A few final questions as we finish this most magisterial of American plays. But first, take a look at the scene from the original 1959 production starring the great Sydney Poitier, Claudia McNeil as Lena, Ruby Dee (whom we'll see again next week in Do The Right Thing) as Ruth, Diana Sands as Beneatha, Glenn Turman (for you Wire fans, he played the mayor in the first couple seasons, the one defeated by the white councilman Carcetti), and John Fielder as Lindner (he shows up again in the 1984 revival). Watch the first three minutes, then skip ahead to 6:25 and watch the rest. I find it strangely dated, but maybe you'll disagree. We'll watch the same scenes from the Bill Duke and Kenny Leon productions in the next couple days.
So:
1. Why Joseph Asagai? What role do you see him playing here? Why put him in here and give him such prominence in Act Three?
2. The ending of the play has been read by many as a "happy"ending. Is it? Why or why not?
3. What line in Act Three jumped out at you, and why so?
That's it. See you all tomorrow. (By the way, it's been reported—notice the passive voice—that this play is the only work by an African-American that high school students read. Is that true? I'll follow up on this in the next couple days.)
1. I've come to think of Asagai as the voice of reason. He represents a worldly perspective that has been lost in the Younger family. While the Younger's are caught up in their American lives, Asagai is capable of bringing a whole new outlook, an outlook which resonates a lot with me. His views are not affected by all of the American ideology that has become so prevelant in the Younger family. Even Benethea, who considers herself to be worldly and self-aware, is deemed childish and pety by Asagai. Asagai shows the Younger's just how srewed up and contorted their lives have become and shows them the life that they ought to live, a life not measured in money.
ReplyDelete2. I read it as being bittersweet. In the last moment, Mama seems almost sad in having to leave her apartment. However, we can't ignore the fact that the Youngers have finally gotten what they've always wanted, to move out. The entire play has been about dreams shriveling up like raisins in the sun, and in this final act a dream has finally come true. Of course, there are a lot of other issues being dealt with in the play like race, class and gender, but it seems like we now have some resolution. To me though, the fact that the Youngers are moving into a new house is sort of unimportant to the plot. The part that really makes this play have a happy ending is the scene with Walter. Walter has finally come to realize what his family has been telling his the entire time. He realizes that life is not in fact only about money, and that accepting the money from the Clayborne Society is not worth sacrificing his dignity. This epiphany is what really brought the play to an ending.
3. As I've already said, the part that jumped out to me the most was the scene with Walter. His understanding of life has changed for the better, and he now understands what his family has been telling him. This struggle has been the source of almost all of the conflict in the play, and its resolution was much anticipated.
I think Asagai represents what Benethea has always wanted, and now that money is out of the Younger's desire, he is a voice of reason for her. The last we hear of him is when Lena and Benethea are arguing about his proposal, but I get the feeling that if the play were to continue it would show Benethea leaving to go become the doctor she always wanted to be. Call is a cheesy ending but The Youngers dream for so long had been about money, but now it is about family.
ReplyDelete2 I feel the play is a happy ending, but for different reasons other than the family moving into their house. The leading conflicting character in the play is Walter, and in the final scene when he denies the money, he has gone through the greatest transformation he could dream of. He no longer cares about his future, but the future of his family, as a whole, means everything to him. That, to me, is a happy ending for the Younger family. They are for once united on an issue that they are going to face, even if they do get bombed in Clybourne Park. Hansberry leaves out the future of their life in the play as a way to leave it open for interpretation. It does not matter how they end up, its the journey and transformation the characters went through to achieve that goal.
3. The line that really hit me was when Asagai was talking to Benethea about his goal to return ot his village in africa, "Perhaps I will be a great man... I mean perhaps I will hold on to the substance of truth and find my way always with the right course...and perhaps for it I will be butchered in my bed some night by the servants of empire..."(135). Asagai's determination is admirable, but the way he is so prepared for the worst is even more so. He is taking on this challenge and future with the expectation of death. He is breaking the circle, and exemplifying idealism, unlike much of the African American race at that time. The Youngers are determined to break that cycle as well, but I was hit by how calm Asagai was with his fate.
1. Sometimes I disagree with Asagai and think he's too optimistic, but sometimes his reasoning makes sense. In this scene, Beneatha is very pessimistic, and she just wants to give up, but Asagai is the voice of reason to her and brings the optimism. He tries to get Beneatha to look at her life and family from a different viewpoint. He provides Beneatha hope and light, which I think is why Benetha loves him and wants to go back to Nigeria with him. Beneatha thinks Asagai will help her achieve her dreams.
ReplyDelete2. I guess the ending is the typical happy ending. The Youngers stand up for themselves and fight against Mr. Linder and The Welcoming Committee to get their dream home with lots of sunshine. I think the ending seems very joyful, but I don't think this is the ending for the Youngers and I don't think it is a happy ending for them. They're about to be a in a community where they're not wanted or welcomed. Ruth, Lena, Walter, and Beneatha are all going to have to work very hard to stay in that home and provide for the family. Even though they "escaped" their worn out apartment and life, they're entering a cruel world. Their lives now aren't going to be happy and fine and easy. Walter is still going to be a chaffeur. Beneatha doesn't have any money for medical school. The family is broke. I think the family thinks it's a happy ending, and I don't know if they realize what they have ahead of them.
