In thinking about the play this morning, I came to marvel at the way Lorraine Hansberry managed to incorporate as many disparate voices in it as she did. There's the family itself, as we've talked about. But then there is George Murchison (who leaves the play with such a sweet kiss off from Lena); there is Mrs. Johnson, who was cut from many revivals of the play; there is Mr. Lindner, the reasonable representative from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association; there is Asagai, who will return in Act Three. It's as if Hansberry put all of America—at least the America the Youngers would encounter—on the stage. It's not always a pretty picture.
I hope everyone had a good, relaxing break. To start off our conversation tomorrow and for the next couple days, address the following questions.
1. For the girls only. Imagine the play without Mrs. Johnson (as it was for many years, as noted above). What would we miss by her absence? What does she bring to the play? Go ahead and quote from the play in your answer. Try to not repeat each other—add to the discussion with your comments.
1. For the boys only. Also cut in the original production and revivals that followed (it's missing from both the Bill Duke production we've been watching as well as the Kenny Leon television production with Sean Combs and Audra MacDonald which we'll glimpse at in the next couple days) is the scene at the end of scene two between Walter and Travis. Just as I asked the girls, imagine the play without this scene. What would miss by its absence? What does it bring to the play? Go ahead and quote from the play in your answer. As always, try to not repeat each other—add to the discussion with your comments.
2. For everyone. Perhaps the most gut wrenching scene in the entire play occurs at the end of Act Two. You know which one—when Walter, when the whole family, discovers what happened to the $6500 dollars Lena entrusted to him. You reaction to the scene? Your reaction to Walter?
3. Finally, the aftermath to the scene with Lindner (this never gets cut). Look at pages 119-121, from Walter kicking the white man out to Lena's "It expresses ME!" What strikes you about the way the Youngers deal with the first overt racism we see in the play? Go ahead and quote from the scene (and everyone, do not use the same quote).
That's it. See you all tomorrow for the final push to finals. There will be a quiz on Tuesday, the assignment of an out-of-class paper in the next couple days, and a revised schedule to take us to Christmas.
2. That scene is a disappointment. After the family finally gets some light and hope in their lives, Walter lets them down. Walter begged for this money in order to succeed and fulfill his dream, yet in the end, Walter fails. Walter doesn't only fail himself. He fails his family and Mama and his father. Walter ruined the family's future and hopes. He ruined Beneatha and Travis's future and dreams. I'm just disappointed in Walter. He was always immature and selfish. He kept begging and complaining and finally he was given his chance and he blew it.
ReplyDelete3. I think it's kind of interesting how the Youngers kind of laugh off the racism. They are all very sarcastic when they're telling Mama what happened. Walter and Ruth are giggling when Beneatha says, "The Welcoming Committee. They said they're sure going to be glad to see you when you get there." Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha aren't taking the racism seriously and are just joking around. They think it's kind of amusing. Beneatha says, "What they think we going to do--eat 'em?" Maybe the Youngers are handling this racism in this way, because they're used to this, and now it's just funny to them. They think it's amusing how scared white people are of them. They don't really care. They just keep packing and laughing off Linder and the racism.
1. I think that by keeping Mrs. Johnson in the play, we get to see sort of how the Younger’s neighbors feel about the Younger family moving out to Clybourne Park. I think that she brings a sense of Lena’s generation out to the play as a second view point. Lena may be old fashioned in some respects, but her thinking is very progressive most of the time compared to other people her age, like Mrs. Johnson. If Lena wasn’t so self-determined and sure and confident of herself like she is, she’d probably be a lot like Mrs. Johnson, who seems to have given up on herself and her family, shown on page 103: “Mmmmmm. The Youngers is too much for me! You sure one proud-acting bunch of colored folks. Well—I always thinks like Booker T. Washington said that time—‘Education has spoiled many a good plow hand’” This quote just shows Mrs. Johnson’s views and sort of how self-oppressing they are. She’s saying that education has spoiled people who could have worked hard as laborers instead of learning. It’s possible that Mama could have had that same viewpoint as Mrs. Johnson, but something about Mama is different. She has a real authentic faith in people, which really shows in this scene, especially in juxtaposition to Mrs. Johnson’s obnoxious inauthenticity.
ReplyDelete2. For me, my first and honest reaction was just frustrated and angry at Walter. Lena took a leap of faith in him, just like she did every day. She finally believed him and did what he asked, and he lost it all. Lena knew it wasn’t reliable, but she maybe thought that Walter knew better than to invest it all, but both he and his dream were unreliable in this scene. I ended up feeling a little bit bad for Walter because he got seriously screwed over by Willy, but this scene verified Lena’s doubts in Walter. She felt that he didn’t respect his father and mother’s hard work, and this scene sealed that idea for me at least. All of his father’s hard work, that he died for, was thrown away by a mistake, which Walter made. I felt a bit of sympathy for Walter, but I really just was more appalled by him than anything else.
3. In this scene, I thought it was really powerful how Beneatha, Ruth and Walter all made it clear how ridiculous they thought Lindner was being. “He said they hardly can’t wait. He said the one thing they don’t have, that they just dying to have out there is a fine family of fine colored people. Ain’t that right?” (120). The younger adults of the family see how ridiculous Linder was being but also understand the gravity of the situation, but choose to make light of it in this scene. I think it’s brave, but others might call it cowardly.
1. This scene conveys the hope and joy of Walter to his son, and is Walter's attempt to reassure Travis that everything is all right and getting better, just as when Walter gave Travis the dollar. Also, Travis does not (yet, at least) have the ambition that Walter has. Without this scene the next might not be AS heart-wrenching. Walter has let down his son once again, and this time, there is no clear way to fix that. It is terrible to have Walter "hand [Travis] the world" in one moment, and then have nothing in the next. If this scene were omitted, then we would not see Travis's want to be just like his father, "I just want to be like you", which makes Walter's let down of the family even more crushing.
