A Raisin in the Sun Rationale for Literary Element Project
Beneatha’s Robes: A Feminist Lens Approach to Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun
Thesis: Women of colour are prevented from expressing her own identity due to the societal expectations of womanhood.
Rationale:
I chose Beneatha’s robes (the ones Asagai gave to her) to show that stereotypically pink dresses are considered “feminine”. On the robes has a grape vine pattern to express how connected yet different the characters’ viewpoint are. I picked out these 7 quotes to put into my literary element project because they regarded the discussion between the main characters of gender roles and societal expectations of womanhood in the late 50’s:
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P.32
Walter: (Rising and coming to her and standing over her) You tired, ain’t you? Tired of everything. Me, the boy, the way we live — this beat-up hole — everything. Ain’t you? […] You couldn’t be on my side that long for nothing, could you? […] A man needs for a woman to back him up… […] that just goes to show you what women understand about the world.
The quote above shows how the family are affected by gender roles. Male to female relationships have two roles: men taking on the dominant role and female being the submissive role in the family. Walter rises to stand over Ruth foreshadows what society has taught men: to act as though one is “above” his wife. He willingly uses the power men have over female at anytime throughout the play, as to a contributing topic of oppression.
P.38
Walter: Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? 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…
This quote shows that Walter is uncomfortable with a younger woman achieving a higher level of education than himself as he did not take his sister’s dreams seriously. Walter represents the men in the late 50’s that belittled the dreams of women. He argues that Beneatha’s future is decided by him and he disgraced his sister for not being womanly enough as opposed to her feministic attitude if having a male dream job, and “like other women” strongly implies that women are fit for the supporting role in the family. The reoccurring idea the men have is Beneatha can’t become a doctor because of her gender, instead she should stick with the social norms and find a man to marry to reach her fullness like “other women”. Additionally, the sexist comment “or just get married and be quiet” further proves Walter’s old-fashioned idea of women should be “seen and not hear” in the male-dominated society.
P.49 and 50
Lena: What is it you want to express?
Beneatha: Me! Don’t worry — I don’t expect you to understand.
Ruth: You ask me, this child ain’t sweet on nobody but herself — (underbreath) Express herself!
Beneatha: … but first I’m going to be a doctor, and George, for one, still thinks that’s pretty funny. I couldn’t be bothered with that. I am going to be a doctor and everyone around here better understand that!
As a feminist trying to figure herself out, Beneatha wants to make her life challenging gender stereotypes. Mama and Ruth teases Beneatha while she claims to trying to “express” herself, an idea at which Ruth and Mama have a laugh. Then, the next person they discuss is George Murchison who Beneatha thinks is “shallow” and saying that her wanting to become a doctor is “pretty funny”. Beneatha, unlike the women in her family, desires to pursue her independent rising career without wanting to rely solely on a man. “I couldn’t be bothered by that”, her attitude towards George shows that she is the least traditional, and no one understands her because she is the youngest and the most ambitious of the trio.
P.59
Lena Younger: (Immediately suspicious) “She” — what doctor you went to?
Following on the subject of female doctors, by just mentioning the doctor Ruth went to see as a “she” triggers Lena that the doctor could be unlicensed. The advice drew Ruth to believe that abortion of her baby was a solution to the unwanted pregnancy. However, the idea of being a woman and being a black at the time held back a lot of choices and decision-making of a mother. This further extends the fact that Mama’s understanding of Ruth‘s attitude toward abortion when it was illegal during the time. The motherly actions of Mama were selfless and self-sacrificing in this scene when empathized strongly with Ruth as she takes on the problem of the undecided future of her grandchild as her own.
P.63
Beneatha: You see! You never understood that there is more than one kind of feeling which can exist between a man and woman — or, at least, there should be.
Asagai: No Between a man and a woman there need by only one kind of feeling. I have that for you… Now even… right this moment…
Beneatha: I know — and by itself — it won’t do. I can find that anywhere.
Asagai: For a woman it should be enough.
In this scene, the last line “For a woman it should be enough”embarks the idea of Joseph Asagai that love should be enough for all women, yet Beneatha argues “and by itself— it won’t do” builds up her determination to fulfill the idea that women needs more than love. Furthermore, women should be able to find herself as an individual and not be defined as the support of the man she marries.
P.96
George: 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 see. Be glad for that. […] Because this is stupid! I don’t go out with you to discuss the nature of “quiet desperation” or to hear all about your thoughts — because the world will go on thinking what it thinks regardless —
This character, Murchison, is a symbol of the population of the people of colour who absorbed themselves into the American culture. The excerpt follows onto the toxic interaction between Beneatha and George, who wants Beneatha to change herself in order to accommodate men. What Beneatha finds as ignominy is hearing of George’s “You’re a nice-looking girl […] That’s all you need, honey” comment, which also represents what men expect their idealistic women to be as superficial. George doesn’t want Beneatha’s personality to get in the way, he only wants her to compliment his manliness and uplift his self-esteem. Throughout the play, both the women and the men are fighting for the idea and behaviors within their gender roles. This passage reveals how the unbalanced society of the 20th century brainwashes the minds of males to preferring a simple girl who obeys orders given by men to using their power to eliminate women, such as Beneatha, who fears of being controlled by men.
P.133
Asagai: You with all your talk and dreams about Africa! You still think you can patch up the world. Cure the Great Sore of Colonialism — (Loftily, mocking it) with the Penicillin of Independence — !
Beneatha: Yes!
Asagai: Independence and then what? […] Then isn’t there something wrong in a house — in a world where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?
The relationship of Joseph Asagai with Beneatha represents the undying connection Beneatha has to her heritage. “You still think you can patch up the world”, Asagai mocks Beneatha for thinking a woman like her could achieve something so great and attainable only by men. Asagai suggests to Beneatha that if liberated individuals consider themselves to be free and independent, then the world would not have any more problems. However, Beneatha’s point of view transcend that it is easier for men than women to admit of having enough freedom. The encounter between the two men challenged the efforts Beneatha’s made to discover herself as an independent woman to forcing her into traditional views on gender roles that undermines Beneatha’s personal potentials of becoming a doctor.
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