"I-I just seen my family falling apart today... just falling to pieces in front of my eyes... We couldn't of gone on like we was today....When it gets like that in life- you just got to do something different, psh on out and do something bigger..." (Mama, 94)
This blog addresses question #4, asking which characters were pressured into taking an action they wouldn't normally take because of other people or outside forces. There are countless examples of characters who do things because of pressure from surroundings or others. The first example is when Beneatha cuts her hair. She was satisfied doing up her hair until Asagai, her on-again-off-again boyfriend, criticizes her for not being natural enough, and being an "assimilationist." She then cuts her hair in an effort to break her stereotype and please Asagai.
The next example is Ruth's consideration of an abortion. Because Ruth and Walter Lee have a son, Travis, it is clear that Ruth isn't emotionally opposed to having children. The problem is the family's economic situation. Given that the couple lives in a run-down house with three other people, sharing basic necessities, the family cannot afford another mouth to feed. Because Ruth is in a tough spot financally, she considers having an abortion and even making a down payment on the procedure.
My last example is the one from the quote, and a key part in the play's plot: Mama's decision to buy a new, better house. Because of the detrimentality of the house, Mama realizes that the harmful atmosphere is only hurting the inhabitants. Reacting to this hostile and chaotic lifestyle, Mama uses her check to invest in a new, hopefully more promising home.
This blog addresses question #4, asking which characters were pressured into taking an action they wouldn't normally take because of other people or outside forces. There are countless examples of characters who do things because of pressure from surroundings or others. The first example is when Beneatha cuts her hair. She was satisfied doing up her hair until Asagai, her on-again-off-again boyfriend, criticizes her for not being natural enough, and being an "assimilationist." She then cuts her hair in an effort to break her stereotype and please Asagai.
The next example is Ruth's consideration of an abortion. Because Ruth and Walter Lee have a son, Travis, it is clear that Ruth isn't emotionally opposed to having children. The problem is the family's economic situation. Given that the couple lives in a run-down house with three other people, sharing basic necessities, the family cannot afford another mouth to feed. Because Ruth is in a tough spot financally, she considers having an abortion and even making a down payment on the procedure.
My last example is the one from the quote, and a key part in the play's plot: Mama's decision to buy a new, better house. Because of the detrimentality of the house, Mama realizes that the harmful atmosphere is only hurting the inhabitants. Reacting to this hostile and chaotic lifestyle, Mama uses her check to invest in a new, hopefully more promising home.
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