ReplyDelete2. Walter is careless with his ambition. He holds his entire family's life with that check, yet he didn't even know the guy he was dealing with. The scene just broke my heart. Everything was going for them, and in the same hour, there was nothing. Everybody's life was gone, just because Walter rushed into things without thought of anybody else. Beneatha can't afford school anymore, and whatever trust Walter's family once had in him has been completely thrown out of the window. I can't even comprehend why in the world, after Lena entrusts this money to him, Walter would still not listen and put money that is meant for an education, a very tangible resource, into a gamble with a liquor store. He gave away money that wasn't his, but from the moment he saw that check, he immediately thought that he was the only person entitled to the money, with no regard for anybody else.
3. They quite obviously don't take this seriously, or rather just don't care. They read in the newspaper's about racist bombings, and yet they don't believe that it could happen to them. Lindner doesn't seem like a violent racist, but the culture that he is used to is so casually racist, he just "hate[s]... with good Christian fellowship".
I think this scene between Walter and Travis really shows their relationship, the relationship between father and son, that hasn't been shown up until this point in the play. I see the main reason that Walter wants to financially succeed in his life, the main reason he wants to provide for his family, is pride. It's a man's pride, and it's something boys learn from their fathers, who learned it from their fathers. Here in this scene, we finally have a confident Walter who feels he is capable of obtaining and maintaining pride because he is in a better financial position (he thinks) and he talks to Travis about it. "About you and what kind of man you going to be when you grow up...Son-son, what do you want to be when you grow up?" He talks to him about the future and his future full of success, what he wants to be, but if you get down to the nitty gritty, it is a conversation about pride. He has gained pride himself in the only way he sees possible, so he feels he can now teach his own son about pride. It's almost as if he hasn't talked to him at any other point in the play because he is ashamed to, because he has nothing to offer if not pride. This whole idea of a man's pride comes in at many points in this play, and without this conversation between Travis and Walter, one might miss this theme or not acknowledge it the way they must when this scene is part of the play.
ReplyDeleteThis scene really came as no surprise to me at all. Something was bound to go wrong, something was bound to happen, because this is simply a play about struggle. It is unrealistic to think that everything would go swimmingly the moment the check came in the mail. Plus, that would make for one boring play. I think something even worse will go wrong still, that this is not the end of their hardships, because their whole lives have been full of hardships, and that's what Lorraine Hansberry is trying to hammer home. Obviously this is a book about the American Dream as all of our books are, but this scene is Hansberry reminding us that and really emphasizing her own view on the dream. As for Walter, I have to say I truly feel bad for him. No, he doesn't do what he's supposed to in that he doesn't put Beneatha's money in the bank, and yes he does act foolishly in trusting someone he shouldn't, but it is all because he becomes blinded by the fact that he might actually make something of his life. He is finally presented with an opportunity to provide for his family and obtain a little bit of pride, and he becomes so excited and wrapped up in this ideas that he fails to question the actual validity of it, to step back and logically look at the situation. In this case, to take a step back and look at how wise it would really be to trust this character Willy. He is naive, and I feel sympathy for him because he doesn't know what he's doing as he's never done it before.
I find it pretty peculiar the way they deal with racism. Of course it comes as no surprise that Walter kicks Lindner out of the house, as he should in my opinion, but I found it strange how they are almost joking about it afterwards. It's almost as if Beneatha, Ruth, and Walter have never really experienced it, so they don't take it seriously. In my opinion they should be taking it extremely seriously, not laughing about it, but they just sort of brush it off as a nuisance that they can joke about. Mama on the other hand has experienced it, and she sees it as no laughing matter. She knows how terrible and dangerous racism can be and she takes it seriously. "Father, give us strength. Did he threaten us? Lord, protect us..." I see this all as foreshadowing, almost like a "knock on wood" type deal, as something terrible that will happen later on pertaining to racism.
What you've hit on here, Sam, as have several of you, is the idea that the Youngers aren't taking the racism seriously—and in your take, Lena sees it "as no laughing matter." Think about how this scene moves—to Lena's making fun of Beneatha's earlier "I'm expressing me." I would ask you all to think about what comes out of this awful moment as being one of the first and few ties we see the family united, across generations.
Delete1. I agree with Molly when she says that Hansberry put Mrs. Johnson in the play to show us how other people see the Youngers. I also think that the reason that she put Mrs. Johnson in is because she offers an honest voice and opinion on the Younger family as a whole but also because she seems to criticize the women more than the men and the women are in charge of the family so she‘s basically criticizing the head of the house. She talks about Beneatha, she asks about Ruth, she butts heads with Lena and she only politely asks about Walter and Travis. I think she is kind of the typical old woman in some senses: she speaks her mind, refuses to admit she’s wrong and knows that no one has the nerve to stand up to her. I think she kind of states her own personal philosophy on page 102 when she says “But you have to think of life like it is”. I think without her we wouldn’t have any outside criticism, particularly of the women in the Younger family, and its important that we do because without it, our judgment on the family becomes a little skewed.
ReplyDelete2. Well I wasn’t surprised Walter did it. I think he let his hunger for success cloud his judgment and he was left with pure excitement which led to him making rash decisions. I don’t think Lena should have given him so much to be in charge of so quickly. I think in this case where this kind of money is on the line for a family that doesn’t have much to begin with, Walter needs to be treated like a child. He needed to work his way up in terms of levels of responsibility and since he hadn’t been in charge of anything of that magnitude, he acted like a child with it. He was completely selfish in using all of the money for his dream and not considering Beneatha. I think he got trigger happy and really messed up his one chance to make his family prosper.
3. They made a joke and a game out of it, like they didn’t really think it was a big deal. They seemed comfortable making a joke out of it which I think shows that this is not the first time they’ve dealt with someone like Linder. I also think this scene shows the difference between the 2 generations and how different (for lack of a better word) styles of racism are. Beneatha, Ruth and Walter are joking around, mocking Linder, being playful about it and Lena automatically asked if he threatened them. But I think that Lena also shows that she refuses to deal with it any longer and continues to prep the family in moving when she says “Fixing my plant so it wont get hurt none on the way…” (121).
