What Does Beneatha Symbolize In A Raisin In The Sun

Every individual symbol has its own unique and distinct traits that have its resemblance to different aspects of life. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin In The Sun, many symbols and themes were introduced which held a significant meaning and value to the play. One key symbol that was significant in this play was Beneatha’s hair, which represented many aspects of the Youngers day to day life, especially of Beneatha’s whose character trait and personality developed alongside this symbol throughout the play.

One way Beneatha’s hair represents Beneatha in this play is how it contains aspects such as assimilation and change, which correspond to Beneatha’s personality in the beginning of the book very well. The scene that represents this begins with the Youngers cleaning their apartment and doing

Mama is shocked and doesn’t want anyone to enter their apartment when it was such a mess, but Beneatha reassures her and just says it’s her African Friend. Asagai then enters, a very traditional and idealistic person, and hands her a few gifts. They have many very meaningful conversations and soon lead up to Beneatha's hair and how she has it straightened because she thinks it’s a mess, Asagai then says, “And so to accommodate that – you mutiate it every week?(I.ii.62). Asagai here tries to convey his message of being comfortable with what you have and not have the urge to assimilate, something Beneatha does to fit in with society better. Her hair can represent this lack of self esteem Beneatha carries and shows her desire of wanting to be like everyone else, during the beginning of the play. This is an important building block for the plot of the play and will eventually show changes in the significance of Beneatha’s hair. However further into the play we see a change in the meaning of Beneatha’s hair and see it hold a significance of being proud about our background and heritage, further showing Hansberry’s motive of showing