Beneatha Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun: Identity, Dreams, and Social Change

Introduction

A Raisin in the Sun is a play about racial prejudice demonstrated by the Younger family. Beneath Younger is a 20-year-old college student at the crossroads of choosing a future career (Hansberry, 2021). This character is my favorite; she speaks out four crucial life lessons: finding a life path, being ready to carry revolutionary ideas, maintaining lineage, and following dreams.

Character Analysis

Beneath is the constant source of new philosophy in the Younger family; she challenges racial and religious prejudice in the play. Through this behavior, an important life lesson can be learned about how essential and complex it can be to carry out revolutionary and necessary ideas for achieving social change. Beneatha’s example proves that one person can improve society and achieve justice.

Beneatha is a very self-reflective and original character. She has a lot of hobbies, but they do not worry her, as she is looking after herself. She finds a new hobby in playing the guitar, and it does not matter to her how it ends, as this activity brings her pleasure (Hansberry, 2021). Beneath teaches the importance of trial and error in finding the path of life.

Beneatha is an example of how important it is to maintain one’s cultural background. She donates money to African missionaries, refuses to straighten her hair, sings in the Nigerian dialect, and wears traditional clothing (Hansberry, 2021). The play clarifies that these character changes are essential as Beneatha begins to feel more confident. Beneath teaches that identity retention leads to positive internal and external change.

Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor is one of the forces at work in the play. Her desire becomes one of the central meanings in her life (Hansberry, 2021). The final decision to become a doctor in Africa demonstrates the importance of following one’s dreams. Beneatha’s example teaches an important lesson: one should not give up one’s desires for the sake of social norms and standards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Beneath Younger is the mouthpiece of revolutionary ideas in the play and a character close to understanding her cultural identity. Beneatha teaches important lessons about following a dream, finding oneself, realizing one’s origin, and broadcasting new social ideas. She can serve as a good example for young people who are in search of their place in the world and challenge outdated social norms.

Reference

Hansberry, L. (2021). A Raisin in the Sun. Bloomsbury Publishing.

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StudyCorgi. (2025) 'Beneatha Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun: Identity, Dreams, and Social Change'. 27 September.

1. StudyCorgi. "Beneatha Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun: Identity, Dreams, and Social Change." September 27, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/beneatha-younger-in-lorraine-hansberrys-a-raisin-in-the-sun-identity-dreams-and-social-change/.


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StudyCorgi. "Beneatha Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun: Identity, Dreams, and Social Change." September 27, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/beneatha-younger-in-lorraine-hansberrys-a-raisin-in-the-sun-identity-dreams-and-social-change/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2025. "Beneatha Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun: Identity, Dreams, and Social Change." September 27, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/beneatha-younger-in-lorraine-hansberrys-a-raisin-in-the-sun-identity-dreams-and-social-change/.

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