1. At first the scene gave me a sense of hope that things might get better. Shortly after Walter gave his final speech, I realized that it was simply more dreaming. By taking it out, productions miss the hope and dreams that Walter is passing down to Travis. I think that this scene is important because it shows Walter as dreamer. It shows that dreaming is good but Walter gets carry away, "The more he talks the farther away he gets" (108). It is important to see that Walter has trouble staying in reality and is passing his dreams on to Travis. In my opinion, it demonstrates a part of the American Dream which is trying to achieve something for your children.
ReplyDelete2. I was shocked when I read this scene. I had started to imagine that the family were finally going to have a peaceful time. I felt really bad about the entire family. I was really disappointed in Walter. I could understand about losing his part of the money but using Beneatha's money was plain stupidity. I was angry at his stupidity but I later felt pity when I realized that his good intentions blinded him about business. It appears that Walter simply can't win.
3. I first thought it was great the way they reacted and showed Lindner that they had as much rights as him. I found the way they laughed it out very brave but I later thought it was very foolish not to take it serious. It might be like a silly thing but some people are very capable of doing cruel acts, " people can get awful worked up when they feel that their whole way of life and everything they've ever worked for is threatened" (119). I think that it is important for them to take precautions.
1. This scene, when first read, displays hope and happiness for the Younger family. But after the money is lost, This scene is sad and Ironic. Even before we find out about the money, We see Travis, dreaming the biggest he can dream, when his father asks him, . He is unlike his father in that he has accepted the fate that his financial status has written him, and he does not even know it.When his father comes home, the first thing he says is, "What's the matter, Daddy? You drunk?" (107). Walter has created an image of himself in front of his greatest love, his son, as a drunk. The sadness of the scene piles on further and further. Walter goes off into his cloud of hopes and dreams, only to realize, just as the family realizes, that his dreams are crushed in that final scene.
ReplyDelete2. The entire mood of the play does a flip, as the family realizes that the money is now gone, and they are about to move into a racist neighborhood that they are not welcome in. Walter is in a position no man or woman would want to be in, as he has let down his entire family, put them in a horrible situation, and had his dream crushed simultaneously in one foul swoop. This scene brings back the Younger's to their jaded, untrusting, angry selves, and it sends a message in the play that their entire future was dependent on one man, a man they didn't even know, and he stole the money and left them to die. Trust was a huge theme and the message sent was not to trust.
3. This scene as Sam was saying, was not what I expected on how the family took the blatant racist action, but it is in many ways a coping technique they assume to try to avoid soiling the great dream of their family. They choose to ignore it because the house, is in many ways a new start for the family and entering into that new start with racism and anger is worse than what they came out of. When Benethea explains to Mama that Linder was "The welcoming committee", she adds, " They said they're sure going to be glad to see you when you get there" (120). This is directly after Walter assumes his head-of-the-house role and kicks Linder out, and they are giggling at the joke Benethea has just played. The entire family unanimously denies the racism and turn it into a joke to cope.
1. I’m really surprised that anyone would cut this out. This scene really gives weight to the scene when they find out that Walter’s “friend” was scamming him. I didn’t ever really believe what Walter was saying. It’s clear that Walter did, but the more that I read, the worse I felt about the deal and Walter’s future. Even if the liquor store had actually come through, none of Walter’s dream was realistic. How would becoming the co-owner of a liquor store gain him entry into the world of “conferences and secretaries getting things wrong the way they do…”(108)? Did he really expect his store to spawn a chain successful enough to get him into that position? Then he talks about what he plans to buy: “…just a plain black Chrysler…with white walls—no—black tires…though I’ll have to get something a little sportier for Ruth—maybe a Cadillac convertible to do her shopping in”(109). If his speech had been a little more realistic, I may have been inclined to believe him. But, the more he spoke, the more I realized he was delusional. Now, there’s nothing wrong with hope. He deserves some hope. He deserves everything that he’s promising to Travis. But at a certain point hope becomes unhealthy. Walter certainly has an unhealthy amount of hope. The content of his speech made me question his stability when setting up this deal. Someone so desperate will latch onto even the smallest shred of opportunity, no matter how untrustworthy his or her partner is. This scene lifts Walter up to his highest possible level so his crash is that much worse.
ReplyDelete2. This scene was hard to read. After Walter’s speech to Travis, I knew it was inevitable. Everyone knew it was a bad idea to invest in the liquor store, but Walter guilted Mama into it. The one thing that I hadn’t really thought about was that Walter would use all of the money instead of setting aside a share for Beneatha like Mama told him to. That moment was the lowest of the low. In a way, it might’ve been what Walter needed though. He’d been caught up in his unrealistic dream for a long time. Then, he finally hit rock bottom, and after a short period of absolute depression, it seemed to clear his head. He transforms back into what he must’ve been like before the changes Mama talked about started to set in.
3. Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t take the money that Linder offered. I guess it was the principal of the thing. They just needed to get out of that apartment. I guess there’s no way I could really know how they felt. I also suppose that no progress would’ve ever been made if nobody had tried to fight back against the racism by exerting their rights. But I would not want to move into a neighborhood where people of my race were being blown up. I wouldn’t want to move to a neighborhood where anyone was getting blow up. Maybe I’m just not brave enough. I would’ve taken the money and bought a house in a friendlier neighborhood. But, judging from how happy and free they seemed ( “Well—that’s the way the crackers crumble”(121) and, “The Welcoming Committee. They said they’re sure going to be glad to see you when you get there”(120) ), I suppose it was the right choice. Who knows what would’ve happened if they had stayed. Walter might’ve gone the way of Willy Loman.
