Method of the Study

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS

This chapter consists of the analysis of the literary work and the answer of the problem formulation. The first analysis deals with the characterization of Mama, Walter, Beneatha, and Ruth as the main characters in the play. The second analysis is the contribution of the ideas of American Dream as the main character’s motive of life. I would like to answer the formulated problems using the theories presented in chapter two.

A. The Characterization of the Main Characters

Character has various types. As Abrams 1981: 20-21 stated that characters in the novel are divided into major and minor character. The major character takes the important role and becomes the focus from the beginning until the end of the play, while the minor character is the character that appears in certain setting. According to this theory, in Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, Lena Mama, Walter, Beneatha, and Ruth are categorized as the major or main character because they play the most important role in the play and they become the focus of the story as well. In order to find out the characteristics of the main characters, Murphy’s theories of characterizations 1972: 161-173 are applied. They are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, reaction, conversation of 31 others, direct comment, thought, and mannerisms. However, from those nine methods, the writer only uses some of them.

1. The Description of Lena Younger Mama a. A Strong Woman

Lena Younger is one of the main characters in the play. She is called Mama in the family. She has two children, Walter Younger and Beneatha Younger. According to Brockett’s theory of characterization in Benedetty, 1970: 129, characters can be analyzed by seeing their physical appearance. By using that theory, Mama’s appearance is described as a beautiful woman in her early sixties, full-bodied and strong. Her dark-brown face is surrounded by the total whiteness of her hair; her face is full of strength. She has wit and faith of a kind that keeps her eyes lit and full of interest and expectancy Hansberry, 1994: 39. Murphy 1972: 162 stated that instead of describing a character directly the author can also describe a character through the eyes and opinion of another. Mama’s strength can also be seen in Ruth’s direct comment toward her. Ruth described Mama as a strong woman who can take care of her children. Ruth : Now…you taking it all too seriously. You just got strong-willed children and it takes a strong woman like you to keep ‘em in hand Hansberry, 1994: 52. Another strength that she has can be seen in how she deals with the death of her husband and how she manages the family when she becomes a single mother and the 32 head of the family. Her role as the head of the family can be seen in her statement in the dialogue. Mama : Walking away from BENEATHA, too disturbed fo triumphant posture. Stopping and turning back to her daughter There are some ideas we ain’t going to have in this house. Not long as I am the head of the family. Beneatha : Yes, ma’am Hansberry, 1994: 51-52. The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what the person says Murphy, 1972: 164. From what Mama says above, it is clear that she is a strong woman who has to manage the family by herself after the death of her husband. She has the authority to rule the family.

b. A Wise and Loving Woman

Since her husband passed away, Mama was forced to be the head of the family. It is necessary for her to become a wiser person. She gains wisdom through her experience in facing problems in life. Mama’s wisdom can be seen through not only how she deals with her family but also in her manner and action when facing every problem in the family. Mama is a wise and loving woman. Mama always trusts her son, Walter, as she never stops loving him by giving him the rest of the insurance money Hansberry, 1994: 107 and even when she finds out that Walter made a fatal mistake in losing all the money that she gave, she still forgives him. She even wants Beneatha not to hate her brother but to love and support him in that difficult situation. 33 Beneatha : Love him? There’s nothing left to love. Mama : There is always something left to love. And if you ain’t learned that, you ain’t learned nothing. Looking at her... Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody 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 his self ‘cause the world done whipped him so When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right, child, measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys Hansberry, 1994: 145. Mama teaches her daughter Bennie about love. She explained that it is easy for someone to love others who make us happy but actually the true love itself is when we love those who have hurt us, disappointed us, or let us down. She wants Bennie to love her brother though he has made a fatal mistake. Mama’s wisdom can be seen in her advice for Walter when he had a fight with his wife. Mama wanted Walter to be a real man. As she said, “… I’m waiting to hear how you be your father’s son. Be the man he was… I’m waiting to see you stand up and look like your daddy and say we done give up one baby to poverty and that we ain’t going to give up nary another one…” Hansberry, 1994: 75. Mama wants Walter to be a wiser and stronger person. When Walter knows that he has lost the money, and thinks that it would be better for him and the family to accept the offer from Mr. Lindner to buy the house back, Mama comes and wisely advised him by telling him that money is not everything, money is not the most important thing in the world. Mama told him that there is something that is priceless more than just thousands of dollars which is pride and dignity Hansberry, 1994: 142-143. 34