Beneatha Younger
Character analysis.
Joseph Asagai, Beneatha's Nigerian boyfriend, calls her "Alaiyo," which means something like "One for Whom Bread – Food – is Not Enough." Beneatha is very touched by this, because it shows that he really understands her. She wants more than to just get by; she wants to find ways to truly express herself. The other Youngers tease her about her journey of self-expression, but Beneatha remains determined to broaden her mind
Unlike the rest of her family, Beneatha looks beyond her immediate situation in an effort to understand herself as a member of a greater whole. As she becomes more educated, it becomes increasingly hard for Beneatha to relate to the rest of her family. Sometimes she can be a bit condescending and seems to forget that her family members (especially her mother) all work very hard to help put her through school. However, this character flaw only serves to make her seem all the more understandable and human. Ultimately, Beneatha is a kind and generous person, who seeks to become a doctor out of a desire to help people.
Beneatha's college education has helped to make her progressive, independent, and a total feminist. She brings politics into the apartment and is constantly talking about issues of civil rights. Over the course of the play we see her wrestle with her identity as an African-American woman. Asagai criticizes her, saying that she's "assimilated," meaning that she tries to hide her African-ness by acting white. He uses her hair as an example. Asagai can't understand why she and most other black women in America straighten their hair instead of leaving it naturally curly.
Asagai urges Beneatha to embrace her African roots. Over the course of the play we see her explore her identity, when she takes a cue from Asagai and lets her hair go natural. She also tries on the Nigerian robes he brings her and dances around to African music. Although Beneatha's family has been in America for several generations, and Beneatha has never been to Africa, Asagai insists that once in Africa, she will feel as though she has been away for only one day. Historically, this attitude gained some popularity among black Americans as they felt that no matter how long they had been in America, they could never truly call it home.
On the total other end of the assimilation debate is Beneatha's other (rich) boyfriend George. He's a black American as well, but sees absolutely no reason to honor their African heritage. George sees himself as an American first and foremost and thinks that blacks who spend a lot of time worrying about Africa are wasting their time. Unsurprisingly, Beneatha seems to not be into George at all by the end of the play. When we leave Beneatha at the play's conclusion, she is even considering marrying Asagai and practicing medicine in Africa. We never get to find out what ultimately happens to Beneatha, but we here at Shmoop hope somehow she finds that thing she's looking for.
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A Raisin in The Sun
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Beneatha's Personality in 'A Raisin in The Sun'
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Published: Apr 29, 2022
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Beneatha’s Dream Analysis From “A Raisin in the Sun” Essay
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Beneatha lives in a society where women are expected to be mothers and wives rather than active agents of their own lives. However, as levelheaded as she is, she still has a dream of her own. Wishing to become a doctor, Beneatha works hard toward fulfilling her dream, which makes her a more relatable character.
Beneatha’s dream is quite evident from the start of the novel. For instance, when arguing with Walter and her Mother Beneatha clearly states that she wants “to be a doctor” (Hansberry 35). Moreover, Beneatha makes it very clear that she sets this goal to escape poverty.
Beneatha’s dream could seem as unusual given the time in which she was born and raised. Indeed, in the 1950s, the feminist movement was only starting in the U.S. However, despite the pushback, Beneatha is confident in her position. She insists on becoming a healthcare worker even though it might run her relationships with her family.
In fact, to become a healthcare employee, Beneatha must overcome a lot of obstacles. For example, she needs to deal with the objections of her family: “Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts” (Hansberry 75). However, Beneatha does not give up and continues to look for opportunities.
To overcome the obstacles, Beneatha makes a lot of effort. In addition, she has to give up important relationships, such as her relationships with her family, to build a career. She wonders how something that comes naturally be seen as eccentric (Hansberry 75). This idea helps her move forward and finally achieve her dream.
Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor defines the character’s main decisions, making her more vulnerable and relatable. At first glance, Beneatha might seem as arrogant, which hardly makes her a protagonist, let along the leading character. However, as she shows her willingness to achieve her dream at all costs, she appears to be more humane.
Works Cited
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun . Vintage, 2004.
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1. IvyPanda . "Beneatha’s Dream Analysis From “A Raisin in the Sun”." October 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/beneathas-dream-analysis-from-a-raisin-in-the-sun/.
