A Raisin in the Sun (6 page)

(
They laugh
)

BENEATHA
Oh—I like George all right, Mama. I mean I like him enough to go out with him and stuff, but—

RUTH
(
For devilment
) What does
and stuff mean?

BENEATHA
Mind your own business.

MAMA
Stop picking at her now, Ruth. (
She chuckles—then a suspicious sudden look at her daughter as she turns in her chair for emphasis
) What DOES it mean?

BENEATHA
(
Wearily
) Oh, I just mean I couldn’t ever really be serious about George. He’s—he’s so shallow.

RUTH
Shallow—what do you mean he’s shallow? He’s
rich!

MAMA
Hush, Ruth.

BENEATHA
I know he’s rich. He knows he’s rich, too.

RUTH
Weil—what other qualities a man got to have to satisfy you, little girl?

BENEATHA
You wouldn’t even begin to understand. Anybody who married Walter could not possibly understand.

MAMA
(
Outraged
) What kind of way is that to talk about your brother?

BENEATHA
Brother is a flip—let’s face it.

MAMA
(
To
RUTH
,
helplessly
) What’s a flip?

RUTH
(
Glad to add kindling
) She’s saying he’s crazy.

BENEATHA
Not crazy. Brother isn’t really crazy yet—he—he’s an elaborate neurotic.

MAMA
Hush your mouth!

BENEATHA
As for George. Well. George looks good—he’s got a beautiful car and he takes me to nice places and, as my sister-in-law says, he is probably the richest boy I will ever get to know and I even like him sometimes—but if the Youngers are sitting around waiting to see if their little Bennie is going to tie up the family with the Murchisons, they are wasting their time.

RUTH
You mean you wouldn’t marry George Murchison if he asked you someday? That pretty, rich thing? Honey, I knew you was odd—

BENEATHA
No I would not marry him if all I felt for him was what I feel now. Besides, George’s family wouldn’t really like it.

MAMA
Why not?

BENEATHA
Oh, Mama—The Murchisons are honest-to-God-real-foe-rich colored people, and the only people in the world who are more snobbish than rich white
people are rich colored people. I thought everybody knew that. I’ve met Mrs. Murchison. She’s a scene!

MAMA
You must not dislike people ’cause they well off, honey.

BENEATHA
Why not? It makes just as much sense as disliking people ’cause they are poor, and lots of people do that.

RUTH
(
A wisdom-of-the-ages manner. To
MAMA
) Well, she’ll get over some of this—

BENEATHA
Get over it? What are you talking about, Ruth? Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet—if I ever get married.

MAMA
and
RUTH
If!

MAMA
Now, Bennie—

BENEATHA
Oh, I probably will … but first I’m going to be a doctor, and George, for one, still thinks that’s pretty funny. I couldn’t be bothered with that. I am going to be a doctor and everybody around here better understand that!

MAMA
(
Kindly
) ’Course you going to be a doctor, honey, God willing.

BENEATHA
(
Drily
) God hasn’t got a thing to do with it.

MAMA
Beneatha—that just wasn’t necessary.

BENEATHA
Well—neither is God. I get sick of hearing about God.

MAMA
Beneatha!

BENEATHA
I mean it! I’m just tired of hearing about God all the time. What has He got to do with anything? Does he pay tuition?

MAMA
You ’bout to get your fresh little jaw slapped!

RUTH
That’s just what she needs, all right!

BENEATHA
Why? Why can’t I say what I want to around here, like everybody else?

MAMA
It don’t sound nice for a young girl to say things like that—you wasn’t brought up that way. Me and your father went to trouble to get you and Brother to church every Sunday.

BENEATHA
Mama, you don’t understand. It’s all a matter of ideas, and God is just one idea I don’t accept. It’s not important. I am not going out and be immoral or commit crimes because I don’t believe in God. I don’t even think about it. It’s just that I get tired of Him getting credit for all the things the human race achieves through its own stubborn effort. There simply is no blasted God—there is only man and it is
he
who makes miracles!

(
MAMA
absorbs this speech, studies her daughter and rises slowly and crosses to
BENEATHA
and slaps her powerfully across the face. After, there is only silence and the daughter drops her eyes from her mother’s face, and
MAMA
is very tall before her
)

MAMA
Now—you say after me, in my mother’s house there is still God. (
There is a long pause and
BENEATHA
stares at the floor wordlessly
.
MAMA
repeats the phrase with precision and cool emotion
) In my mother’s house there is still God.

BENEATHA
In my mother’s house there is still God.

(
A long pause
)

MAMA
(
Walking away from
BENEATHA
,
too disturbed for triumphant posture. Stopping and turning back to her daughter
) There are some ideas we ain’t going to have in this house. Not long as I am at the head of this family.

BENEATHA
Yes, ma’am.

(
MAMA
walks out of the room
)

RUTH
(
Almost gently, with profound understanding
) You think you a woman, Bennie—but you still a little girl. What you did was childish—so you got treated like a child.

BENEATHA
I see. (
Quietly
) I also see that everybody thinks it’s all right for Mama to be a tyrant. But all the tyranny in the world will never put a God in the heavens!

(
She picks up her books and goes out. Pause
)

RUTH
(
Goes to
MAMA
’s door
) She said she was sorry.

MAMA
(
Coming out, going to her plant
) They frightens me, Ruth. My children.

RUTH
You got good children, Lena. They just a little off sometimes—but they’re good.

MAMA
No—there’s something come down between me and them that don’t let us understand each other and I don’t know what it is. One done almost lost his mind thinking ’bout money all the time and the other done commence to talk about things I can’t seem to understand in no form or fashion. What is it that’s changing, Ruth.