1. This scene seems to show both the father son relationship between Walter and Travis that we see very little of up to this point, as well as to show us the Walter's ambitious hopes for the future, which we later see crushed. The scene as a whole only served to make me skeptical of Walter's future. Using the hopeful ideas that Walter expresses in his conversation with Travis, and what we have seen up to this point in the novel I assumed that nothing positive was coming up. The positive aspect of the scene is that Walter is finally deciding to express some interest in his son's future. In addition to this he tells his son that he won't be drinking any more, which we can hope he decides to stick to. But on the negative side, and as Aldo said, we realize some way into Walter's speech that everything he's just told his son is just more dreaming. All of his commentary about the cars he will by and the job he will have only serves to help Walter hold onto his hope that he may finally be able to give his family, specifically Travis, a future. All in all the scene could be taken in either a positive or negative light, in a way Walter is doing a good job connecting with his son, but in another he is simply giving Travis false hopes about the future.
ReplyDelete2. As I said before I had seen something along these lines coming, but the reality of the situation hit hard. I had imagined that the business deal would simply fall through, but the fact that not only did Walter willfully not put any money in the bank, and that one of his friends ran off with all of the money was a shock. The realization came at such a sad time. Just when things were looking up for the family Lorraine throws the family yet another curveball. At this point in the novel it seems that nothing can go right for the Younger family. When Walter finally gets his chance to be the head of the family he goes and throws it all away. The most fascinating aspect about the situation is the three dimensionality of Walter's character. After seeing his most recent interactions with Ruth it's hard to dislike him as a character, but just afterward he goes and ruins his family.
3. The scene is almost uplifting. It seemed to me that rather than reacting in an upset or offended way as I probably would have given the situation they rolled with the experience and made jokes about it. In a way this reaction is depressing as it shows that the family has completely accepted the unfairness of the situation and feel that the only way to deal with it is to accept it and move on. The quote that was most memorable for me was Beneatha's joking comment, "The Welcoming Committee, they said they're sure going to be glad to see you when you get there." This quote shows how the family does not take the situation very seriously, and I think there is a positive aspect in that they keep the mood light.
1. I think that the scene with Mrs. Johnson shows what the Youngers are up against within their community. By trying to make their situation better, their community reacts in a resentful way, thinking that Younger’s are “one proud-acting bunch of colored folks” (103). Mrs. Johnson quotes Booker T. Washington saying “‘Education has spoiled many a good plow hand” (103). What Beneatha’s doing is clearly so against the grain and looked at with irritation by the community. The Youngers seem to be truly on their own and their steps towards a better life are not supported by their community. I thought this was an interesting similarity to later when Lindner visits, because in the white community they aren’t welcomed or accepted, they same way, as Mrs. Johnson leads us to believe, the black community doesn’t accept them. Their efforts to make a difference in their life are completely disregarded by both of these communities. I find it strange that this scene was cut in so many versions, because it is an important interaction between the Younger family and their community, showing just how brave the Youngers are for not doing what is expected of them.
ReplyDelete2. I found it incredibly difficult to read this scene and to see Walter make this mistake because in the earlier scene when Mama told him she trusted him with the money, Walter’s attitude changed. Ruth talked about how they went on their first date in a long time and she seemed happy. But moments later, all of this progress is ruined and it’s doubtful that anyone in the Younger family will trust Walter with any kind of responsibility again. Like Sam said, Walter was bound to make a mistake like this, but I just really hoped that Walter would finally do something good for his family.
3. I found the whole exchange between Lindner and the Youngers was both hilarious and upsetting at the same time. Lindner says some awful things, like “you’ve got to admit that a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way” (117). The way he patronizes them from the start by suggesting that him coming to them to talk about this is “friendly” and a sign of “caring about the other fellow” (117) is idiotic. But the way the Youngers respond to it and the way they chose not to play the victim I found to be somewhat uplifting. They bested Lindner and showed him that they can’t be scared or bullied into being submissive.
1. I clearly see it as a sign of hope. We see for the first time a shining future in which Travis is growing up and experiencing choices of his own. If this scene was cut we would never see the Younger family think ahead more than a week at a time. Never before has the family mentioned sending Travis to college, they are having a hard enough time as it is with Beneatha. Maybe Walter gets overly happy and drifts off into his daydream but the idea is still sweet. I thought the line from Walter about the college catalogues was the most interesting: "We'll go up to your room to see you sitting on the floor with the catalogues of all the great schools in America around you..." (109). I thought this was childish and a crazy dream. I think Walter might have been describing his seventeen year old dream life.
ReplyDelete2. Really sad. I think the thing that struck me the most was that he was just talking about a beautiful future for Travis and dancing with Ruth like it was the best moments of his life when he knew in his head he had disobeyed Mama. Walter let down not only Beneatha by not putting away her three thousand dollars, but He could have supported his entire family for the rest of their lives if he had been a little smarter, slowed down and talked about what he should do with the money. I don't feel bad for him at all because this was what he wanted. He wanted a chance to express himself just like everyone else in this family and he blew it. Now he has to live with the shame that he could have helped his family.
3. They seem to joke about it. It was very interesting to me while reading it that suddenly when Mama came in everyone, (Ruth, Walter and Beneatha), was on the same wavelength. All three acted like the Man from the "Welcoming Committee" acted kindly to them: "They just dying to have out there a fine family of fine colored people." (120). There was laughter in the air even in the face of such a harsh topic of conversation. Mama was the only one that didn't really joke. She understood what happened and it was probably good that she wasn't in the room. I feel that she is a little scared at he own decision to move into a white neighborhood.
1. Mrs. Johnson adds another perspective to the table. She is a character that speaks her mind readily and isn't bothered with the consequences. She skirts around the truth and tries to make herself seem superior. When talking about Clybourne Park she says that the headline will read, "NEGROES INVADE CLYBOURNE PARK- BOMBED," (102), but then goes onto say, "Oh honey- you know I'm praying to God every day that don't nothing like that happen. But you have to think of life like it is.." (102). She shows the family's decision to move to Clybourne Park in a new light. We see it through the perspective of the neighbors right through the mouth of this woman who makes sure her voice is heard. Without this conversation a person could watch this play without any questions forming in his head about the plot, but it adds perspective and new ideas to the play.
