In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry reflects on the social changes that were occurring for blacks in America, while including her own experiences with racial issues in the play. Hansberry creates a fictional family, named the Youngers, that represents the typical black-American family living in Southside Chicago in 1954. The Youngers endure many challenges that test their relationships, identities, and beliefs, but overcome their adversities when they come together as a family. Ironically, separate but equal laws nurtured an environment for segregation and ingrained racism. The affirmative action policy was an attempt to eradicate discrimination on a basis of a person’s race, ethnicity, language, sex, religion, disability, sexual
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Beneatha says “do me a favor and don 't ask him a whole lot of ignorant questions about Africans” and Mama replies “Why should I know anything about Africa” (Hansberry 490). Later on, Asagai visits Beneatha with a gift that she eagerly opens and sees a traditional garment. Beneatha is clueless about tying the traditional garment or what the garment symbolizes, so Asagai explains it to her. In addition, Asagai questions Beneatha about her hair and why she “mutilates” it every week. Beneatha quickly denies that she mutilates her hair, but Asagai points out by altering her hair’s natural state, she is assimilating to white-american culture. When Beneatha finds the courage to not conform to white-America’s beauty standards, she cuts her hair. Surprisingly, Beneatha’s family is not supportive of her new look and mocks her attempt to connect with her lost …show more content…
She constantly has to remind people that there is more in life than marriage and relying on a wealthy man. Walter belittles Beneatha 's and says her aspiration are set too high, he says “...go be a nurse like other women or just get married and be quiet”(Hansberry 481), and Ruth says “You mean you wouldn 't marry George... That pretty, rich thing?” (Hansberry 486). Above all, Beneatha stays faithful to her dreams and tells her family “ I 'm not worried about who I 'm going to marry yet—if I ever get married.” (Hansberry 487), which shocks
Beneatha says “do me a favor and don 't ask him a whole lot of ignorant questions about Africans” and Mama replies “Why should I know anything about Africa” (Hansberry 490). Later on, Asagai visits Beneatha with a gift that she eagerly opens and sees a traditional garment. Beneatha is clueless about tying the traditional garment or what the garment symbolizes, so Asagai explains it to her. In addition, Asagai questions Beneatha about her hair and why she “mutilates” it every week. Beneatha quickly denies that she mutilates her hair, but Asagai points out by altering her hair’s natural state, she is assimilating to white-american culture. When Beneatha finds the courage to not conform to white-America’s beauty standards, she cuts her hair. Surprisingly, Beneatha’s family is not supportive of her new look and mocks her attempt to connect with her lost …show more content…
She constantly has to remind people that there is more in life than marriage and relying on a wealthy man. Walter belittles Beneatha 's and says her aspiration are set too high, he says “...go be a nurse like other women or just get married and be quiet”(Hansberry 481), and Ruth says “You mean you wouldn 't marry George... That pretty, rich thing?” (Hansberry 486). Above all, Beneatha stays faithful to her dreams and tells her family “ I 'm not worried about who I 'm going to marry yet—if I ever get married.” (Hansberry 487), which shocks