Pride and Overcoming Obstacles
...nt gesture,” he reaches into his pocket and produces the fifty cents for his son. Walter is so proud that he does not even want his own son to know how underprivileged their family is. Another example of pride within the family comes with Beneatha’s pride of her heritage. Before going out on a date with George, Beneatha is dressed in traditional Nigerian clothes, and she has cut her hair off, leaving it naturally kinky. Upon seeing this, George tells her, “Don’t be so proud of yourself, Bennie, just because you look eccentric” (II, I). Beneatha claims that something natural can not be considered eccentric, and accuses George of being “ashamed of his heritage” (II, I). These are just a couple of the many examples of pride in this play. As Mrs. Johnson so plainly put it, “You sure one proud acting bunch of colored folks” (II, II). This pride that each member of the family possesses is what helps them along through hard times, and when one of the family is experiencing hard times, it affects the whole family. For instance, Ruth gets pregnant and she is debating whether or not to keep the baby. While this may seem like a personal problem, Beneatha is questioning Ruth about whether or not it was a planned pregnancy. After Ruth reminds Beneatha that she should mind her own business, Beneatha retorts, “It is my business- where is he going to live, on the roof?” (I, II). Ruth’s having a baby would affect the entire family because they are already crowded as it is, in a tiny apartment where Travis has to sleep in the living room. There is no room for one more. Another hard situation is experienced by one in the family when Walter loses the money that Mama has trusted him with and put in his hands. Walter selfishly takes all the money and tries to invest it in a liquor store, but when Willy takes off with his money, his dreams are crushed. This is not only Walter’s problem. This disappoints the family as a whole. Beneatha’s college money is lost. The family might not be able to move into the new house like they were anticipating. Most of all, that money was made out of Mr. Younger’s flesh, and it is all that he left for the family. Mama had to watch him, “night after night, come in... the red showing in his eyes... working and working like somebody’s old horse... killing himself... and [Walter gave] it all away in a day” (II, III). The whole family is at a loss for what to do next. Mama had already put a down payment...