1. Modupe Sarratt
Paper 3
A Raisin in the Sun
April 15, 2010
Beneatha’s Dreams Saved by Tactfulness and Flexibility
Experiences teach us that dreams can come true because a dream is a desire for
something that is not possible at the moment, and it might require us to be persistent. In A Raisin
in the Sun, Beneatha is affected by her current situation. Beneatha’s dream to be a doctor is
viewed as overly ambitious by her family but her tactfulness and flexibility make it possible.
Beneatha is tactful and flexible by convincing her family that she is mature enough to
follow her dream and forgo the traditional norm for women even though she is pretty and she
could marry a rich man. She chooses her future saying, “I’m going to be a doctor, I’m not
worried about” anything else (Hansberry 50). However, she is flexible by going out with a man
that the family hopes she will marry: “you mean you wouldn’t marry George Murchison if he
asks you?” (49). Although, she values her family’s view, her desire to be a doctor comes first.
Also, she is flexible with her dream by trying different things such as “play acting, horseback-
riding, and playing guitar” (47). She also demonstrates tactfulness when her brother insinuates
that her dream is childish: “—ain’t many girls who decide—to be a doctor” by indicating her
interests in science add to her dream “And you know biology is the greatest” (36). She also
expresses her flexibility saying, “I—I experiment with different forms of expression” (48).
Besides, Beneatha is flexible when it comes to money. Even though she expects her mother to
help her out with the insurance money, she is flexible with her expectation “That money belongs
to Mama—and it is for her to decide how she wants to use it” (36). In addition, she shows
consideration for what the family thinks: “Beneatha’s, dropping to her knees …Well—I do—all
right?—thank everybody! And forgive me forever wanting to be anything at all!” (37). Frustrated
2. by her brother selfish interests, she considers her mother and the family’s financial situation.
Beneatha is not pushing others to do what she wants but she is flexible and considerate.
Moreover, Beneatha has to be tactful and flexible about how the society might view her
dream to be a doctor. Beneatha is over ambitious according to the next door neighbor Mrs.
Johnson, “—but sometimes she act like ain’t got time to pass the time of day with nobody ain’t
been to college. Oh—I ain’t criticizing her none. It’s just—you know how some of our young
people get when they get a little education” (102). Therefore, Beneatha’s flexibility contributes
to her family moving to the new home when her brother lost the money for her school in the
liquor investment. Moreover, she is still able to be tactful and intercede on her brother’s behalf
during her mother’s rage over the incident: Mama, “you mean…your sister school money…you
used that too?” (129). Beneatha calms her mother down by calling her “Mama—” (130) to stop
her from hitting him with rage. Furthermore, Beneatha is flexible in her relationship with
Asagai, as much as she loves him and cherishes the idea of going to Africa as a doctor, “That
was the most marvelous things in the world…I wanted to do…Fix up the sick—and make them
whole again—I wanted to cure--It used to be important to me” (133). In the face of the present
situation, her dream may just be childish fantasy: “—our own little mirage that we think is the
future” (134). Moreover, her dream may not be deep enough for what is required for a doctor and
is not seen as realistic in her situation: “because it doesn’t seem deep enough, close enough to
what ails mankind! Child’s way of seeing things—or an idealist is…when you patch up the
world. Cure the Great Sore of Colonialism with the Penicillin of Independence.--then what all
about all the crooks and thieves and just plain idiots who will come into power and steal and
plunder the same as before—”(134). Thus, her flexibility with her dreams contributes to her
3. ability to adapt to changes and when Asagai ask her to marry him and go to Africa “to practice”
she realize that her dreams is real (150).
As ironic as it might seem, dreams are about changes, usually a necessary change to
achieve something that is difficult to attain or far from present circumstances. Asagai says “And
because we cannot see the end—we also cannot see how it changes—but those who see the
changes—who dream, who will not give up—are call idealist” (134). Thus, our dreams are about
change and with tactfulness and flexibility, we can achieve our dreams.
Source
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Random House, 1986.
