Two Influences of the Day

Through the play " Raisin in the Sun, " Beneatha Younger is exposed to two men who she both has an interest in. This being Joseph Asagai and George Murchison. Both men have some similar characteristics, but also differences which make their actions stand out from each other.

To start, both men are kind at heart. They have good intentions, but goabout it differently. Asagai likes to talk about his past and get more involved in most things more than George. As he seems to want to get down to business slightly more. They are about the same age and seem at least by what we see of them in the play to be well educated.

Asagai is the more traditional of the two, which probably explains why he seems to be more laid back and open. His care for Beneatha can be shown by his traditional yet symbolic gift of his families Nigerian robes. (61) In this same way he inquired about the way she had her hair style... untraditional to him. (62)

George on the other hand is more to the point and is comparing the norm

of the time to his actions and what he compares others too. such as when he says " Look honey, we're going to the theater-we're not going to be in it...so go change, huh? " (80) He likes to toil too though, such as when he calls Walter prometheus as they walk out the door to the theater. (86) Also another example of Asagai's return to his youth was when he had the conversation with Beneatha after her brother had lost the remaining of their father's money. His theory on the matter, saying that the money basically should not have been relied on, would probably differ than George's relative to what we know. Both men have different views of their world but both are valid influences on Beneatha.