This analysis will examine how african american identity and female identity interrelate within the character Beneatha younger from Lorraine Hansberry’s “a raisin in the sun” . Beneatha struggles throughout the story in trying to find herself in her african culture. Her experiences with Mr.Asagai push Beneatha even further in wanting to explore her roots. Meanwhile, because of the prejudices of women at the time, Beneatha is at constant conflict with herself in distinguishing her female identity. In her journey to become a doctor, she wants to be a woman who can hold a great deal of power: as stated she wants to have power that portrays her actions as godly. The affiliation between african american identity and female identity cause beneatha
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When beneatha decided to change the way her hair looked because of how she wanted to be closer with her African culture Ruth (her step sister) said this when Beneatha has a date with a young black male from her college, “Now that's the truth -- it's what ain't been done to it! You expect this boy to go out with you with your head on that be like that?” (Hansberry 527). Beneatha is expected to fall in place with how the white american women of her time live. Although she is already an oddity because of her skin color and gender, Beneatha is even more of an outcast because she isn't following the example of the dominant race. She yearns to find an identity among Native Africans like her good friend Asagai, but is restricted due to the boundaries that white women have put up for African women. After Asagi gives Beneatha the clothing from his native country she believes herself to resemble that of a queen. She says “‘To become a queen of the Nile!’ (she exits and I'm breathless and blaze of glory.)”(Hansberry 517). When identifying herself through her African Roots, Beneatha feels like she is a queen because of the amount of freedoms one might feel they would have in their home country. In comparison to being a Native African, African Americans might be feel like they are lesser because of how they are treated unfairly due to skin color l. Whereas African …show more content…
In the beginning when Beneatha was being described to the audience, the author defined her in such a way, “Her speech is a mixture of many things semicolon it is different from the rest of the family's insofar as education has determined her sense of English--and perhaps the Midwest rather than the South has finally--at last--one out in her inflection.” (Hansberry 496). At the time, the prejudice for African Americans was that they were not educated enough to function the same way that whites did, and we're not capable of finding a rich, successful life for themselves. However, Beneatha’s apparent educated form of speech shows her attempt to set herself aside from the group of African Americans who are looked down upon. Beneatha tries to make herself someone who can be respected despite her skin color. Especially because at that time skin color would be something that made someone either an Abomination or a person with a stable and peaceful file. Beneatha wanted to prove herself better as a woman who is strong, independent, and knows what she's
When beneatha decided to change the way her hair looked because of how she wanted to be closer with her African culture Ruth (her step sister) said this when Beneatha has a date with a young black male from her college, “Now that's the truth -- it's what ain't been done to it! You expect this boy to go out with you with your head on that be like that?” (Hansberry 527). Beneatha is expected to fall in place with how the white american women of her time live. Although she is already an oddity because of her skin color and gender, Beneatha is even more of an outcast because she isn't following the example of the dominant race. She yearns to find an identity among Native Africans like her good friend Asagai, but is restricted due to the boundaries that white women have put up for African women. After Asagi gives Beneatha the clothing from his native country she believes herself to resemble that of a queen. She says “‘To become a queen of the Nile!’ (she exits and I'm breathless and blaze of glory.)”(Hansberry 517). When identifying herself through her African Roots, Beneatha feels like she is a queen because of the amount of freedoms one might feel they would have in their home country. In comparison to being a Native African, African Americans might be feel like they are lesser because of how they are treated unfairly due to skin color l. Whereas African …show more content…
In the beginning when Beneatha was being described to the audience, the author defined her in such a way, “Her speech is a mixture of many things semicolon it is different from the rest of the family's insofar as education has determined her sense of English--and perhaps the Midwest rather than the South has finally--at last--one out in her inflection.” (Hansberry 496). At the time, the prejudice for African Americans was that they were not educated enough to function the same way that whites did, and we're not capable of finding a rich, successful life for themselves. However, Beneatha’s apparent educated form of speech shows her attempt to set herself aside from the group of African Americans who are looked down upon. Beneatha tries to make herself someone who can be respected despite her skin color. Especially because at that time skin color would be something that made someone either an Abomination or a person with a stable and peaceful file. Beneatha wanted to prove herself better as a woman who is strong, independent, and knows what she's