Question

In Raisin of the Sun, many characters struggle as the result of racial injustice. Beneatha

is no exception. Beneatha's hair changes throughout the play. Explain what
Beneatha's straight hair symbolizes.
Then, explain what Beneatha's decision to cut her and wear it naturally symbolizes.
Use lines from the play to support your answer.

Answer 1

It's a great play you should see it, anyway here's the answer

Step-by-step explanation:

Beneatha's straight hair symbolizes her desire to assimilate to mainstream white culture and reject her African heritage. This is first indicated when Beneatha tells her mother, Mama, that she is going to get her hair straightened (Act II, Scene 1). Mama objects, saying that Beneatha's hair is "just fine the way God made it." However, Beneatha is not satisfied with her natural hair and wants to change it to fit in with mainstream beauty standards.

Beneatha's decision to cut her hair and wear it naturally symbolizes her embrace of her African heritage and rejection of the societal expectations placed on her as a black woman. This is most clearly indicated when Beneatha tells her brother, Walter, "I'm going to be me" (Act II, Scene 1). By cutting off her straightened hair and embracing her natural curls, Beneatha is rejecting the societal pressure to conform to white beauty standards and instead choosing to embrace and celebrate her black identity.