An Irreligious Girl The Description of Beneatha Bennie a. A Smart Girl

of Walter’s manner and attitude. As a loving woman, Ruth shows her care toward her son, husband and the rest family by always taking care of everything in the house, things such as preparing breakfast. Ruth’s love for her husband can be seen in the way she treats him nicely although Walter treats her bad. When they were having an argument and Walter starts to get angry, Ruth softly asks why Walter can not stop fighting her. Ruth : Oh, Walter … Softly Honey, why can’t you stop fighting me? Walter : Without thinking Who’s fighting you? Who even cares about you? Hansberry, 1994: 87 Walter said that he does not even care about Ruth but still Ruth shows her loving side by not taking it seriously and deciding to go to bed and offering Walter some hot milk. Ruth knows that it is good for Walter to have something hot in his stomach after all the liquor that he had Hansberry, 1994: 87-88. Ruth’s loving side is also pictured clearly in her scarification. Mama : Son – do you know your wife is expecting another baby? WALTER stands, stunned, and absorbs what his mother has said That’s what she wants to talk to you about. WALTER sinks down into a chair This ain’t for me to be telling – but you ought to know. She waits I think Ruth is thinking ‘bout getting rid of that child. Walter : Slowly understanding No – no – Ruth wouldn’t do that. Mama : When the world gets ugly enough – a woman will do anything for her family. The part that’s already living. Walter : You don’t know Ruth, Mama, if you think she will do that. Ruth opens the bedroom door and stands there a little limp Ruth : Beaten Yes I would too, Walter. Pause I gave her a five- dollar down payment Hansberry, 1994: 74-75. 47 Ruth’s sacrifice for the family is when she has to do an abortion. As what Mama said that a woman will do anything for her family when the world gets ugly so does Ruth will do anything for her family including abortion just to save money for the family. She does not want her pregnancy becomes another problem for the family. She thinks that another baby will cost extra money which is hard for the family to get.

b. A Hard working Woman

Another characteristic of Ruth Younger is hard working. She sacrifices herself for the family through working hard to earn money in order to help the family’s financial problem. As seen in Walter’s statement “…Don’t you get up and go work in somebody’s kitchen for the last three years to help put clothes on her back?” Hansberry, 1994: 37. It shows that Ruth sacrifices her self to work as a housemaid for the last three years in order to fulfill all the family’s needs. Mama : … Ruth Younger, what’s the matter with you today? You look like you could fall over right now? Ruth : I’m Tired. Mama : Then you better stay home from work today. Ruth : I can’t stay home. She’d be calling up the agency and screaming at them, “My girl didn’t come in today – send me somebody My girl didn’t come in” Oh, she just have a fit… Mama : Well, let her have it. I’ll just call her up and say you got the flue – Ruth : Laughing Why the flu? Mama : ‘Cause it sounds respectable to ‘em. Something white people get, too. They know ‘bout the flu. Otherwise they think you been cut up or something when you tell ‘em you sick. Ruth : I got to go in. We need the money Hansberry, 1994: 42-43. 48