Words: 2401
Walter Lee Younger??Mama’s only son??is the “man” of the family, whose stubbornness might have blinded him from seeing possible consequences. Beneath Younger is a spirited and educated feminist, who believes that a woman (like herself) does not need a man to support her. The battles fought in trying to accomplish a dream leaves scars that either develops a person’s well-being, or stabilizes their self. Lena Younger, or “Mama,” is almost like a leader to the Younger family, for she is the one who looks after everyone. All she ever thought of is improving her family’s life conditions.
Mama’s tender love and care towards the plant she owned exemplifies the desire of living in a better home fit for them and having her own garden. Proving how strongly religious she is, Mama slaps Beneath after Beneath proclaimed that there is no God. When Walter was at his lowest, Beneath said that there was nothing left to love about him. Mama, however, claimed that a man should not be loved when he has “done good and made things easy for everybody,” but during his weakest time of need. The other members of the Younger give high respect to Mama, and they think that she knows what’s best for the family.
In one word, Lena is selfless. Lena is a devoted mother, who bases her decisions on what benefits the family. She gives special care to her children and acted as the mediator every time Beneath and Walter fought. Mama taught the two siblings the values of life, about how to love each other in their darkest times and that family and God always comes first. She greatly values her religion that as long the member Of the family lived under her roof, they must believe in the guidance and teachings of the Lord. Mama also believed in the significance of family and how they all must stand together to remain strong.
Her children recognized the lesson she has been trying to give them at the end of the play??that sometimes a person would have to put others before his or herself. Lena Youngster’s internal conflict, person vs.. Self, is when she could not decide who deserves to spend the insurance money. Since it was hers, the pressure of judging who gets to be bestowed upon the check was put to Mama’s shoulders. She argues to herself on how her children’s motive will benefit the whole family. Beneath wanted to use it to pay for her medical school tuition while Walter desires investing the money on a liquor store.
If Lena makes an unsuitable decision, then both of her children will be both distressed, causing her to be hurt too. Considering the fate of their lifestyle depended on whoever Mama chooses, this dilemma also affects the family. If Walter receives the money, then the Younger would have to rely on the profit the liquor store makes without guarantee that the business will be a success or not. Also, judging from the time period, there are no assurances that Beneath will become a doctor. Mama divides the ten thousand dollars??giving part of it to Walter’s business and Beneath tuition and buying a house.
Lens’s resolution showed her strength in forming fair choices, but she revealed weakness towards seeing her children getting hurt. Mama’s external conflict, person vs.. Person, is when Karl Linden attempted reason the Younger from transferring to Clubhouse Park. The house she bought was located in a white people village. The Clubhouse Park Improvement Association did not want the Younger moving in their neighborhood. The racial differences prevented the association from welcoming the family to the community, endangering them of discrimination. Mama was still confident about transferring to the new house until Wily
Harris stole the rest of the insurance money she entrusted to Walter. As a result, Lena planned to revoke the deal with the house causing her dream of living having their home to be taken back. However, Walter returned home with an agreement with Karl Linden; they were to negotiate on the price of returning the house. This made the Younger family come off as greedy and plundering, utterly violating Mama’s values. Lena cunningly made Walter make his final decision while Travis was in the room, which made the father let the family to keep the house.
Mama’s actions displayed her strengths on eyeing the goodness in people, like she did with Walter. All Lena Younger ever dreamt was to own a house with a garden to tend. She wanted her family to be able to live an easier life without having to share a bathroom with other families or endure the cramped space the apartment provides. Mama aspires to fulfill the wish she and her deceased husband made of walking on their own floors and maintaining a flourishing backyard. The two topics that relate to this character’s dream are family and home.
Mama yearned to further improve the family’s welfare by moving into a new home. The quote from Dream Deferred, “Does is dry up like a raisin in the UN,” pertains to Lens’s dream. Drying a grape under the sun will make the fruit last longer; like a raisin, Mama’s dream lived on and remained sweet until the end. Walter Lee Younger wanted many desires in his life and tried to seek every financial chance. He doesn’t treat his wife with respect and says rude things to her, even his own mother. The cruelty Walter shows was probably an effect of how he loathes his life.
The only time he showed excitement was when the check has been delivered. He longed to invest the money on a liquor store, but no one was on his side. He complained about how he wasn’t given enough attention and support from his wife and family. When Mama refused to hand him the money, he went drinking for three days without going to work. Beneath thinks that Walter was a hopeless fool and there was nothing left to love about him. Walter’s attitude is determined yet single-minded; he is truly focused on starting a business. He mostly values money and believes that it is the key to life.
Mama finally gave in and let Walter have more than half of the insurance money??sixty-five hundred dollars. He became ecstatic. Walter was friendly towards his sister, hugs his mother, and even takes his wife on a date. Walter Lee’s internal conflict, person vs.. Self, is when he didn’t make the right choice on trusting the money to Wily Harris. He was too blinded by his ignorance and gave had a lot of confidence in someone Walter barely worked with. He acted hasty on the situation that should have been thought through. Walter simultaneously lost the insurance money and his goal of becoming a business man.
