A Raisin in the Sun and its gender studies
In A Raisin in the Sun Gender roles are very distinguished from character to character and age seems to play a role in this as well. I feel that Gender roles appear to be very traditional in this play. In the setting of this play you can tell that women are starting to break free of the stereotype that they are born to be housewives and take care of there young. Majority of men find female roles to be basic and traditional, women should not break away from what they were meant to do in a man’s point of view. Depending on the age of the female character can determine their outlook on gender role, younger females are trying to become something more then what is expected in the time they want to be able to support themselves and their family which can be difficult for a man to see as the normal thing to do.
Describing the characteristic of Traditional vs. nontraditional gender roles a raisin in the sun leans more towards traditional. The play follows the standards of the time era where females catered to men, men made the money of the house and color overruled all. In the beginning of the play Ruth has breakfast ready in the morning for the family and is expected to clean the house while Walter goes to work and their son attends school. This was the typical responsibilities of a family. Mama feels that the women should do all the work in the home, an example of this would be when mama says “Well- he’s a little boy. Aint supposed to know ‘bout housekeeping. My baby, that what he is what you fix for his breakfast this morning?” (1.1 34). Mama is implying that men dont do house work and ensuring he was cooked a proper breakfast prior to going to school. Beneatha on the other hand is rebelling and going against what everyone sees as the norm in gender roles. Beneatha wants to go to college and become a doctor. Walter being an antifeminist he has a difficult time believing this. Walter states “who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? if you so crazy ‘bout messing round with sick people then go be a nurse like other women - or just get married and be quit…”(1.1 38) This is demining bearnetha because she feels strongly about becoming a doctor and doesn’t want to bow down to societies views on the traditional woman.
Gender stereotypes are very typical in this play. Men are still in strong power over women. Walter feels like Ruth should automatically support every decision he makes due to him being empowered as a male he feels that Ruth should not have a seperate opinion. As walter explains clearly
That’s it. There you are. Man say to his women: I got me a dream. His woman say: Eat your eggs. Man say: I got to take hold of this here world, baby! And a woman will say: Eat your eggs and go to work. Man say: I got to change my life, I’m choking to death, baby! And his woman say - Your eggs is getting cold (1.1 33-34).
Ruth knows better than to take Walter for his word when it comes to dreams associated with money but Walter feels that Ruth should be behind his other word and if her opinion is different then it simply isn’t right. This seems to almost be the norm for this era where men confide in their women to simply hear what they want to hear and be supported whether the decision is right or wrong.
The relationships between different genders can depend on the age of the character.