3. One line that really hit me was when Beneatha and Asagai are talking about the money, and Asagai says, "Then isn't there something wrong in a house--in a world--where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?" (135) I never really thought of the money like that and I don't think Beneatha did too. But I agree with Asagai. It doesn't make sense that the family is dependent on their father's death. Asagai is saying that the world shouldn't have to "depend on the death of a man" to achieve their dreams. They should fight for their dreams. Their dreams and life and hope shouldn't depend on Big Walter's death. Beneatha has lost all hope, because the money is gone, but, again, Asagai is the voice of reason and brings the optimism.
Asagai represents what the Younger family ultimately wants to achieve, or where they want to end up. Or, rather, he represents what Hansberry believes is the ultimate goal, and where the Younger family is working to get to, but they may not recognize it as their ultimate goal. He represents the pride, the importance of family and ancestors, of heritage. He represents a life that is not consumed by and focused on money and financial issues. He is simply focused on making the world a better place, on progressing in his life and helping his family, his community, progress along side him as a result. I think this is shown fully in Act Three, when it is needed the most. Everyone in the Younger family in this scene is focused to money, much as they have throughout the whole play. But apart from this, they are focused on themselves, on how their financial situation affects them personally and not looking at the big picture, the main themes and things of importance that Asagai, and Hansberry, represent. So Asagai is put here in this crucial scene as a reminder of where they should be focusing and where the real importance lies.
ReplyDeleteI did not see the end of the play as a happy ending. As soon as Walter makes his big speech, as soon as it all clicks for him finally, Beneatha tells about how Asagai asked her to marry him, and Walter goes straight back to the financial issue. Everyone for that matter goes back to the way they were at the beginning of the play. They've moved up a little bit, and now they are all back in their respective roles. Mama and Ruth shake their heads knowingly, smiling the whole time and playing it off almost like the end of a Scooby-Doo. "Those meddling kids" sort of deal. But to me, I see it as not good at all. Like we talked about today and like Walter says, they are stuck in a cycle. They keep going around and around, and even when they have progressed to some extent, they still haven't really progressed and the cycle starts all over again. It's almost as if all of the lessons that they were taught throughout the play have gone out the window. But even with all of this, I can see how someone could take the standpoint to say that this is a happy ending, because the despite their beliefs and where they are individually, they have indeed progressed to some extent. I just see the other factors as more and more important, and that they weigh out the happiness of this ending.
What really jumped out at me from Act Three is when Mr. Lindner comes into the house, Walter is about to make his decision, and Travis comes in. The part about this that stuck out at me is how Mama tells him to stay, to witness what his father was doing. This jumped out at me because I see one of the main themes of this book being pride, and if pride was not a factor in this scene and in Walter making his decision before, it certainly was a factor once Mama brings Walter's son into the picture. Father and Son is stressed throughout the play as well as manhood, taught from father to son. It reminds Walter of his manhood, his pride, of the important things that have been forgotten as a result of the focus on money. Without Travis here in this scene, Walter may not change his opinion, and we would have a very different ending.
I see Asagai as a sort of thread of optimism through the play. He refuses to wake up everyday thinking that it will be bad. He accepts that life is long and tiring at times, but happy at others. I think this is a very prominent point at the end of the play. Even after they went through everything they just did, the family is still together, and they can still find happiness.
ReplyDeleteI think the play has a happy ending. Walter partly redeems his mistake by not disgracing the family's pride. I had mixed feelings about his decision. If they had taken the money, Beneatha would have easily been able to finish school. However, based on the end, I think that everything will work out for Beneatha, whether she moves to Africa or somehow gets the money here. Walter not taking the money solidified that the Youngers do matter. The end was happy to me because it was clear that no matter what else happens, this family won't give up.
The line the stood out to me the most was when Lena was talking about not moving: "Lord, ever since I was a little girl, I always remembers people saying 'Lena- Lena Eggleston, you aims too high all the time. You needs to slow down and see life a little more like it is'" (139). This part was so sad to me. It felt like everything that Lena has always lived her life by she has suddenly lost faith in. At this moment, Lena gives into the oppression; she gives up her determination. It is a completely different Lena from the rest of the play.
1. I think Asagai is incredibly realistic and I also think that he shows Beneatha that just because Walter lost the money that was supposed to be hers, doesn’t mean it’s the worst thing in the world. When he talks about his village in Nigeria and how there is very little literacy and how there is so much violence and everything that goes on there, its as if hes telling Beneatha that she doesn’t have it that bad. I think he is trying to take the drama out of the situation and make her see that she can still achieve things and can still dream she just doesn’t need to rely on her fathers death money in order to do so.
ReplyDelete2. I think the play has an ideal ending where they get to move to a house and all, but I think it’s also a little sad. In the last little stage direction, I read Lena’s emotion as a little uneasy and unprepared for this new chapter in her life. I think she might have been unsure or maybe just shocked that this was actually happening after all of these years. But I also think that the way the Youngers automatically go back into that peppy packing mode and where they’re all joking, it makes the reader feel happy for them and it makes us see them as a strong family that doesn’t let anything get them down.
