In literature and other media, when a woman finds out she's pregnant, it's usually a happy circumstance or a good omen. However, this is not the case in A Raisin in the Sun. The Youngers cannot afford another mouth to feed; their house can't fit another bed. Ruth knows this, and sees her pregnancy as a dismal development, as does Beneatha. We see this when the latter exclaims, "Where is he going to live, on the roof?" (58). She immediately takes it back, but the question still makes the point perfectly clear: This baby is not a blessing.
However, Mama Younger still harbors traditional values. She looks upon the baby as a miracle: "I sure hope it's a little old girl. Travis ought to have a sister." (57). Her positive outlook is indicative of Mama's values, and the values traditionally held by families in the mid-20th century. When Ruth implies that she wants to abort the baby, Mama is incredulous. "Your wife say she going to destroy your child," she says to Walter. "And I'm waiting to hear you...say we a people who give children life, not who destroys them..." (75). Mama believes abortion is wrong, because that's how she was brought up, but Ruth knows she has to do what's best for the family that's already out of the womb.
This clash of beliefs and culture creates one of the major conflicts of this novel. The decision of whether or not to keep the baby is creating a rift in the already-strained Younger family. Arguments of this nature are timeless, and still occur today in many families across the globe. Everyone from teenagers to politicians has an opinion over the morality of abortion. (See link). The Youngers will have to find the balance between tradition and practicality in order to make the right decision.
Another major conflict in the story, existing due to a difference in values, is between Walter and Mama. Walter's big dream is to invest in a new liquor store venture, but Mama isn't having it. She is religious and moral and looks down upon drinking as a temporary solution to recurring problems. She sees how Walter is affected by alcohol, and refuses to allow him to promote the destruction of others through the distribution of alcohol.
ReplyDeleteMarlise, that is a great extension. Mama's traditional values color her thinking....and her faith has a lot to do with what she judges as acceptable behavior. She wants her son to be a real man and tell his wife that he is behind her no matter what, that they can make this new life fit into their current one-even with financial struggles. But Walter Lee defines a "real man" as one who doesn't work for another, but works and earns a living for himself. He doesn't stop to question whether peddling alcohol is a sin; he just knows that it will sell and that he and his partners will reap the rewards of such a venture. He sees dollar signs as the answer to their problems whereas Mama sees love as the answer.
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