ReplyDelete2. Everything seemed to be on an upward slope for the Yourngers before this moment. I was severely disappointed but not all that surprised with Walter's decision to put all of the $6,500 into the liquor store. He didn't even think to save some for Beneatha's medical school bills. He was to caught up in his dreams for success to think of reality. It was a very touching moment when Lena gave Walter the money and I really hoped that Walter would be more careful with it. The scene when Bobo told Walter what happened was heartbreaking. Lena's cries of "Strength" (130) ended the act with tension set very high and hope slowly declining. Now I am even more curious to see what the next act holds.
3. I can understand why the family jokes about the racism shown to them. The other option is to ignore it or complain. Laughing about it is a way for the family to get their feelings out in the open about Lindner's visit to their house without having to talk about it seriously and darkly. There are some lines where they talk without jokes and shed a more serious light on the situation, "You should hear the money those folks raised to buy the house from us. All we paid and then some," (121). After this the family slides around the topic with tones ranging from seriousness to laughter. The Youngers don't want to think too much about the neighborhood they are moving into, laughter keeps the haunting warnings of Mrs. Johnson at bay. Laughing about the situation is the only way they can get through it.
1. I think Ms. Johnson is kind of artificial. She comes off fake to me. She prances around the apartment trying to be nice to the Youngers. But I agree with Jenny. She shows the Youngers the community's and society's perspective of the Youngers. Even though Ms. Johnson is in a similar situation with the Youngers, she acts like she's above them and knows better than them. But I think Ms. Johnson shows that outside perspective of the family and shows the family a little bit of reality in and darkness in their hope. She says, "Lord--I bet this time next month y'all's names will have been in the papers plenty--"NEGROS INVADE CLYBOURNE PARK--BOMBED!". Even though Ms. Johnson is a a little dramatic and crazy, what she says is the hidden reality and truth. She's showing the Youngers the reality of society.
ReplyDelete1. As I'm sure many have already said, Mrs. Johnson adds a dose of reality. Up until this point, sure we were aware that race is a theme in this book, but it had yet to really play a role in their lives. This showed us the effect of race on their lives. They could just as easily been a poor, white family, but by adding racism the whole situation is much more serious and life-altering. They could be killed for trying to fulfill their dreams, or better yet just trying to live a decent life. While Mrs. Johnson brings the reality of racism during this time, she is very content to ignore the lack of fulfillment in their lives. Mrs. Johnson says, "Ain't nothing wrong with being a chauffeur." That is a low job that none of us would deem suitable for our futures and that is what Walter is saying, but Mrs. Johnson doesn't feel the desire to be successful.
ReplyDelete2. I'm pretty disappointed in Walter. I was rooting for him in the beginning, but he gives them very good reason to not rely on him for the future of their family. It's heartbreaking that he deceived them out of their only chance to be something. I had been mad at Lena for not giving Walter a little more freedom, but he was on a short leash for good reason.
3. I love when Beneatha says, "He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Christian fellowship." They see the ridiculousness in what this man was "preaching" but I do agree with others in that they should see the potential repercussions of their move.
1. This scene was very powerful. Earlier, Walter was talking about how when he looked at his future, he saw a big space of nothing. A looming black emptiness that was bound to him. But in this scene, we as the readers can see Walter’s future, or at least how he see his future, stretched out before him, but completely remodeled. He is the head of a company, and everybody respects him, where people will greet him with “’Good evening Mr. Younger’” (109). It is a glimmer of hope for a man who had none. He even talks about sending Travis to college. I feel like without this scene, there is a little less shock to the scene later on when we find out that Willy Harris has run off with the money. As Sohail said, Walter was delusional and lifted up to his highest state, only to come crashing down. It’s like the story of Icarus. In his happiness, he flew too high to the sun, and the wax on his wings melted causing him to plummet to earth. Walter could have, and should have, been smart with the money instead of risking it all on an all or nothing gamble which he lost.
ReplyDelete2. I could almost see this coming. Everything was building up to this point. Walter was almost high on his happiness at making the deal, the family had bought a house, and things were finally looking up. All for it to come crashing down. But still, I was shocked. Especially when I learned that Walter had also used the money that was supposed to be for Beneatha. I almost felt angry on Beneatha’s behalf. At this moment, I felt like the family would fall apart.
3. This scene was funny and uplifting for the family. They joke about the visit, laughing about it with their mom. I find it uplifting because, they have this chance for money, and this white man is coming into their home acting high and mighty asking for them to leave, and they tell him to get out. It is empowering. The line that really struck out to me was “But you’ve got to admit that a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lived in a certain kind of way” (117). It is so obvious that this man doesn’t want them either, but is trying not to offend them. But, the Youngers know what he is doing. It just aggravated me a little.
1. By introducing Mrs. Johnson, the reader finally gets a view outside of the skewed and naive minds of the Younger family. She provids a realistic insight into what is actually going to happen when the Youngers move to Clybourne park. It is sad that the Youngers hadn't even looked at a newspaper or figured out what was going on in Clybourne Park. They are either extremely ignorant about racism or they are purposely trying to tune it out. Mrs. Johnson also shows how overly-proud the Youngers are of themselves. Mrs. Johnson thinks that it is completely normal and ok to have someone work as a chauffeur or a cleaning lady because she has accepted her social class and sees that as the norm. Mrs. Johnson said "The Youngers is too much for me! You sure one proud-acting bunch of colored folks" (103). Mrs. Johnson is happy with her life and she doesn't understand why the Youngers are always trying to be different. She is in some ways realistic but is also a bit harsh.
