Petrie revises Hansberry’s play by making slight changes to the setting, character development and interactions. He alters the setting by the presentation of the Youngers furniture to give the appearance that they are less impoverished. Petrie presents Beneatha’s character as foolish and immature rather than Hansberry’s version being an African American women embracing her heritage and rebelling against societal constraints. In the play Joseph Asagai plays a pivotal role in encouraging Beneatha to break through society’s oppression by pushing her to embrace her roots.
She used the dialect of the African American community that is not only distinct but also pure. The characters speak in their domestic setting and individual style as Beneatha and Asagai show their superior and formal education even in everyday conversation, while Mama, Mrs. Johnson, and Ruth demonstrate their crude language. The diction and tone of the play, too, suit the community, neighborhood as well as main audience. Lorraine mostly turns to irony, sarcasm, and other devices of figurative language to make her dialogs effective. Beneatha also adds to the family problems by rejecting George Murchison and accepting Joseph Asagai who wants her to complete her medical education first. During the breakup with Beneatha, George says that he didn’t show interest in her because they could talk about ‘quiet desperation.
Walter sometimes drinks too much and is less mature emotionally when compared to other members of his family, as seen in his embrace of self-pity and the tendency to blame outside forces for his own shortcomings. He also struggles with the oppression from within his own family; his mother’s reluctance to share the insurance money so that Walter can invest in a liquor store is seen by him as a great injustice. Despite the more leveled-headed example of his wife, Ruth, Walter is forced to address his issues through the course of the play and, as a result, grows into a mature, more focused man. At the beginning of the play, Walter Lee and Beneatha’s father has recently died, and Mama is waiting for a life insurance check for $10,000. Walter has a sense of entitlement to the money, but Mama has religious objections to alcohol, and Beneatha has to remind him it is Mama’s call how to spend it.
All these points come together to make a sound representation of American society, not just for the 1950’s; the author’s work gives timeless lessons regarding standing up to prejudice, class and economic oppression. From the opening scene of the play, we are made aware of the violence — “Set off another bomb yesterday” — menacing the Youngers and their dreams. The Youngers also face the coercion of the Clybourne Park Neighborhood Association.
These ideas and dreams have turned into delusions, which have grown out of control causing damage to his sister Beneatha and others around him. In this scene, she is the only one aware of their current living situation. Walter’s reaction towards Ruth is to portray a dominant and breadwinning role in the family, so while he hands over the money to his son he stares at his wife to make an impression on them. Perhaps part of his dream is to be the sole breadwinner and top authority figure for his family, and he may also be acting this way because he wants his son to look up to him rather than someone else. He wants to set an example of being a man of the house, and doesn’t want to look inferior in front of his son.
When the play hit New York, Poitier played it with emphasis on the son and found not only his calling but also an audience enthralled. Through this scene, Hansberry makes a direct link to the Langston Hugues poem at the beginning of the book and more specifically to the line “Or does it explode? ” that here we can assimilate to Walter that needs to tell what he has been holding for so long and truly explodes towards this assimilationist who seems to consider himself above this fight.
With these negative aspects of the stories, both authors incorporate the theme of nature in order to tie in metaphors, quotes, descriptions, and statements. Nature as a theme in these stories can include human nature to the green outdoor nature. Throughout the play their are times that i wondered why would or rather how could people be so set on ruining other peoples lives. I grew up with many different raced people around me throughout my life so i will never fully understand the thought process of racist people. The Youngers seem to be portrayed as hard working people and they want whats best for their family it doesn’t make a difference what color they are i would of still watched it the same with no judgement. Mama also disapproves with the fact that Beneatha no longer believes in God.
Whether or not Ruth will actually decide on an abortion is debatable, for Ruth says to Mama in Act I, «Ain’t no thin’ can tear at you like losin’ your baby.» Ruth says this as Mama is recounting the pain of having lost her own baby, Claude. At this point in the play, Ruth’s pregnancy has not yet been verified, but the dialogue spawned by the abortion controversy in this drama is as relevant today as it was in 1959, when the play opened. She is different from Lena in that she vocalizes her frustrations with her spouse, Walter.