A Rasin in the Sun Act II, Scene I Later on the same Saturday,
Beneatha emerges from her room cloaked in the Nigerian clothes that
Asagai has brought her. She dances around the apartment, claiming
to be performing a tribal dance while shouting “OCOMOGOSIAY” and
singing. Ruth finds Beneatha’s pageantry silly and questions her
about it. Meanwhile, Walter returns home drunk. He sees Beneatha
all dressed up and acts out some made-up tribal rituals with her,
at one point standing on a table and pronouncing himself “Flaming
Spear. ” Ruth looks on wearily. George Murchison arrives to pick up
Beneatha.
Beneatha removes her headdress to reveal that she has cut off
most of her hair, leaving only an unstraightened afro. Everyone is
shocked, amazed, and slightly disappointed with Beneatha, prompting
a fierce discussion between Beneatha and George about the
importance of their African heritage. Beneatha goes to change for
the theater, and Walter talks to George about business plans.
George does not seem interested. Walter then becomes belligerent as
he makes fun of George’s white shoes. Embarrassed, Ruth explains
that the white shoes are part of the “college style. George
obviously looks down on Walter—calling him “Prometheus”—and Walter
gets even angrier at him. George and Beneatha finally leave, and
Ruth and Walter then begin to fight about Walter going out,
spending money, and interacting with people like Willy Harris. They
do begin to make up, though, by acknowledging that a great distance
has grown between them. Mama comes home and announces that she has
put a down payment on a house with some of the insurance money.
Ruth is elated to hear this news because she too dreams of moving
out of their current apartment and into a more respectable home.
Meanwhile, Walter is noticeably upset because he wants to put
all the money into the liquor store venture. They all become
worried when they hear that the house is in Clybourne Park, an
entirely white neighborhood. Mama asks for their understanding—it
was the only house that they could afford. She feels she needs to
buy the house to hold the family together. Ruth regains her
pleasure and rejoices, but Walter feels betrayed, his dream swept
under the table. Walter makes Mama feel guilty, saying that she has
crushed his dream. He goes quickly to his bedroom, and Mama remains
sitting and worrying.
Act II, Scenes II On a Friday night a few weeks later, Beneatha
and George return from a date. The Youngers’ apartment is full of
moving boxes. George wants to kiss Beneatha, but she does not want
to kiss. Rather, she wants to engage George in a conversation about
the plight of African-Americans. It seems that George wants to
marry a “nice . . . simple . . . sophisticated girl. ” Mama comes
in as Beneatha kicks him out. Mama asks if she had a good time with
George, and Beneatha tells her that George is a “fool. ” Mama
replies, “I guess you better not waste your time with no fools.
Beneatha appreciates her mother’s support. Mrs. Johnson—the
Youngers’ neighbor—visits. Mama and Ruth offer her food and drink,
and she gladly accepts. She has come to visit to tell them about a
black family who has been bombed out of their home in a white
neighborhood. She is generally insensitive and unable to speak in a
civil manner. She predicts that the Youngers will also be scared
out of the all-white neighborhood once they move in and insults
much of the family by calling them a “proud-acting bunch of colored
folks. ” She then quotes Booker T. Washington, a famous
African-American thinker and assimilationist.
A frustrated and angered Mama retaliates by calling him a
“fool. ” Mrs. Johnson leaves the apartment. Walter’s boss calls,
telling Ruth that Walter has not been to work in three days. Walter
explains that he has been wandering all day (often way into the
country) and drinking all night (at a bar with a jazz duo that he
loves). He says that he feels depressed, despondent, and useless as
the man of the family. He feels that his job is no better than a
slave’s job. Mama feels guilty for his unhappiness and tells him
that she has never done anything to hurt her children.
She gives him the remaining $6,500 of the insurance money,
telling him to deposit $3,000 for Beneatha’s education and to keep
the last $3,500. With this money, Mama says, Walter should
become—and should act like he has become—the head of the family.
Walter suddenly becomes more confident and energized. He talks to
Travis about his plans, saying that he is going to “make a
transaction” that will make them rich. Walter’s excitement builds
as he describes his dream of their future house and cars, as well
as Travis’s potential college education.