ReplyDelete2. I definitely saw something like this coming. Walter was never going to be a great man. He is a drunk and sets unrealistic goals for himself. He is all talk and no action. I am more angry with Walter than disappointed because I never had great expectations for him. I do feel bad for him because he really did want to help his family, but his ideas were just faulty. I am most angry with what he did with Beneatha's college money. It is one thing to lose the money that Mama promised him, but to loose Beneatha's future is really sad. I think that Walter used all of the money because he wanted to be the only successful member of the family. He doesn't Beneatha to be as successful or intelligent as him.
3. This scene confused the hell out of me. One moment, Walter was yelling at Lindner, but when Mama walks in, they make everything a joke. They don't realize that this move could seriously have terrible repercussions for their family, and especially Travis. I am really glad that they were able to laugh this off and stick to their original plan, but I think that would have been the right thing to do in a less potentially harmful situation. Yet again the Younger family is being naive. I was really stuck when Lindner said "You just can't force people to change their hearts, son" (119). This was just such an embarrassingly rude and stupid comment. Like he's the one coming into their home forcing them from moving. The Youngers aren't trying to force people to do shit. Lindner and his "welcoming committee" is forcing the Youngers to change what they want to do. Its so obnoxious.
1) I would have an entirely different view of Walter without this scene. Walter's passion is clear and his dreams are clear, but his motives are not. This scene shows the side of Walter that keeps me rooting for him. He loves Travis, and wants his life to be free of the suffering that he has faced. When Travis says he wants to be a bus driver, Walter tells him he needs to reach higher. He needs to reach higher than the successes of his father and dream of real, bonafide success. That is what Walter wants for Travis. Walter wants the ability to give Travis everything, but he can't. Without this scene, I would have regarded Walter as selfish, and someone who puts his own needs before those of his family. This scene is one of my favorites that we've read so far, and really made me hope for the success of the youngers.
ReplyDelete2) This scene was devastating. Everything was finally looking up in the family and as soon as the knock on the door came, all happiness left the family. It was especially damaging after watching the scene where Travis innocently gives Mama a ridiculous hat and exposes us to his sweetness and compassion. Hansberry hits the audience at it's most vulnerable point and forces us to feel the suffering of the family. Walter's reaction was one of disbelief and depression. He feels helpless and out of control as he watches his future fade into the vague blur that he described before. He feels as if he has let his family down and given away the benefits of the work of his father. I don't know how the family will bounce back from this.
3) This was a defining moment of the Younger family in this play. Mr. Lindner is kindly welcomed into the house and basically tells the family they are not welcome in the neighborhood. The dysfunctional, polarized Younger family immediately unites. Instead of bickering, they unanimously drive this racist character out of the house. Despite their economic troubles, they deny an offer to buy the house back and decide to go on with moving in. "We don't want to hear no exact terms of no arrangements" (118). Walter is finally using the term 'we' instead of I when arguing. This scene showed the strength of Walter, Ruth and Beneatha when they work together.
1. For me, Mrs. Johnson made me respect the Youngers more. I didn't dislike them before, but with Johnson I realized just how brave and strong the family was. The Youngers truly want more than to be a chauffeur or to be written off as "niggers". Johnson is a contrast to their values. She doesn't respect the Youngers, and mocks their decision to move: "I bet this time next month y'all's names will have been in the papers plenty- 'NEGROES INVADE CLYBOURNE PARK- BOMBED'"(102). It is a bold move of them to move, but I respect it, and clearly Johnson doesn't.
ReplyDelete2. This scene was very sad. I may have been naive, but I honestly didn't see it coming. I thought that Walter was going to handle the money wisely; but of course that would have been to simple. I thought that Walter really started to loose it again, like he was when he found out that Mama bought the house. I felt bad for him, until I found out that he also used Beneatha's school money. That was terrible of him.
3. Like others, I thought they took the situation fairly lightly. I think they do so because they have other things to worry about, and they don't actually see Lindner as threatening. This is another gap between the younger people of the family and Mama: "Oh- Mama- they don't do it like that any more. He talked Brotherhood. He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Christian fellowship" (121). Mama still see's racism as lynchings (a direct, violent threat), but the rest of the Youngers just see it as a nuisance.
1. The fact that some directors decide to edit out Mrs. Johnson is extremely interesting. I agree with everything that's been said about her encounter: she's a dose of reality, she's a new point of view, she shows another aspect of Lena's background. Mrs. Johnson's scene demonstrates the hospitality of Lena and the difference between her and Ruth in this respect. A perfect moment that shows this is when "Ruth gives Mama an unpleasant look for her kindness." The dynamic between Bennie and Mrs. Johnson is also interesting. Mrs. Johnson says, "...she act like ain't got time to pass the time with nobody ain't been to college." This is a great illustration of a family who is looked down by one people and they themselves look down on others.
ReplyDelete2. At this moment, my heart sank. This was the first time in the entire book that I sympathized with Walter. He's dream finally seemed within reach, and he literally invested his life into this deal that fell through because of his horrible partner. But I do agree with Bennie when she accused him of being "the final triumph of stupidity in the world!" Walter did do something rash and unforgivable, but this final act released Walter from the depression he was in, even though he lost all the money.
3. I don't agree that the family "doesn't care" about the obvious racism. Rather, the only way the family can deal with this obvious oppression is with humor and being able to lean on each other for relief and support. This scene shows this family as a unit for the first time. A single united force to be reckoned with. The joking dies when Mama asks, "Did he threaten us?" Even when this incredibly solemn question is asked, the mood stays light, for the sake of the family's sanity.
I cannot even imagine how guilty he must feel knowing that Beneatha’s money is gone too. I would have thought that he would have had more sense than to not follow his mother’s wishes especially after pouting all this time and then getting what he wanted from her. It shows that Walter is really naïve and so wrapped up in this idea of opening a liquor store with his buddies (who aren’t offering money for the situation) that he doesn’t even think about the fact that he has no idea how business works. He realizes that there are more educated people, like George, who know things he doesn’t, but when it comes to this liquor store business Walter does not realize that one needs to know how business works and be prudent when starting, because business is business and people do anything to gain in business.