3. “Yes - death done come in this here house. Done come walking in my house on the lips of my children. You what supposed to be my beginning again. You - what supposed to be my harvest”(144). I think this is a really powerful line because this family has been through so much in whats really only been a few weeks and I think Lena is starting to realize that her dreams cannot be carried out by her children. She cant impose her wants and needs into her children and expect it all to work out. I think she sees that her children have hardened over and that they don’t dream like they should. They worry too much about what to say to the white man instead of thinking about their own causes.
ReplyDelete1. Asagai represents Beneatha returning to her heritage and finally finding herself, which she realizes that she doesn’t need to turn to heritage to find herself, and if finding her heritage is Joseph Asagai, it’s really not what she needs right now.
2. I don’t think it’s a happy ending. I think, like many people have said, it’s a return to their old ways, just in a new place. If you look at how the Youngers have progressed, it’s more in a way that they are trying to help the future generation(s) progress, not the current generation. The house seems to be more for Travis and the new child than for anyone else. This is a happy idea, that they are progressing at all, but it’s not a happy ending for this family at this time, though it might be a happy ending for this family in the future.
3. “This is my son, and he makes the sixth generation our family in this country” (149). This just shows how much Walter cares for Travis and how much he really wants to progress for the sake of his son, more than for his own sake, which is where his focus was in the beginning of the book. The fact that Walter stands tall in front of his son to show him the Youngers won’t back down is what will help Travis later on in life more than if they had gotten all the money in exchange for the house instead.
1. Asagai is the opposite of George Murchison in almost every way. George has fully assimilated into the American culture and he looks down on any one who is not as well educated or as wealthy as he is. Asagai, on the other hand, is from Nigeria and has not intentions of being anybody but himself. He sees change in the world and hopes to help make it a better place. Asagai can be seen to be a good influence on Beneatha's character and mind set, but he does not have a good influence on her path towards the American Dream in George's eyes. If she follows him to Africa, Beneatha could be very happy and help a lot of people, but she would never make the money she would if she stayed in medical school. Asagai helps Beneatha through the situation with Walter with overflowing patience and kindness. He always has a positive attitude and brings light to the darkness of the end of the Act II. I think Hansberry brought him in to the scene to give hope for Beneatha and the rest of the play.
ReplyDelete2.The ending was somewhat happy, but it was not completely satisfying. Though Walter came around in the end and decided to keep the house for the family, the Youngers will still have financial problems. Walter made a mistake with the $6,500 and lost a lot of money for his family. The end does show some hope for the future which helps the reader stomach the end of Act II. Hope is very important in this play, it keeps the Youngers going even when everything seems lost. They keep moving forward and hope for better days. Through the play they use this hope to propel themselves through the rough patches and actually work to make life better. Hope is very powerful and Hansberry leaves the audience full of it.
3. The part from Act III that stood out to me the most were Mama's words to Beneatha about love, "Child, when do you think the time is to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning- because that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and can't believe in hisself 'cause the world done whipped him so," (145)! This was a very powerful moment. Beneatha has decided that Walter is scum, and that he is not worth loving, but Lena brings her down to earth. The world has whipped this whole family and Lena has her usual words of wisdom about Walter's actions. Walter is being torn apart and he needs help from his family. Lena can help Beneatha in a way that nobody else can. She has a way with words that nobody could ever teach George Murchison to have, even with all of his years of schooling.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete1. I think that Asagai represents something that is absent in other characters, a optimistic view that is not based on money. He talks about helping the world without economic benefits. He is very different from George in the way he talks to Beneatha. He encourages her to think. He is a voice of wisdom that everyone needs to listen. It is not clear how hard his life has been but he does not stop to think about money but rather in the value of people.
ReplyDelete2. Compare to the rest of the play and other works we read this year, the ending was somewhat happy. The part that I found the happiest was Walter's change. The way he stood up for his family and showed Lindner that he was equal to him. He defended his family honor and that was very important to them, maybe more important than the house. Beneatha found out how valuable Joseph is and an opportunity open for her to be happy. Finally, it gave me the hope that this family will stick together through thick and thin.
3. The line that really stood out to me was when Walter was speaking about Beneatha to Lindner, "And that's my sister over there and she's going to be a doctor-and we are very proud-" (148). This line showed me how the family sticks together and how even Walter and Beneatha love each and are proud of each other. It also made me think that the family appreciates each other’s dreams and they support each other.
1.Asagai has a pureness that I think the Youngers needed. They are at the lowest low, and Asagai comes in with positivity that I find surprising. Asagai has probably been through some terrible times just like the Youngers, but he still maintains an optimistic disposition. He’s a positive person, but he doesn’t see the world through rose-colored glasses. He’s completely aware of the harsh reality. He says to Beneatha “”don’t you see that there will be young men and women-not British soldiers then, but my own black countrymen—to step out of the shadows some evening and slit my then useless throat? Don’t you see they have always been there…. that they always will be.” (136) Asagai knows that there has always been a force in the world pushing against him, but that does not stop him from trying to make a difference. The Youngers are optimistic at times, but they don’t see reality and they get discouraged because of harshness of their reality. Asagai shows us that you can have hope and still be realistic.