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IvyPanda . "Beneatha’s Dream Analysis From “A Raisin in the Sun”." October 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/beneathas-dream-analysis-from-a-raisin-in-the-sun/.
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Get everything you need to know about Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun. Analysis, related quotes, timeline.
Character Analysis Beneatha Younger Because Beneatha is the most educated of the Youngers, she sometimes seems to be obnoxious and self-centered; especially in the early scenes, she freely verbalizes her views in a household that has difficulty understanding her perspectives. She favors her African suitor over her rich boyfriend, much to the puzzlement of her family.
Character Analysis. Joseph Asagai, Beneatha's Nigerian boyfriend, calls her "Alaiyo," which means something like "One for Whom Bread - Food - is Not Enough." Beneatha is very touched by this, because it shows that he really understands her. She wants more than to just get by; she wants to find ways to truly express herself.
Summary: Beneatha is an ambitious and progressive character in "A Raisin in the Sun." She is determined to become a doctor and challenges traditional gender roles and cultural expectations. Her ...
Open Document. Character Analysis " A Raisin in the Sun" is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry about the life of an African American family during the era of segregation. The play starts off with the Younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from Mr. Younger's insurance policy. The family argues over what they are going to do with it.
Nicknamed "Bennie," Beneatha is Mama's daughter and Walter Lee's younger sister. A twenty-year-old college student with dreams of becoming a doctor, Beneatha is "as slim and intense as her brother," with an "intellectual face.". Beneatha… read analysis of Beneatha Younger.
Study guide for A Raisin in The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, with plot summary, character analysis, and literary analysis.
Analysis. The concept of dreams is a focal point throughout A Raisin in the Sun, with Hansberry using the title to allude to "Harlem," a 1951 Langston Hughes poem that poses the question: what ...
In Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun", Beneatha Younger is a symbol for hope as she doesn't allow the systematic racism and oppression present during the 1950s to affect her hunger for knowledge and status. By challenging what's expected of her and questioning the traditional sex roles characters are prone of playing in to, she signifies the mark of a new area that promotoes ...
A Raisin In The Sun Beneatha Character Analysis. In the novel, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry illustrates Beneatha's curious and non mainstream personality through the use of indirect characterization. Initially, in act one, Beneatha is confronted by Ruth and Mama, who aren't happy that Beneatha jumps from one activity to another, they ...
In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, one of the featured characters is outgoing and ambitious Beneatha Younger, sister of Walter and daughter of Mama. Beneatha, commonly referred to as Bennie by her family, is an aspiring doctor and currently in medical school.
In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Beneatha Younger defies hair standards established by American society and becomes her own advocate for discovering her identity as an African American by embracing her natural hair, which creates for herself a sense of empowerment and self-love. Asagai expresses that he sees Beneatha as a "queen ...
Wishing to become a doctor, Beneatha works hard toward fulfilling her dream, which makes her a more relatable character. Analysis of Beneatha's dream from "A Raisin in the Sun".
Mama and Beneatha operate as foils in the play. Hansberry uses the characters to compare and contrast the difference in values between Mama's generation and Beneatha's.
Detailed analysis of Characters in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. Learn all about how the characters in A Raisin in the Sun such as Walter and Mama contribute to the story and how they fit into the plot.
Character Analysis Joseph Asagai An African student, Joseph Asagai courts the attentions of Beneatha. In trying to win her affections, he is persistent but never overbearing.
A Raisin in the sun A Raisin in the sun, is a great movie, which was talking about a story happened in the Youngers family which was a poor African-American family. One day, the family encountered a chance to get rid of poverty, because the matriarch of the Youngers received a $10,000 life insurance check, which was due to her husband's death ...
Need help with Act 1, Scene 1 in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun? Check out our revolutionary side-by-side summary and analysis.
Summary: Beneatha's names in A Raisin in the Sun reflect her identity and aspirations. Her given name, Beneatha, suggests a desire to rise above societal expectations, while the nickname "Bennie ...
Name Instructor Course code Date In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, the characters are indulged in an external conflict. As the play opens, the Youngers family is about to receive insurance money after the death of the head of the family. In addition to the conflict over the use of money, the whole family suffers as they face a conflict with a society.