha’s interests and tells her that thinking is not required of her, he simultaneously shows that he is unhealthy in his relationship with Beneatha and that his unhealthiness comes from his upbringing. The unhealthiness comes from his upbringing because George, taught as a higher class, learned that it wasn’t necessary for his happiness, therefore he thinks that Beneatha does not need it

Read More
910 Words | 4 Pages

She puts a lot of effort and time in trying to get an education for herself and learn how to be her own person. Beneatha does not want to be with George because she feels that she will not be able to fulfill her dream of being a doctor. For example, “But if the Younger’s are sitting around waiting to see if their little Bennie is going to tie up the family with the Murchisons, they are wasting their time” (Hansberry31).Beneatha wants to be a hardworking woman and this connects to the American Dream because hard work is a big component of achieving what you want. Also, she does not want George Murchison stopping her from being a hard-working woman. She does everything by herself and puts her hard work into everything she does.

Read More
702 Words | 3 Pages

She is also upset because Walter is giving in to racial tension and calling Mr. Lindner back to negotiate taking money in exchange for not moving into the white neighborhood. Lena immediately snaps back and calls out Beneatha for not learning to care for her brother. In this scene Lena’s maternal instinct really shines through. Even though she is disappointed in Walters foolishness and lack of pride, she knows that Walter is at his lowest point and that persecution and ridicule will not help the situation in any way. She also understands that his pursuit of money wasn't for self interest but to make things better for the whole family.

Read More
795 Words | 4 Pages

Raisin in the Sun Book Report     Being in close relations with family member definitely has its ups and downs. There is nothing easy about being in a close relationship with family, but to many family is the most important relationship in their lives. In the story “A Raisin in the Sun” there are many great examples of importance in family relationship just from the way they treat each other and the conversations they have. In the story, Lena Younger, Ruth Younger and Walter Younger all make it very obvious how important family relationships are. Lena Younger (Mama) is the head of the family.

Read More
793 Words | 4 Pages

Trusting Walter, her son, she mistakenly gave him the money. Mama specifically told Walter to put away some money away for Beneatha Walter's sister. Like Walter Beneatha has big dreams. She wants to go to medical school

Read More
816 Words | 4 Pages

She defies the ideal life for a woman and expresses her opinion loud and clear. Beneatha throughout the play finds herself and her African American roots. Walter does not approve of Beneatha’s hopes to become a doctor he tells her, “If you so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people---then go be a nurse like other women---or just get married and be quiet. . .” (1.1.125) These social issues that the characters faced in their lives made them out to be the people that they were meant to be.

Read More
1502 Words | 7 Pages

Beneatha dreams to be a doctor, which is a male-dominated profession. She says, “I am going to be a doctor and everybody around here better understand that!” (Hansberry 33). This shows her feminist attitude in the play when Beneatha takes a largely optimistic stance when facing troubles of entering a male-dominated profession, implying that she is a ‘non-conformist’. Additionally, Beneatha refuses to “just get married and be quiet” (Hansberry 22), as her chauvinistic brother, Walter Lee, expects her to be.

Read More
779 Words | 4 Pages

His sister, Beneatha, wants to become a doctor and Walter isn't very supportive of her decision. Walter's wife, Ruth, is the recipient of the majority of Walter's anger and sexist remarks. In Act 1 Scene 1, the audience learns that Beneatha, a colored woman, wants to become a doctor and attends medical school. Beneatha and Walter begin to banter with each other about Mama’s money.

Read More
825 Words | 4 Pages

In Act 1, Beneatha’s quest to find her personal identity is seen in the way she expresses herself, her ambitions, her roots and the way she deviates from what is acceptable in her family. She tries to find ways to express herself such as trying different hobbies. In the past, Beneatha has been a part of a play-acting group, horseback-riding club, and in Act 1 starts guitar lessons (47). She also has the ambition to become a doctor which is looked down upon by her brother, Walter Lee (38). Additionally, her African roots are important to her search for identity.

Read More

More about Lena Younger Identity

Related Topics

Open Document