ReplyDelete2.I wouldn’t say it was a happy ending, as I’m sure the Youngers will continue struggle financially, but seeing Walter finally progress and, as Mama said, “come into his manhood” (151). Walter makes the right decision for the family and perhaps he restores the trust of his family after his series of mistakes. It seems like the family has restored a sense of respect in one another and I get the sense that they will be at peace with one another from this point forward. I’m sure they’ll still have their disagreements, but I think the family will regard one another with respect.
3. The moment that particularly struck me was when Beneatha was explaining her desire to become a doctor. She says “That was what person could do for another, fix him up….. I always thought it was the one concrete thing in the world that a human being could do. Fix up the sick, you know—make them whole again.” (133) In the scene with Mrs. Johnson, Mama talks about how Big Walter a man is supposed to use his hands in their profession, not driving people around. I think Beneatha wants to do just that. She wants to use her hands to make a concrete difference in someone’s life. She doesn’t want to loaf around in an office doing business, she wants to use her hands. It’s much different from what Big Walter was talking about, but I saw it as an extension of the same idea.
1. Asagai represents hope for Beneatha as well as a pure and true view of the world. He brings a new and different perspective than the other two secondary characters, Mrs. Johnson and George. Asagai is optimistic in a very practical and reasonable way unlike Mrs. Johnson. As Aldo said, he gives them a perspective of the world without economics. I feel like the Youngers are so consumed in their class and trying to break free from that class when all they need is to be content and realistic. I really appreciate Asagai because he is such a true and honest character.
ReplyDelete2. I thought the ending was a definite mix of happy and sad, airing slightly more on the happy. The Youngers have finally gotten out. While, as Mrs. Johnson said, the Youngers have always strived for things beyond their reach, this is a goal that isn't too out their. I think that it is a happy ending because they have finally achieved something as a family rather than as a group pitted against each other. They have finally united in a way they never had before. Walter's newfound leadership is also part of this happy ending. I think this is sad because of what lies ahead of this family. They will face so much more oppression and racism than ever before, which will make it very hard for Travis as he grows up. I think that it is important that the Youngers took a stand against Lindner, but I worry this may not have been the absolute best decision.
3. The line that really struck me was when Beneatha was speaking poorly of Walter and said,"That is not a man. That is nothing but a toothless rat" (144). This brought me back to the scene where Travis was playing in the street with a rat and Ruth was utterly horrified and angry with what he was doing. However now, Travis' own father is the sewer rat that Ruth must defend him from. This really showed me how disappointed everyone was with Walter. I am so glad that he finally got his act together.
1. As multiple people have said before me, I believe that Asagai simply acts as the one character who can view the Younger family's situation from the outside. As a result of this Asagai seems to play the role of, as Jake said, the voice of reason. He tells Beneatha everything that she needs to hear. Whether or not she accepts what he tells her he makes a point of encouraging her in exactly the way she needed. During this final act the entire family is in a fatalistic state of mind. None of them believed that there was anything left for their family, and what Asagai brought to the table is the interesting idea that up to the point that they received ten thousand dollars they had been living their lives. The existence of the ten thousand dollars of insurance money was clearly not key to their family if you made it this far without the money. While Walter certainly made a mistake it was not a fatal error. Overall it seems that Asagai was mostly brought in during this scene to represent a reasonable bystander's interpretation of the situation and put the family back on track.
ReplyDelete2. I personally don't think this play has a happy ending. Like the majority of endings it has positive aspects and negative aspects. It seems that on the positive side, Walter Jr has finally come into his own as the stereotypical "man of the family" and has succeeded in making his mother, sister, and wife proud. In addition to this there is a positive aspect in that they got out of the house that they had all felt so trapped in and pushed through to go to Clybourne Park. Of course we have no idea what will happen to the family when they reach their new home. In my opinion, simply for the safety of the family the decision to move is questionable. I think the fact that they ignored Lidner's offer is a fantastic showing of pride and strength, but there is some chance that it could put the family in serious danger in the future. I don't feel like this can be classified as a positive or negative ending, it has two sides to it, and while I think there have been some great strides towards happiness for the family, their physical as well as financial safety is worrisome.
3. The line I found most compelling in the final act was Asagai's line, "Ah-so this is what theNew World hath finally wrought." Not only because I love the word "wrought," but also because of the way Beneatha twists this kind remark into a negative comment directed at Walter. The idea that at this point in the novel, after essentially being proposed to, she would take such a well-meaning comment and throw it at her brother as an insult was surprising to me. I agree with her that Walter was a complete idiot in essentially throwing away the family's money, but even so her cruel comment is the equivalent of twisting the dagger that has already stabbed him. All in all I just thought this moment was an interesting scene.
1. I see Asagai as the opposite of Mrs. Johnson. They’re two opposing forces. Mrs. Johnson would have all of the black people stay in their places without striving to make a change (for better or worse) while Asagai just sees one big opportunity to stir the waters and set the wheels of progress in motion. I agree with both of them to some extent. I said in the last blog that I don’t think I would’ve decided to move into the house in Clyborn Park (although I probably can’t really understand their situation). Even Asagai’s inspiring words haven’t really changed my decision. Between a neighborhood with a reputation for using explosive devices as conflict resolution tools and a (relatively) large sum of money, I would take the money. That’s not to say I like Mrs. Johnson’s attitude. I agree with Asagai that people should strive for progress and change even where there is a chance of turbulence. However, I think everything should come in moderation. Joseph is obviously looking at the big picture. He talks passionately about how war, revolution, and possibly his own murder might come into play without a shred of fear. It’s probably safe to assume that Mrs. Johnson is more into self-preservation. I think Hansberry presents these two characters to give us an idea of the spectrum of people in the world. And caught in the middle of it is the Younger family.
