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What Is Raisin In The Sun Mama's Relationship With Beneatha

678 Words3 Pages

In her play Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry depicts the intellectual and charming Asagai as a better suitor for Beneatha as compared to the wealthy assimilationist George, thus suggesting that money is not as important as having a healthy relationship, which can influence self identity. After the chaos with Ruth fainting, Asagai calls Beneatha and tells her he just got back from Africa, prompting her to invite him over. Mama claims that the house is too messy to have guests, but Beneatha argues, “‘Asagai doesn’t care how houses look, Mama- he’s an intellectual’” (56). Beneatha refers to the African student, Asagai, as an “intellectual” because of his broad passion and love of learning. She also calls him an “intellectual” because of how she sees him, as not only a prospective suitor but as someone with whom she can discuss her heritage and Africa. …show more content…

Lorraine Hansberry uses the charming and personable Asagai, who sees things as they are, to contrast the college degree-obsessed, wealth-focused George, who has distinctively different views on education and his relationship with Beneatha. A few weeks later, George and Beneatha return home to Mama’s after a night out. George interrupts Beneatha’s talking in an attempt to kiss her, which sets her off in annoyance, unable to finish her thought. George, in frustration, says to Beneatha “‘...I want you to cut it out, see—The moody stuff, I mean. I don’t like it. You’re a nice-looking girl ... all over. That’s all you need, honey, forget the atmosphere. Guys aren’t going to go for the atmosphere—they’re going to go for what they

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Mama’s plant in A Raison in the Sun, represents hope; hope for their future of having a house and a garden in the back. Mama is able to tend this dream plant and keep it alive even with the harsh atmosphere. When mama feels Walter and Beneatha are losing touch with her, she portrays her feelings through the dream plant, "Lord, if this little old plant don't get more sun than it's been getting, it ain't never going to see spring again" (40). This shows Mama truly believes that if Walter and Beneatha keep acting the way they do, they will not only ruin mama’s dream but also fail to initiate Big Walter’s legacy. Another piece of evidence that proves this, is when Ruth and Mama were talking about the now run-down house her and Big Walter used to

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During the 1950s in Chicago blacks were in poverty. The city was filled with discrimination, racism and segregation. The Younger family was a black family living in a one bedroom apartment in Chicago at the time. They had big dreams but lack of money. In the play, A raisin in the sun, Lorraine Hansberry created the central idea of “feeling trapped” in the character Mama through the setting, symbolism, and figurative language.

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A Raisin in the Sun is an inspirational book/play that tells the overcoming story of an African-American family Going through the terrible struggles of Chicago in the 1950’s. Greg Kincaid once said “No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That's the only way to keep the roads clear.”. This explains Beneatha younger, a young woman who tries to find herself while dealing with others scrutinizing and being treated like a child in her family. In conclusion, Beneatha younger is an overpowering character that is shaping her life through independence, an education, and growing closer to her

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614 Words | 3 Pages

Asagai mentions that he cannot take women seriously; George thinks it's funny that a woman wants to be a doctor. The only reason George likes Beneatha is because of her beauty. While Beneatha is with George, she is not allowed to express her feelings to him without being made fun

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968 Words | 4 Pages

Hansberry effectively portrays the difficulties of her time in such a way that they still are very relatable and relevant to us today. From Beneatha’s struggles to find an identity she can fit, to Walter’s deferred and redone dreams, Hansberry portrays relatable conflicts and situations with great accuracy, even to this day. It’s hard to believe that this play was written during the 1950s when it is still relevant to our society almost 60 years ago. Every character in this play has something to offer that we can relate to, and that also makes this play much more interesting; every character’s personality and dreams can be easily represented by anyone in today’s society, and that truly is

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In the play Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry takes place on the southside of Chicago where Walter and his family are racially profiled and show us how the survive throughout their struggles. The central struggles for the younger family in their search for the American dream is mostly poverty and being racially profiled against for their actions. Hansberry challenges the traditional gender roles and issues of dominance throughout the play when Mama gives Walter lee the rest of the money at the end of the play. He becomes all excited and was supposed to save some for himself and put the rest of the money to Beneatha 's education. Instead, he gave all that money to Willy another character in the play which later on that he stole from him.

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941 Words | 4 Pages

Where Beneatha enjoys her independent thought, George tells her that there is no need for it. George tells Beneatha that, “You read books... to get a degree. That’s all- it has nothing to do with thoughts” (75). George’s negative outlook on school, something that Beneatha is very interested in, shows signs of unhealthy relationships.

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Beneatha’s Dream People have dreams to do or be what makes them happy by setting goals to reach their dream. Dreams are almost like goals that people create in their mind to try to motivate them self to achieve their dream. The American Dream is the idea that everyone who is a U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to be successful and benefit through their hard-work, determination, and initiative. In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Beneatha Younger’s dream is to become a doctor and build a career/life for herself without anyone providing for her which connects to the American Dream through her independence, hard-work, and determination.

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It is also important to remember that “A Raisin in the Sun” is a play, the line “There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing” can also be interpreted as a direct address to the audience who at the time of this piece would have been predominantly white. Lena could have been seen as a voice advocating for social acceptance of black

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963 Words | 4 Pages

Family is important to everyone in some way because family sticks together no matter what. The play A Raisin in the Sun is about a black family named the Youngers and the hardships they face together as a family. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Ruth Younger is motivated by her family. This is shown by Ruth wanting to make her family happy, her working even though she is tired, and later when Ruth finds out there is going to be another mouth to feed. Ruth Younger is constantly worrying about her family’s well being and happiness for them.

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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.

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833 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout the 1950s, people of color have struggled with achieving their dreams due to the lack of equality that is portrayed in that specific time era. It has been a constant battle for equality for all races and genders over the course of time. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin In the Sun the character Beneatha struggles with her racial inequality, education, and gender stereotyping. These specific struggles are the blocks she deals with trying to achieve her dream.

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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.

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1502 Words | 7 Pages

This is depicted by the Beneatha’s sarcastic retort to Walter: “Forgive me for ever wanting anything at all!” (Hansberry 21), when they quarrel about Beneatha’s high ambitions and unruly independence she gained through education. This illustrates her

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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.

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