The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, is about a poor African-American family living in a run-down section of Chicago in the 1950’s. The passage above is spoken by the father of the house Walter Younger, to his 20-year old daughter, Beneatha Younger. Walter is uneducated and has a thoroughly unsatisfying and poorly paid job as a chauffeur. His daughter Beneatha, is a college student who dreams of becoming a doctor, while sharing a cockroach- infested, decrepit and overcrowded rental apartment with her extended family. Walter’s disparaging comment to Beneatha, reflects his beliefs in conventional and traditional gender roles for men and women. By contrasting the beliefs of the father with the beliefs of his daughter, Hansberry
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He feels that his masculinity is tied to his inability to provide for the family under his care. While Walter accepts traditional social norms about the role of the “man” in the family, he is very angry at the world, that he is unable to fulfill those norms. His phrase “...who the hell told you you had to be a doctor?” clearly indicates his rage at his daughter for wanting to defy traditional gender roles. In the 1950’s being a doctor was largely a male-dominated profession. Furthermore, since Walter is uneducated, he probably finds his college-educated daughter’s career aspirations to be a threat to his status in the family hierarchy. Next, Walter says, “If you go crazy ‘bout messin ‘round with sick people, -then go be a nurse like other women.” Walter apparently cannot fathom why anyone would want to deal with sick people for a job, hence suggesting doing so would be “crazy.” However, Walter further displays his beliefs about traditional gender roles by suggesting that the job of nurse is as great an aspiration as any woman should consider. Finally, in Walter’s opinion, the only other acceptable option for women is to “just get married.” Walter seems to believe that since wives should be eternally grateful and supportive of their husbands as breadwinners, wives must “be quiet.” Presumably, as the head of the household, a man deserves an obedient and unquestioning
He feels that his masculinity is tied to his inability to provide for the family under his care. While Walter accepts traditional social norms about the role of the “man” in the family, he is very angry at the world, that he is unable to fulfill those norms. His phrase “...who the hell told you you had to be a doctor?” clearly indicates his rage at his daughter for wanting to defy traditional gender roles. In the 1950’s being a doctor was largely a male-dominated profession. Furthermore, since Walter is uneducated, he probably finds his college-educated daughter’s career aspirations to be a threat to his status in the family hierarchy. Next, Walter says, “If you go crazy ‘bout messin ‘round with sick people, -then go be a nurse like other women.” Walter apparently cannot fathom why anyone would want to deal with sick people for a job, hence suggesting doing so would be “crazy.” However, Walter further displays his beliefs about traditional gender roles by suggesting that the job of nurse is as great an aspiration as any woman should consider. Finally, in Walter’s opinion, the only other acceptable option for women is to “just get married.” Walter seems to believe that since wives should be eternally grateful and supportive of their husbands as breadwinners, wives must “be quiet.” Presumably, as the head of the household, a man deserves an obedient and unquestioning