ReplyDelete2. I think it’s happy in that they can finally free themselves of their run-down little apartment. They get to start fresh. It’s clear that their previous lifestyle was taking a heavy toll on all of them. If they had stayed much longer they might’ve really broken. It’s also clear that just the act of taking the money would have taken a large toll on their mental states. However I wouldn’t call it a happy ending. It’s progress. It’s a new journey like Asagai says. A journey that will likely end poorly for them. They can’t expect anything but a rough experience. Maybe their judgments are clouded by the desperation of their situation or maybe their just don’t care. It’s probably a little of both. Mrs. Johnson probably wasn’t wrong (despite her lack of class). It’s just a matter of how long before their names are in the newspaper. They might not be killed, but conflict is inevitable. This is probably not what’s supposed to be taken from the play at all, but I would’ve been more inclined to take the money and buy a house somewhere else. Won’t they be terrified living in a place like Clyborn Park? Will they really be free if they’re living in constant fear?
3. “Children see things very well sometimes—and idealists even better”(133). Asagai says this to Beneatha during their conversation at the beginning of act 3. I think this is a really interesting statement. I’m sure everyone, to some extent, wants to think this way. Everything is black and white for children. It’s so simple. Good is good and bad is bad. You should always do the right thing because it’s right. Right always beats wrong and good always beats evil. I suppose sometimes it takes an idealist to set things in motion where others have given up. But in the end, there’s a reason children think this way. It’s because the real world is too complicated for them to understand. How do you explain to a kid that you can’t move into the house you bought because your neighbors might blow you up? To some extent, it’s necessary to think like this. I don’t want to sound defeatist, but battles need to be chosen carefully. Sometimes it’s better to give up on one idea and seek success in another way. I don’t mean that the Youngers should give up on their hopes to move up in the world. But maybe with the extra money, they could work towards progress from a somewhat safer vantage point.
1. Asagai is the combination of the good aspects in all of these characters. He dreams of big things (Walter) and is book smart (Beneatha), smart (Ruth), wise (Lena), and innocent (Travis). He is the ideal man, and he is what the Youngers aspire to become. Asagai brings us away from the problems that the Youngers have and remind us that there are bigger problems to be solved, and our brief existence is worthwhile if we contribute to the betterment of humanity in some way.
ReplyDelete2. If Walter hadn’t messed up it could have been happier, but the fact that they accomplished at least one dream makes it a happy ending for me. They still have to deal with a baby, figure out what to do with Beneatha, and fight racism but at least they have a house to accomplish these tasks in. It is likely that the hardships may never end, but at least they got this moment of accomplishment that can be passed on to the next generation.
3. “He finally come into his manhood today, didn’t he”? Walter has finally grown up and taken charge of his family. Although I think the outcome may have been different if Travis were not there, Walter solidified his position by saying it out loud, and by doing that, he may start to believe in himself once again, and use his newfound pride to maybe carry out his dreams.
1. Asagai shows the freedom that change brings. When he bursts into the house with such life things began to change for the better. He begins to talk about how he loves moving because he loves movement and progress it creates. I think he represents the rebirth of the Youngers here. He gives Beneatha the spark she needed to get back on her feet again. This spreads through the family until it finally hits Walter when he tells Lindner that the family will move. This entire revival of spirit started with Asagai. He shows the Younger family that change is not always for the worst.
ReplyDelete2. I don't think this is very happy to me. They are moving into danger. Safety becomes the biggest issue. A colored family was bombed where they are moving. How are we to know it won't happen again? Also I am not so sure Walter has fully changed. As soon as they return to their regular family quarrels Walter starts speaking of money to Beneatha: "You better marry yourself a man with some loot..." (150). I feel as though the family will fall back into the same pattern they have been going through and Walter will still struggle with money just in a new location. I feel the family will fall back into the same routine but this time have the harsh racism of Clybourne Park to deal with at the same time.
3. In the scene of Asagai and Beneatha when Beneatha is finally telling us where the first idea of becoming a doctor came from Asagai said: "You wanted to be god?" (133). This struck me as very interesting for Beneatha, the one that earlier spoke out against God, to be associated as God. Also this idea of being a cure seems to me that Beneatha may not just want to cure others but herself and family as well. I thought their entire dialogue was very interesting and written well.
1) Asagai represents the way of thinking that the Younger's truly believe in at this stage in the play. He believes that freedom can be found without money, and that modern day society has created a world filled with useless problems and worries. Asagai can see past the check that comes in the mail, something that the Younger's finally achieved at the end of the play. Asagai and George Murchison are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Where Asagai believes in freedom, George believes in modern day success. These are the two sides of the moral argument that the Youngers have been bouncing back and forth between for the entire play. Scene 3 shows that Asagai has finally won.
