The Character Beneatha In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

In Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play Raisin in the Sun, the character Beneatha defies the social mores of Chicago in the 1950s by being educated, progressive, and independent, in a society where women most often remained uneducated domestics. Due mostly to her college education and need to express herself, Beneatha defied the norm of what it meant to be an African American woman. Beneatha was pursuing her dreams of becoming a doctor, although we are meant to understand that this is in disregard to the contemporary values that exist, when her brother Walter Lee states, “Who the hell you you had to be a doctor? … go be a nurse like other woman-or just get married and be quiet” (Hansberry 38). This suggests that woman during this time, mostly weren’t
One major consequence of Beneatha being more educated, progressive and independent than her contemporaries is that she constantly feels the need to be defensive and serious about how she identifies herself.. For instance, when Asagai, a Nigerian student who Beneatha is friends with, simply questions Beneatha on why she mutilates her hair, she responds defensively, “It’s not mutilation (62)!”, and goes so far as to cut her hair off and wear it naturally “To become the queen of the Nile (Hansberry 67).” We can infer that this was not a well thought out decision she independently thought of, but done so that she can defend her identity as an African American woman with African roots. Finally, a major consequence Beneatha faces is not having her or her identity being taken seriously by the people that are closest to her, because she defies the norm. This is apparent when George states to Beneatha, “I want you to cut it out. You’re a nice looking girl … all over. That’s all you need honey, forget the atmosphere.” This is also glaringly apparent, when Walter Lee loses Beneatha’s school money. Whether or not it was Walter’s intention to lose Beneatha’s money, he gambled and took a major risk with the money that was take her through school. It shows that he was willing to gamble his sister’s future, where we can further
She is always striving to find her African roots, yet it is not something that she decided to pursue but began to change her identity when she was influenced by Asagai. When she ranted against assimilationism, returned her hair to it’s natural state, and decides that it will be best to be married and be a doctor in Africa, these were all aspects and ideas introduced to her by Asagai. This is not independence or liberation, even though these are new and progressive ways to live as an African American women. For Beneatha to have been truly liberated, she must have found these ideals within herself. Because who is to say she will want all these things for herself in the