The Younger family s chances of being slightly financially advantaged were destroyed. Walter tries to gain money by selling the house to Karl Linden. These circumstances show Walter’s weakness in thinking through plans. Walter’s external conflict, person vs.. Fate, was when he wanted to alter his life as a chauffeur or driver and become a business man. Hearing the white people talk about investments and finance, Walter gets inspired in becoming an entrepreneur himself. Thirst and hunger intensifies inside Walter that will only be satisfied by being trusted with the insurance money.
This driving force led him to making hasty choices, such as handing out the sixty-five hundred dollars to his slick business owner. The fate of the Younger family was laid upon his hands, but the thing that supposed to change their lives slipped room Walter’s finger tips the moment he held it. Walter attempted to restore the problem by selling the house in Clubhouse at a higher price to Karl Linden, but he changed his mind when Travis??ecstatic about the move??was present during his negotiation with Linden. The Younger family was able to move in a new home under Walter’s decision.
These events portray the character’s weakness in surrendering to temptation but revealed his strength to change. Walter Lee Youngster’s ambition was to be involved in business, finance, and investment. He envies men like George Morison, who have power in company and enterprise industries. Walter fantasize himself working in an office and going home to his wife and Travis after a long day. He also wants to give Travis the opportunity in becoming whoever his son wants. The two topics that relate to the character’s dreams are financial and career.
In order to accomplish his dream, Walter must be financially able in starting a business. He wanted to improve his career as a car driver and become a business man, which enables Walter to provide more for his family. The quote “Or fester like a sore??and then run? ‘ describe how Walters dream waits for the opportunity and the right time to be executed. Beneath is the most educated out of all the members in the Younger family. She is the typical changed college student, whose opinions were the most contrasting compared to her mother. Beneath believes more in the evolution of man than the parables of the Bible.
Although she seeks to learn more about her culture in Africa, Beneath tries getting accepted by straightening her hair instead of letting her afro come loose. Her cute appearance is what attracted Sagas and George to be interested in her. Sagas respects Beneath intellectual opinions and even nicknamed her “Loyal. ” He thinks of her as a scholar like himself. But George was just drawn to her looks and believes that women are only good for house wives. In a single word, Beneath is opinionated. She has her own thoughts, which creates a gap between herself and the ordinary women of the time period.
Beneath Younger is very outgoing and not afraid to taste new experiences that were offered to her during college. During the play, she shares to the family her exposure to new involvements, such as horseback riding, guitar lessons, and feminist movements. She explores various things and becomes open to new ideas, excluding religion and superstitions. Beneath values her ultra in Africa and is highly interested in learning more about it than the other members of the family. She believes in logic and reason, that man was the one who creates??not God. Beneath internal conflict, person vs.. Elf, is when she argues on who was in love with. The path of her future depended on who she chose. Would she want to live a fancy lifestyle but give up her passion on medicine with George? Or would she want to live a life discovering things that are still alien to her with Sagas? If she were to marry George, then he would be able to provide for the Younger family. Though marrying Sagas won’t guarantee their family retune, Beneath would be happier and can soon provide for the family. When George tried to kiss Beneath, she shifted the conversation on problems in Africa.
He replies by saying that he wants to marry a “nice simple sophisticated girl. ” His reaction made Mama kick him out of the house. Beneath thinks that George was a fool and Mama agrees that Beneath should not spend time with those kinds of men. Later on, Sagas offers to take Beneath with him to Africa where she could be a doctor and the girl says yes. Beneath resolves her problem by choosing to be with the person she could be herself with. These events show that Beneath has the strength to know whether to base her decisions with the heart or mind.
Beneath external conflict, person vs.. Society, is the struggle between racism and gender minority. The discrimination and segregation gives Beneath the disadvantage of pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. Women and the African Americans at the time were looked down upon by men not were not given the chance to be heard. These odds put down Beneath goals, which was ridiculous as sending a dog to the moon. If Beneath were to drop out of school, then all the money spent on her tuition ill be for nothing. The family would have a lesser hope in receiving a better welfare.
Sagas proposes to Beneath and offering her to become a nurse in Africa, which she couldn’t bear to resist. By saying yes, she was able to assure that her dream of being able to save lives and finding her true identity would come to reality. Determining by the course of the circumstances, Beneath has showed her strength in believing huge possibilities. Beneath Younger yearned to discover her true individuality and turn into a doctor. She wanted to gain experiences and to be exposed of rational ideas. Beneath wanted be able to create with her hands and save lives by being a doctor.
She also dreamed uncovering the mysteries of the African culture. Two topics that relate to the characters dreams are education and culture. Receiving the right education and finishing medical school will permit Beneath in becoming a doctor. Going to Africa with Sagas was all about learning more of the cultural traditions of her country. The line “Or does it explode? ” in the Dream Deferred describes Beneath ambition since her ideas are like fire that’s alive and can’t be put down. In the beginning of the play, the Younger were experiencing problems within he family.
Ruth and Walter’s marriage was collapsing. Beneath was losing her love towards Walter. Ruth planned on having an abortion. Everyone, besides Mama, started losing the idea of the true meaning family. The external conflicts, however, is what restored their family back to the order. The racial discrimination in Clubhouse Park forced the Younger to stand together by giving the family a cause to resist against being tormented by the whites. Beneath finally learns to love her brother despite his imperfections, and Walter promises Ruth that he will make it possible for the baby to have a utter life.