ReplyDelete2) Yes it is. The final scene is happy because the family can move on. Even if they are harassed and oppressed at their new home, they have achieved change. They stood up to an oppressive force and moved together as a unit. The family has shown it's strength. It has shown where its priorities lie and despite the fact that money is their biggest issue, they believe that money is not the biggest solution. The Younger family now has a future. They walk out of the door to new beginnings, and despite the fact that it is not ensured that it will be a positive one, a future lies ahead of them.
3) "Then isn't there something wrong in a house--in a world--where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?" (135). This line is a wakeup call to the Younger family. Asagai has seen free people, and is convinced that money does not have to be a factor. He makes an excellent point that this family is obsessing over this check, when it all came from the death of a man. Asagai believes that true success comes from within a man's hard work and dedication to his success. As the play ends, Walter is now headed down this path, on his way towards true success.
1. I think Asagai represents regression and, in a way, oppression. Contrary to what most people have said I do not see him as the voice of reason or truth. Asagai wants Beneatha to run away from reality, run away from the modern world. His idea of freedom is running away.He believes in progress yet does not see the reality of the world. His idea of progress is both moving forward, yet mainly moving back. He wants a better future, a promising one, yet his idea of that is to run away from America back to the "good old days" in Africa where the threat of assassination is ever present. Asagai is the progression towards regression for the Younger family.
ReplyDelete2. It is happy, but not at the same time. there is the hope, the promise of the better future. Yet at the same time there is the underlying sense of doom. There are the gnawing questions of how will Beneatha afford college? What will happen after they move? How will their lives be better? If we knew the answer to these question then we could make a true assessment of whether or not it is a happy ending.
3. The line that jumped out at me was after Walter told Mr Lindner to basically go to hell Beneatha told Mr Lindner "that's what the man said." After repeatedly saying Walter was no longer a man, he finally stepped up and proved her wrong. This is her way of showing her love of her brother. Before she told Mama "that individual in that room is no brother of mine". Mama told her the one thing Walter senior and she taught Beneatha and Walter Lee was to love each other. Beneatha denounces her brother, she is horrified that he could so easily throw away her future. He let her down. Yet he makes up for that when he stands up to Mr Lindner. He proves to her that he is worthy of her love.
I tend to align Asagai's opinions about hope and change in this act with those of Lena throughout the play. In the narrative of success, Lena has held that there is more to life with money, and that happiness can be found all around us. Asagai thinks along the same lines (literally). He thinks that what Beneatha terms as realistic is not bring realistic at all, and he longs to recognize his own dreams as realistic, which is ultimately what anyone must do to move forward. Asagai's purpose in the play is to provide a certain perspective, which is not quite the cynicism of George Murchison or the views of Lena, but to make the reader consider not only the situation with respect to America, but also to Africa.
ReplyDeleteThe main goal of the Younger family has been met, and they are moving out of their apartment and into a house of their own. Yet there are many loose ends left untied by Hansberry: Beneatha, the money situation, and most importantly, what life will be like for them in the new neighborhood. From the statements of Lindner, it seems as thought what they might gain by having a house of their own could be mitigated by unfriendly attitude, to say the least, of their fellow residents. I would like to think that the Youngers do just fine in the new house, but something tells me that not everything is going to come out perfectly.
My favorite quote from this part of the play sums up Lena's philosophy pretty well: "There is always something left to love" (145). One of our principal themes of discussion in class has been to identify why Mama thinks the way she does, and I thought it was interesting the comparisons that could be drawn between her opinion of Booker T Washington, a staunch assimilationist, and her thoughts on the necessities of life. Although Lena clearly does not agree with totally repressing Black culture in order to favor the White, European culture, she also is more reserved in saying that one must be happy with what one has. I found it particularly interesting earlier in the play when Beneatha referred to the music Ruth was listening to while ironing as "assimilationist junk." if it had been Bach, I might have agreed with her, but the stage directions say that it was blues, a genre of music which incorporates a great deal of Black culture. Perhaps Beneatha spoke too soon.
Asagai is refreshing in this scene. Beneatha is the only school educated one in the Younger family and we hear a lot of her rants about the world and the human kind, but she is very dramatic and extreme, so hearing Asagai put into perspective what they are learning in school with real life is reassuring. Asagai realizes that one cannot change everything just by upgrading or becoming a doctor, it still takes time. This relates to the fact that the Youngers think that moving to a house will make their lives so much better, and it will give them more room to “express themselves” and more privacy, but it will not change their jobs for them and many things will stay the same. To majorly change their situation it will take time. Asagai also bring up this idea of Beneatha moving to Africa with him. Beneatha has an opportunity to “escape” and change her life.
ReplyDeleteI think it has a somewhat optimistic look into the future, in the sense that the Youngers are standing strong together and finally are working together after having hurt each other. At the end there is this feeling of things being back to normal, with Walter and Beneatha bickering, and Mama and Ruth sort of laughing about it. At the same time though there is a sense of excitement and anxiety as they leave the apartment and chase after the dream they have decided to pursue. I wouldn’t describe it as a happy ending, but more of one which leaves the reader with hope and a smile on their face because of the determination the Youngers are confronting their future with.
