Reflection

Raisin In The Sun Essay - Revised

        Dreams stem from the belief that people have not met their potential, that there is something more to gain, to reach for. Women for ages have dreamed. Women have dreamed of working the same kind of jobs alongside men. Women have dreamed of equal pay alongside men. Women have dreamed of a future for their daughters to not fear growth and independence. Beneatha represents generations of oppression against not just African Americans, but women as a whole. Through the doubts and demeaning behavior from those around her, Beneatha stands tall against the gender inequality that haunts her, striving for her goals and aspirations of becoming an African American female doctor. 

           When Beneatha comes in during Act 1, Walter expresses his distaste for Beneatha’s passion by saying, “What fool 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…”. Walter, without realizing, has grouped Beneatha with “other women”, diminishing her character to nothing but an oppressed group of people in the world that ought to stay quiet. Beneatha retaliates, using the courage of her dreams to be a doctor, by telling Walter that what she does has no business with him. Her dreams are her own to nurture and grow despite what others say. Later on Beneatha states aloud, “How did I manage to get on everybody’s wrong side by just walking into a room?”. The discomfort of being present is clear with Beneatha’s words, how she expresses herself appears to be dimmed when others don’t agree with her passions and ways of thinking. Despite this, she moves on and she keeps her head up, displaying a look of determination after the degradation she receives upon just being herself. The simple statement of just walking into a room cannot be a clearer depiction of how much Beneatha can do and still be looked down upon. A look of confidence after the poor demeanor. A look of passion after the disappointments. What so many women have had to do over the years of being seen as inferior to men, she sticks to change. 

         Culture is something that is carried through generations and generations, to pass on devotions, courage, and motivation. Beneatha shows her culture proudly, the African American culture though George disregards it and she says to him, “It means someone who is willing to give up his own culture and submerge himself completely in the dominant, and in this case oppressive culture!”. Beneatha speaks of how George ignores and forgets where he comes from, blinding him to real life and what it means to live. George even goes as far as to tell her honestly that he, “...don’t go out…to discuss the nature of “quiet desperation” or to hear all about [her] thoughts—because the world will go on thinking what it thinks regardless—-”. With one statement George reveals the ways of thinking he does concerning not just life but how Beneatha will fit into place with life. He sees no point in her passion to become a doctor, or to speak her thoughts really, because there is going to be no one to listen. Beneatha does not shy from his words, instead she challenges them and stops wasting her time with George. Beneatha shows internal growth and strength when people in life do not share support even when there are hills to climb and mountains to pass. 

         Beneatha shows closeness to her mother and her beliefs therefore stem from Mama. After Walter loses the money, some of which was to go to Beneatha’s schooling, Beneatha has a hard time forgiving him and pleads, “Be on my side for once! You saw what he just did, Mama! You saw him—down on his knees. Wasn’t it you who taught me to despise any man who would do that? Do what he’s going to do?”. Holding grudges is not a foreign feeling and action to Beneatha, she instead finds it easy to be quick disclosing how she feels and what she wants. This shines a light on how stubborn Beneatha can be despite what everyone around her continues to tell her. How unforgiving she just is because so many around her don’t spare a minute for her mind. Mama is able to get to Beneatha, using all she’s gone through with defending her right to become a doctor, defending her right to express her culture, and now defending her right to feel. After Walter makes his decision, forgiveness and love is shown to the reader through Beneatha and her ability to put her goals aside and continue to love Walter. She keeps her goals in life close, but learns throughout the play that sometimes looking at others for guidance, and not looking at some for guidance, is a part of life and growth in the world that may challenge her and never stop. 

        In the end, through every hobby and form of expression, Beneatha represents the power of change and the importance of holding onto a dream despite whoever is against that dream. Expressing a culture should never be frowned upon and instead welcomed, along with any way someone chooses to express themselves. Finding out what works and what doesn’t is vital to living and makes life much more valuable. While the others have difficulties holding onto their dreams or even having any to begin with, Beneatha holds true to her dream and tells the reader through her actions and words that not giving up is vital to a successful life internally and externally.