A Raisin in the Sun Act II Scene II

                 Of all the relationships created in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun I found the complicated relationship between Mama and Beneatha to be by far the most compelling and intriguing simply because I found these two individuals to be in stark contrast to one another in many aspects. Through Bennie and Mama’s heated conversations as well as through their interactions with other characters, the reader quickly ascertains that Bennie and Mama differ greatly in the senses of lifestyle, faith, and values. The initial and most blatant difference which can be noted between Mama and Bennie are their lifestyles, for Mama has always been a simple homemaker and maid in the homes and kitchens of others, while Bennie pursues a college education. Mama’s greatest ambitions seem merely to end at providing abundantly for her family and tending her own personal garden, but Bennies wishes to become a doctor and become successful in the work filed. These differences in lifestyles therefore correlates to the difference in the magnitudes of their dreams.

                In addition to their lifestyles and dreams, Mama and Bennie also contrast one another in their beliefs and values. The most tense and polarizing moment between Mama and Bennie occurs when Bennie asserts that she does not have a faith in God. Rejecting God was both an insult to Mama’s beliefs as well as an offense against Mama’s choice to raise Bennie as a Christian. Consequently, in a wave of rage and hurt, Mama slaps Bennie and demands, “Now—you say after me, in my mother’s house there is still God” (Hansberry, 51). This scene, which is highly saturated with emotion, is perhaps the strongest indication in the entire play of the stark contrast between Mama and Bennie.

                The third and most intriguing way in which Bennie and mama contradict one another is in their appreciation of their family, culture, and heritage. While Mama cared dearly about the legacy which her husband, Big Walter, left for the family, Bennie took a greater interest in their heritage stretching all the way back to Africa. In fact, Bennie reminded me of  the character Dee for “Everyday Use” in many respects during Act II. As Bennie donned her exotic Nigerian garments and began a tribal chant in the apartment, I drew many correlations to Dee’s colorful dress and changed African name. Furthermore, just as Dee’s mother in “Everyday Use” knew little of African culture but knew everything about her own family, Mama admits, “I don’t think I ever met no African before” (Hansberry, 57). While Mama and Beneatha ultimately love each other very much, these differences in beliefs and lifestyles reinforce the fact that the characters of Mama and Bennie contrast greatly.