MAMA: “…Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain’t through learning—because that ain’t the time at all. It’s when he’s at his lowest and can’t believe in hisself ’cause the world done whipped him so!” I really like what Mama says here and I think this is essentially what holds the Youngers together. Mama’s belief in support, dreams, and propelling forward makes it so they stick together. Walter and Beneatha do not realize how important it is and helpful to have each other, and that is why Mama, I think, tries to maintain power in this household.
Being from the "motherland" Asagai, is able to add yet another element of complexity to the play. He does not see race the way the Youngers do, or Mrs Johnson, or George Murcheson. Asagai is the poet, he's a philosopher who represents a struggle that is seen not only in the black but in the white community. Although it is only hinted at in the white community. When Walter hears all of those white boys his age talking about deals involving millions of dollars, that really only his imagination. Asagai is priceless, his value lies in thought, not his profession or his successes. It seems radical, but for him and Beneatha that is the only thing that counts. He helps to show what this struggle is really about, and gives not only hope but perspective and ultimately, a sense of acceptance.
ReplyDeleteThe final scene, when Walter decides to move regardless of the consequences, is a small triumphant step, but as Asagai reminds them, it will go slow, and they may not see the change, but things have changed. Even just in Mama's lifetime, she was witness to a dramatic improvement. For Walter, it is a victory, he is finally the man of the house. He can finally take responsibility for his actions and make his own decisions, and learn from his own mistakes. He has freedom from his oppressive, but loving mother, and he has so much more to learn. As far as entertainment factor, the end of the play was unsatisfying. It is definitely subtle, and it can be argued that it is really not an end but simply a beginning, because in their old apartment, the Youngers were fighting themselves and people like Mrs. Johnson, but in Clybourne Park, they'll face the enemy head on.
The only thing I can be sure of is that there is always more to learn, and Lena hit the nail of the head when she's talking to Beneatha, the young'un of the family, "you ain't through learning". For me, that really is the driving force for each of these characters, is that they are having to learn and change and adapt, and eventually there will be fruits for their labor.
I find Asagai to be a peacekeeper and a sense of comfort for Beneatha by showing her that. She has to remain positive despite what has happened. His deep words are reasonable and it shows how he is unique and has not been trapped into the mainstream views and oppression most of the characters live in. He controls himsel and does not let the world affect how he views life. He is similar to Susan in the Paperchase by being the voice of reason.
ReplyDeleteI feel it is a content ending because everyone has achieve what they wanted all along. Walter finally stands up and makes his family proud Travis will get to live in the new house and Ruth can finally leave the misery behind, same with Lena and Bennie. But it will not be perfect either they will have to deal with new things that will come up.
I was proud of Walter when he told Lindner [ "we have decided to move into our house because my father—my father—he earned it for us brick by brick." It symbolizes how far Walter has come and how he has grown and made the memory of his father proud. He has become the head of the household and has become strong and made an intelligent dicision. He has changed his views and prefers life over his obsession for money. He finnaly puts his family before himself. The stage direction shows how his mom is proud and so is the rest of the Youngets.
1, Asagai represents hope. He is showing them, specifically Beneatha that she can still have a fulfilling life, although it will not be easy. Asagai is showing Beneatha that she can have everything she wants. The family is feeling like there is nothing left for them in this money-ruled world, but he shows them that there is much more to what they have and what they can do.
ReplyDelete2. I think it is a happy ending. Some people are saying that they will return to their old ways but I thought the whole point of the last scene was to show them coming together, which is something they don't do often. Walter finally becomes the head of the household because he fights for what they all deserve, not just him. There's a lot of baggage that comes with living in Clybourne park, but they are now mentally and emotionally prepared to face it together.
3. I loved the line, "Child, when do you think the time is to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning- because that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and can't believe in hisself 'cause the world done whipped him so." Even though Mama has shown her lack of trust in Walter which has caused him to lash out, we see that she still loves him the same as when he was a little boy. She wants nothing but the best for him. I thought this line really showed her "Mama" qualities.
1. I feel that in this scene, Asagai is the voice of comfort for a stricken Beneatha. She has just faced the shock of learning that her brother has invested not only the money that was supposed to be set aside for her medical schooling but also the money the money beyond that, and lost all of it. It seems like she has lost all hope at this point, even abandoning her dreams and deeming them unrealistic. However, once Asagai shows up, things seem to lighten up. Not only does Beneatha cheer up and regain her resolve, but she may have found herself.
ReplyDelete2. I feel that it is. Even thought all that money was lost (was it $6500?) and things are looking dow for the family, the Youngers bring their heads up and walk forward. They decide not to bend their will to the short white man and move in, despite all off the unfortunate events that have happened. They are being strong together. It is a step forward for them.
3. I think the lines that jumped out to me were the lines when Lena said “We ain’t never been that—dead inside.” I just seemed so emotional and heartbreaking for her to hear and see that her son is bowing down to someone, being subservient. She is so disappointed, as are Beneatha and Ruth, that he would steep so low for some money.