RUTH
(
Soothingly, older than her years
) Now … you taking it all too seriously. You just got strong-willed children and it takes a strong woman like you to keep ’em in hand.

MAMA
(
Looking at her plant and sprinkling a little water on it
) They spirited all right, my children. Got to admit they got spirit—Bennie and Walter. Like this little old plant that ain’t never had enough sunshine or nothing—and look at it …

(
She has her back to
RUTH
,
who has had to stop ironing and lean against something and put the back of her hand to her forehead
)

RUTH
(
Trying to keep
MAMA
from noticing
) You … sure … loves that little old thing, don’t you? …

MAMA
Well, I always wanted me a garden like I used to see sometimes at the back of the houses down home. This plant is close as I ever got to having one. (
She looks out of the window as she replaces the plant
) Lord, ain’t nothing as dreary as the view from this window on a dreary day, is there? Why ain’t you singing this morning, Ruth? Sing that “No Ways Tired.” That song always lifts me up so—(
She turns at last to see that
RUTH
has slipped quietly to the floor, in a state of semiconsciousness
) Ruth! Ruth honey—what’s the matter with you … Ruth!

TRAVIS
Grandmama, that stuff Bennie is using smells awful. Can I go downstairs, please?

MAMA
Did you get all them chores done already? I ain’t seen you doing much.

TRAVIS
Yes’m—finished early. Where did Mama go this morning?

MAMA
(
Looking at
BENEATHA
) She had to go on a little errand.

(
The phone rings
.
BENEATHA
runs to answer it and reaches it before
WALTER
,
who has entered from bedroom
)

TRAVIS
Where?

MAMA
To tend to her business.

BENEATHA
Haylo … (
Disappointed
) Yes, he is. (
She tosses the phone to
WALTER
,
who barely catches it
) It’s Willie Harris again.

WALTER
(
As privately as possible under
MAMA’S
gaze
)
Hello, Willie. Did you get the papers from the lawyer? … No, not yet. I told you the mailman doesn’t get here till ten-thirty … No, I’ll come there … Yeah! Right away. (
He hangs up and goes for his coat
)

BENEATHA
Brother, where did Ruth go?

WALTER
(
As he exits
) How should I know!

TRAVIS
Aw come on, Grandma. Can I go outside?

MAMA
Oh, I guess so. You stay right in front of the house, though, and keep a good lookout for the postman.

TRAVIS
Yes’m. (
He darts into bedroom for stickball and bat, reenters, and sees
BENEATHA
on her knees spraying under sofa with behind upraised. He edges closer to the target, takes aim, and lets her have it. She screams
) Leave them poor little cockroaches alone, they ain’t bothering you none! (
He runs as she swings the spray gun at him viciously and playfully
) Grandma! Grandma!

MAMA
Look out there, girl, before you be spilling some of that stuff on that child!

TRAVIS
(
Safely behind the bastion of
MAMA
) That’s right—look out, now! (
He exits
)

BENEATHA
(
Drily
) I can’t imagine that it would hurt him—it has never hurt the roaches.

MAMA
Well, little boys’ hides ain’t as tough as Southside roaches. You better get over there behind the bureau. I seen one marching out of there like Napoleon yesterday.

BENEATHA
There’s really only one way to get rid of them, Mama—

MAMA
How?

BENEATHA
Set fire to this building! Mama, where did Ruth go?

MAMA
(
Looking at her with meaning
) To the doctor, I think.

BENEATHA
The doctor? What’s the matter? (
They exchange glances
) You don’t think—

MAMA
(
With her sense of drama
) Now I ain’t saying what I think. But I ain’t never been wrong ’bout a woman neither.

(
The phone rings
)

BENEATHA
(
At the phone
) Hay-lo … (
Pause, and a moment of recognition
) Well—when did you get back! … And how was it? … Of course I’ve missed you—in my way … This morning? No … house cleaning and all that and Mama hates it if I let people come over when the house is like this … You
have?
Well, that’s different … What is it—Oh, what the hell, come on over … Right, see you then.
Arrivederci
.

(
She hangs up
)

MAMA
(
Who has listened vigorously, as is her habit
) Who is that you inviting over here with this house looking like this? You ain’t got the pride you was born with!

BENEATHA
Asagai doesn’t care how houses look, Mama—he’s an intellectual.

MAMA
Who?

BENEATHA
Asagai—Joseph Asagai. He’s an African boy I met on campus. He’s been studying in Canada all summer.

MAMA
What’s his name?

BENEATHA
Asagai, Joseph. Ah-sah-guy … He’s from Nigeria.

MAMA
Oh, that’s the little country that was founded by slaves way back …

BENEATHA
No, Mama—that’s Liberia.

MAMA
I don’t think I never met no African before.

BENEATHA
Well, do me a favor and don’t ask him a whole lot of ignorant questions about Africans. I mean, do they wear clothes and all that—

MAMA
Well, now, I guess if you think we so ignorant ’round here maybe you shouldn’t bring your friends here—

BENEATHA
It’s just that people ask such crazy things. All anyone seems to know about when it comes to Africa is Tarzan—

MAMA
(
Indignantly
) Why should I know anything about Africa?

BENEATHA
Why do you give money at church for the missionary work?

MAMA
Well, that’s to help save people.

BENEATHA
Y
OU
mean save them from
heathenism—

MAMA
(
Innocently
) Yes.

BENEATHA
I’m afraid they need more salvation from the British and the French.