Throughout A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha is depicted as a girl that is somewhat lost and doesn't fit into the environment, unlike many of the people she is surrounded by. She doesn't agree with the stereotypes of how a woman should look and behave that are constantly being pushed on her. Instead, she chases her dreams and has confidence in her own beliefs. Although this is something that I think is impressive and definitely look up to, I found it interesting that her character came with a somewhat negative connotation. In the household, she seems to be somewhat of a hassle, especially to her mother. Mama gets extremely angry at her for her beliefs about religion, and that God shouldn't be "getting credit" for her accomplishments. Furthermore, she is ridiculed for not wanting to marry George, though he is extremely wealthy and good looking. Instead, she wants to find someone that she truly loves and cares for.
I think that the connotation that Beneatha's character came with would be extremely different in a more modern setting. Today, people have learned to start empowering independent women instead of trying to tear them down, which I believe is an extremely important thing. Although I believe that sexism still exists, and of course there are still many people that are disturbed by the success of women, I believe that America has come a long way and needs to continue to fight sexism.
No comments:
Post a Comment