1I think Asagai is a very important character in the whole play because I think he represents a point of view that we have not seen a lot of through the play. He shows someone that is proud of their culture and proud of who they are and has hope that there is more in life and is striving to get better, and do more with his life. He is not as stuck or as inhibited by societies teachings or beliefs, and he is one of the only characters we meet that does not look down upon the Youngers' but tries to help them. I think like many people have said that Asagai helps to keep beneatha grounded and not get swept up in the sadness. He is a shining beacon of hope for the Younger family and especially for Beneatha. I think Asagai helps the family see reality and not over-dramatize their situation to an extreme, or to a place that could jeopardize their future. I really like Asagai because he seems to be happy and comfortable with himself.
ReplyDelete2. I think this is a happy ending. The whole book we have seen the family pushing each other away and breaking down but for the first time we see them come together. They are unified, one unit working together. This is what Lena has wanted for a long time and even though the reason they came together is not the best, and is a very hard thing to deal with, the fact they are once again a family and are their for each other makes the blow a lot softer. No longer do they have to fend for themselves. Seperatley they are all very strong characters, however at first when they "unified" at all they were very weak, but after this kick to their family, not only are they still strong as individuals but they are even stronger as a family unit.
3.One of the lines that stood out to me is when Asagai says, "Then isn't there something wrong in a house-in a world- where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?" That just resonated with me because this whole play there have been some subtle and not so subtle references to where the money comes from, and I feel like Lorraine does a very good job of adding all of these other layers to the story that are very important to discuss and every time we get close to the subject of Big Walter and where the money came from, she adds another layer. I think this is a very important. John, can we talk about this? I think that the fact that Lena used this money and did not wait to invest or put some of it into anything else, the reason she bought a house with this money is because she wants their house to be built on top of Big Walter. I think that a lot of the things we have have been talking about go back to Big Walter and his impact on the family and especially on Lena. I think she thinks that she did not do that much during her life that her kids can truly be proud of, and I think she is trying to make up for that with the house.
1. I think Joseph Asagai is important in the play because he introduces an alternative to the system that the Youngers live in. You can tell by his reaction when he finds out that the Youngers money was stolen that he thinks about money in a different way. I think that this novel, like most of the other novels about the American Dream, tries to make us question what exactly we value in our lives and asks us to consider why we value it. Asagai can also represent some kind of hope or resilience for the family; he has been able to work his way to America from Africa, and he always seems to keep a positive attitude.
ReplyDelete2. I thought that the book had a happy ending the first time I read it, and I still agree with that. Sure, clearly it is not like everything is fixed for the Youngers, but they are absolutely making progress by finally moving out of that apartment after 35 years. I think the ending is great because it shows that you can still get ahead in the world, even if you endure a lot of hardships to get there.
3. I loved the line where Beneatha said "while I was sleeping in that bed in there, people went out and took the future right out of my hands! And nobody asked me, nobody consulted me." (134)I think that this quote could really be used to, in a sense, describe the entire living situation of the black community in Chicago. I doubt that people like the Youngers were the ones responsible for making the houses in black neighborhoods cost twice as much, but yet they still have twice as hard of a time making it out of poverty than a white family in the same situation would have. They didn't do anything to create their situation besides being born black in 1950s America.
I think that Asagai is a very important character in the play, because he stands for both the voice of reason and a sense of hope. He supports Beneatha when she is at her lowest, while at the same time helping her understand the difficulty of race. He helps Beneatha understand, that just becoming a Doctor or moving out of a house wont change the race as a whole. Asagai is perhaps the most important character in the play, because he shows what one can achieve if one tries. He is the most reasonable character in the play, but I also think he kindest. I think its a happy ending. Even though they lost the $6500, they became closer as a family. They stood up together and fought back against the white men who were trying to push them down. Throughout the play, I think that the point they were trying to achieve was unity. They constantly try and become more united, but something always seems to split them apart, whether it is money or alcohol. They also each achieved something individuality. Walter got to express his sense of individuality and made an effort to support his family (A+ for effort), Travis gets to start a new and better life (hopefully without rats), Mama and Lena get to move away from the house that brought them down (and move to a bigger one), and Beneatha gets to express herself and move forward. By the end of the book, I think they are closer and more of a family.
ReplyDeleteThe line that really stuck out to me was said by Asagai to Beneatha during their conversation. He said "You wanted to be God?" which I think is really ironic because Beneatha is constantly speaking out and denouncing god. I thought it was really funny and world breaking that Beneatha is being compared to the very thing which she doesn't believe in. I thought that their entire conversation was very interesting, and I also thought that it was funny because I see Beneatha as an adult teenager.
1) I think Asagai represents the acceptance of the small changes that the family can make in the world around them and within their lives. No, they haven't obliterated racism or completely set themselves up for the future but they have purchased a house and they are moving in to a white neighborhood. They're fighting to achieve something and they are now accepting that although they may not get exactly what they want, they can achieve some small successes and they can feel happy with those.
ReplyDelete2) I think that it is. I think that the biggest achievement of the family is the peace they have found with each other despite everything they've been through and everything they are face with. Despite the loss of the money, they are making a new start and going somewhere that is better than where they are and I feel like that does make for a happy ending.
3) I loved the line when Ruth claimed that she would "scrub all the floors in America and wag all the sheets in America if I have to -- but we got to MOVE! We got to get OUT OF HERE!!" because it shows what the family is willing to endure to move up in the world. It shows that they're willing to go through a lot to make a change. They are not sullenly demanding equality, they are fighting for it, and I absolutely love that.