A Rasin in the Sun

In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Beneatha struggles to find her identity and challenges the status quo. She deals with the issues of assimilation and tries to be different, but at the same time, she has already become like the rest. Her family’s names (Travis, Walter, and Ruth) show that they have assimilated to the rest by having common names. Beneatha changes her hair to fit in like the rest, but when Asagai says, “And so to accommodate that—you mutilate it every week?” (759), Beneatha realizes he is right and later on cuts her hair to let her natural hair show. She believes that with Asagai’s help, she will find her true identity.

Beneatha challenges society and its expectations by going against the status quo. She is passionate, hopeful, and determined (just like Walter), and has dreams of becoming a doctor. She has a voice of her own and is a strong woman. These characteristics are the characteristics that are needed to bring change. Beneatha wants to change how the world looks at her, and by doing so, she challenges society and its expectations. However, does being a member of a discriminated race influence the desire to challenge the status quo? It can be seen that Beneatha is confused about her identity, and is struggling to find it. She takes up different hobbies such as playing the guitar, joining an acting group, and horseback riding. Her comment “I don’t flit! I—I experiment with different forms of expression—“(756) shows Beneatha’s confusion and her struggle to find herself. Her change in hobbies show that she wants to experiment to find what is best for her, instead of becoming like everyone else and doing what is the most popular hobby. The word assimilation can be defined as fitting in or blending in with others by giving up one’s own culture. Asagai is constantly criticizing her for assimilating. He knows what she is capable of and knows she is different from others and wants her to succeed. Asagai states,...