Sunday, May 22, 2011

What is Asagai's attitude toward Beneatha's hair straightening and career goals?

Asagai believes that Beneatha's hairstyle and even her
career goal demonstratethat she is assimilating into "white" culture and giving up her
African heritage.  Her choice to straighten her hair--in Asagai's view--means that she
is unhappy with her natural African features and that she wants to look like "everybody
else."  Beneatha's desire to be a doctor is not at first connected to helping people in
Africa; so he views her goal as trying to prove to the white man that she is just as
intelligent as he is.


In fairness to Beneatha, she was born
and raised in America; so one could argue that she is simply expressing her American
roots through her hair and career goal.  Asagai would have difficulty seeing her choices
as American and not as trying to be white because he is from Africa and has a very
opinionated view of what it means to be black.  Nonetheless, Asagai's influence on
Beneatha is powerful, and once she decides to be more "natural," she is happier with
herself and more stable in her decision-making.

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