ReplyDeleteI was struck by the fact that Ruth joined Walter and Beneatha this time with a mocking tone when she says to Mama, “To welcome you, honey.” This whole clip was a little funky to read…one would think they would be scared because of the news of the recent bombing followed up by Mr. Lindner’s offer, but maybe because they are in shock they are in this funny mood. The Yougers are probably very conflicted about what they should do at this point, because they are not a family who steps down to threats, but they are also searching for a better life, not a tougher one than they already have.
I'm surprised that this scene was taken out of the play in some of the revivals. It certainly isn't a central scene in the narrative of the play, but it lends a nice touch to the end of the scene and lulled me (and I'm not that gullible) into a false sense of security about the family's expectations. Walter is still dreaming about that brighter future for his family, and this brings into sharper focus the events of the next scene. One of the interesting little things about the scene is Walter on page 108: "...an excecutive's life is hell, man." This reminded me of all the other business plays we've read this term, and it struck me as rather comical that Walter was already imagining what it would be like to be a high roller.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that stuck out most to me about this scene was the tidal wave of mixed emotions that Walter felt when he learned where the money had gone, and in particular one that I don't think anybody has mentioned yet, namely, his betrayal by his friend. Now, the reader has not met Willie, but it is evident that Walter trusted him with quite a lot of money, and Walter is definitely not a naïf. The fault lies with Walter for irresponsibly handling the money, but it's a lose-lose situation for everyone when the family's aspirations are thrown down the drain by someone we haven't even met.
I was a little confused by what John asked about in his response to Sam's post. I think that the foremost cross generational tie here is the way Linder views them as the same, generic, "you people." he builds them up by talking about "the trouble [that] exists because people just don't sit down and talk to each other" (116), and then goes on to talk about the same bigotry that the church bombers espouse. Just like the beginning of the play, when Lena and Walter are separated by what they will settle for in terms of success, Lena fears for the safety of the family while Walter throws Linder out and laughs at his posturing.
1. I think that scene, and Mrs. Johnson as a person shows the brewing discontent the Youngers are about to plunge head first into. She first mentions "them colored people that was bombed out their place out there". Mrs. Johnson represents the Youngers' society as a whole. I think Hansberry is very purposeful in her juxtaposition of Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Lindner. They represents such different, yet oddly similar cultures. I think Mrs. Johnson is a reality check to both the Youngers and the audience. We see this hopeful, ambitious, promising family, yet we don't see the counter to that, the darker side. We don't see, until Mrs. Johnson sees that we do, the culture the Youngers are fighting to separate themselves from. Their determination makes them a "proud-acting bunch of colored folks". Johnson thinks that "colored people" should accept their place with their tail between their legs. "Ain't nothing wrong with being a chauffeur."
ReplyDelete2. This scene was painful to read. I knew something was going to happen and the moment his friend came over I knew the money was gone. Even after initially finding this out I clung to the hope that maybe Beneatha's money hadn't been lost as well. This scene made me sad and angry. This family, Ruth, Mama, Beneatha, even Travis is working so hard day and night. They work to reach their dreams, whereas it feels like Walter passivly throws his away. What really got to me was when Lena gave him the money he was so taken aback by the fact that she entrusted him with the money and the honor of being the head of the house. She bestows this honor upon him and how does he repay her? By losing it all. Him loosing his money didn't affect me as much as his loosing Beneatha's medical school fund. He was so selfish and single-track minded that he couldn't even stop to think about his own sister, wife, son and mother.
3. The part that stuck out to me was the short exchange between Beneatha and Ruth. Beneatha asks "What they think we going to do-eat 'em?" and Ruth replies "No, honey, marry 'em." This to me was a break away from the comedic, joking mood. This was a moment of reality, of Ruth being wisely and sadly honest. It shows just how deep seeded the racism in society was/is. The white people knew they wouldn't be harmed by the Youngers, their worst nightmare was that one person would break free of the racism and allow a "colored person" into their home. Ruth understands this ingraned racism and while they all deflect the fear and sorrow using comedy, they know deep down that this is horrible and so sad.
1. Like other people have said without Mrs. Johnson I would probably not have gained the respect that I have now for the Youngers. This woman represents a majority of this society at this time, one of hatred, prejudice, and intolerance. We see in this scene for the first time as a family coming together and being courgaeus. They worked together and unified themselves in this scene to show someone who was close minded that they will not move because of fear. One line that really showed me that the Younger family has no fear and deserves all of my respect was when Johnson says, "You mean you ain't read 'bout them colored people that was bombed out their place out their." Their lives are being threatened and they will not stand down, I believe this shows their strength. So without Mrs. Johnson the Youngers would not be the same people.
ReplyDelete2. This was an extremely rough scene to read, because at least for me, I was rooting for Walter. I wanted him to do well, and I wanted him to prove to his family that he could succeed. However I saw it coming, first of all, all of the stress that lead to him receiving the money and the lack of planning and the fact that it was walter, that he is going to make rash decisions because that is the only way he can make decisions. He is so anxious to succeed and he is so nervous about failing that is is already known that he was going to fail. I feel like this is a really sad moment for the family because now most of the hope is gone. After Lena bought the house the family was full of hope finally they were getting what they all thought that they deserved, then lena gives walter all of this money, which was a lot of money, and probably too much money at one time for walter, and he loses it. This is so depressing for the family and I feel like the personality of the play changes from hopeful to almost hurt or defeated which for me is really sad because I was rooting for the Younger family.
3. One of the lines that stuck out to me, that I feel like people have used as an excuse for a long time is when Lindner says, "You can't just force people to change their hearts, son." I think that this is the way Americans are at this time use as an excuse to be stubborn and not change themselves or even think about changing. I do not think the Youngers believe this and I do not think that they take this seriously. I think that the Youngers truly need to look at themselves and their environment and take things more seriously.
