A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
The two men that Beneatha Younger courts in A Raisin in the Sun diametrically oppose each other in manner and perspective. The first, George Murchison, comes off as a pretentious, rich snob inflated by arrogance and appropriately condescending. He discounts Beneatha's valuing her African heritage as idiotic reverance for "a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts!" (Hansberry 481). As one may tell from the previous sentence, George does not respect Beneatha either. Overall, George values the superficial aspects of life and seeks to impress others with his pomp, grandeur, and supposed sophistication. Therefore, George represents the life Beneatha wants to leave behind, the life she is displeased with. In contrast, Joseph Asagai presents himself as a humble, ambitious, well-mannered young African man that Beneatha met during her studies. Asagai strongly supports Beneatha's search for her African identity. In fact, he instigated the search by sharing with Beneatha her heritage as a member of the Yoruba tribe. Also, Asagai displays much affection and respect for Beneatha when he refers to her as Alaiyo, meaning "One for Whom Bread Is Not Enough", to emphasize her ambition and drive in pursuing a medical career and a better life (Hansberry 468). Asagai seeks to help others, stand up for justice, and change the world in a positive way. Embodying morally based living based on the pursuit of meaningful, Asagai represents the life Beneatha wants to live. Additionally, the many major differences between Murchison and Asagai make them perfect foil characters for each other.
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