1. The scene between Walter and Travis has so much to do with father son expectations. Walter wants for his son to grow up by his ideals. He wants him to aspire to be something great, someone with a lot of money and power. When Travis says he wants to be a bus driver, he is being naive (and I don't mean this in a bad way). To him, there is nothing wrong with being a bus driver. For all we know, he likes cars or something, and decided that being a bus driver would be a good job for him. Walter's reaction to this is very predictable. Walter says that Travis should aspire to be something greater. But should he? While Walter is only thinking about how much Travis would be paid, Travis is considering the things he likes in life, the things he is passionate about. Although it might seem like Travis is the one who is being childish, his decision is actually a lot wiser than Walter's.
ReplyDelete2. It is a tragedy that Walter lost all of the money, but it needed to happen. Until this point, Walter had been completely contented by the notion that he could save his life by buying the licqour store. He thought that money would be his salvation. However, the message that the play is trying to get across is that Walter should not be focused on the licquor store. Hansberry is trying to make the point that Walter's means of fixing his life are fickle as well as futile, and that buying the licquor store will not make his life any better. Walter shouldn't have to rely on material things to make him happy. I think that it is true that Walter needs money to support his family, but he has gotten to the point where the family no longer matters and all he cares about is the money.
3. My favorite quote in this section is "No, honey, marry 'em". This scene is talking a lot about current events. Beneatha and her family are talking about how white people oppress blacks. They've stopped lynching out in the open. Now they are trying to discriminate more subtly. The way that the family reacts to this is very interesting. They aren't especially mad (except for Benethea), but rather they are resigned, remoresing about the world that they have come to live in.
I agree with Alex when he says that we see the fact that he wants to be just like his father and become a driver. I think we see how innocent he still is in this world and how he doesn't know how to dream big. He also doesn't know that there are bigger possibilities in life and he is only accustomed to what he has experienced and seen in his life I also agree that we see an aspect of Walter and Travis' relationship. I also agree with Aldo that Walter begins to dream a bit too much. He wants to show Travis that he is capable of doing something big and grand for the family and that he can be that manly Father figure he has failed to become. I also think that he wants to do something similar to Mama, like when she went out and bought a house. He wants to show his son he is capable of changing things and the way their life is by telling him "I hand you the world."
ReplyDeleteWalter finally get the chance to be the head of the household and show what he is capable of doing for his family. But he gives "it all away in a day (129)". It was sad to see the family filled with happiness and hope for their dreams and new life and then go to misery because it slipped right out of Walter's hands so easily. His carelessness show how he is still self centered and selfish and only cares about his own dreams. But I feel he does this because he wants to be that father figure he struggles to become. But I see that Walter can not handle this role and is I irresponsible and it disappoints me because I was beginning to have hope for this struggling family which really needed and deserved this wonderful new opportunity. It was also sad seeing Bobo's reaction and how he lost his life savings.
The way Lindner attempts to be nice but then begins using words like you all and you people just made me dislike him, because he just was rude for pretending to be something his is not when he clearly does not want to even be in the presence of the Youngers. I just disliked him when he said, " I want you to believe me when I tell you that race prejudice simply doesn't enter into it(118)" But I like how Hansberry brings this scene into the play to show the obstacles and difficulties the Youngers will still have to face. Their life may improve if hey move but it won't be as perfect as they hoped it would be. I liked how Beneatha and Walter were strong and they worked together to show Lindner that they were not intimidated by his words. It was surprising to see them joke about it afterwards but I feel it was because they were happy that they are moving and they feel nothing can prevent them from achieving their dreams.
2) that scene was terrible and amazing. I couldn't stop reading it but once it was over I just sat there and thought about it. I think it was so incredible because everything was looking up and there was such a bright future for all of them and then that happened. I was not expecting it at all and I found the scene to be completely breathtaking. I felt absolutely terrible for Walter. He just wanted to be the man he could never be, one that could contribute to the family's wealth, but instead he brought this disaster upon them.
ReplyDelete3) I really liked this scene. I loved how Beneatha caught on to what was happening before all the others did and I really liked her sarcasm and the comments she made to lead Mr. Lindner along. I felt like they dealt with it fairly well, keeping some humor in the situation while also taking it seriously. I think my favorite quote from those three pages is "they don't do it like that anymore. He talked Brotherhood. He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Christian fellowship." To me, this quote is so important because it shows that progress is indeed being made but it is not necessarily very helpful or good.
ReplyDelete1. I think Mrs. Johnson definitely brings a new perspective, perhaps the one Hansberry wants us to consider as well. Up until now we have only seen the Youngers from the inside but now we see how controversial this family is. I think it shows the push and pull on the Younger family from the oppressive figures. When Beneatha says, “Mama if there are two things, we as a people, have to overcome, one is the Klu Klux Klan---and the other is Mrs. Johnson.” (104) Beneatha realizes Mrs. Johnson is the pressure from the stereotypical black person.
2. I thought the scene was pretty outrageous. I judge Lena a little for hitting Walter, but at the same time i doubt she even left a mark or speck of dust on him. It was a human outburst that sometimes depending on the situation, is very normal or acceptable. The cries from Lena were powerful and I think they seem to fit her. It seems like this was their last straw and she’s just asking for more strength. She needs strength to even want to continue living this crappy life. Now for Walter, I blame him almost completely. I know he is a human so he will make mistakes but he was so selfish. Not only did he ruin things for himself but for Beneatha as well. He acts like a child and even more like an infant when he’s sobbing on the ground.
3. “Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities”(118) I was pretty proud of Walter for telling him to leave. I think they did the right thing because they didn’t respond violently or rudely. It was the right amount of power asserted. This man had no right to come to their house to insult them so hypocritically and they know this. But surprisingly they didn’t back down. They laugh and joke about it because they know how ridiculous it is and they don’t fall for it.