Quote 21
MAMA
I guess that’s how come that man finally worked hisself to death like he done. Like he was fighting his own war with this here world that took his baby from him. (1.1.204)
Lena believes Big Walter died from the pain of having lost a child. He buried himself in work to try and escape memory of the child's death. Eventually, though, all this work brought on his own death, which brought more pain to his family. We wonder if Big Walter somehow knew this was going to happen. Did he work himself to death on purpose so that his family would get the life insurance check? Did he die to try and ease his family's suffering?
Quote 22
MAMA
You making something inside me cry, son. Some awful pain inside me. (3.1.95)
Lena is heartbroken to hear that her son has sold out his family. She can't believe that his suffering has made him sink so low.
Quote 23
MAMA
Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain’t through learning – because that ain’t the time at all. It’s when he’s at his lowest and can’t believe in hisself ‘cause the world done whipped him so! When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right, child, measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is. (3.1.113)
Lena tells Bennie that people need love the most when they are suffering the most. She urges her daughter to see past the bad decisions people sometimes make when they are in pain.
Quote 24
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? (1.1.296)
Lena has never had the garden of her dreams, so she settles on a little potted plant. However, on some level she seems to have more hope than the rest of them.
Quote 25
MAMA
No…something has changed. (She looks at him) You something new, boy. In my time we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the North if we could and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too…Now here come you and Beneatha – talking ‘bout things we ain’t never even thought about hardly, me and your daddy. You ain’t satisfied or proud of nothing we done. I mean that you had a home; that we kept you out of trouble till you was grown; that you don’t have to ride to work on the back of nobody’s streetcar – You my children – but how different we done become. (1.2.231)
Lena feels disconnected with her children because they are so much more easily dissatisfied than she is. From her perspective, they have a lot to be thankful for.
Quote 26
MAMA
(Looking at him as she would WALTER) I bet you don’t half look after yourself, being away from your mama either. I spec you better come ‘round here from time to time to get yourself some decent home-cooked meals… (1.2.125)
Lena offers her home to Asagai, showing that the Younger household is hospitable to others, even in their poverty.
Quote 27
MAMA
It’s dangerous, son.
WALTER
What’s dangerous?
MAMA
When a man goes outside his home to look for peace. (1.2.215-7)
Mama worries that if her son starts going outside of their home to find peace then one day he might not come back. She feels that a man's house should be his safe haven, and that there's a serious problem in that home if he can't find rest there.
Quote 28
MAMA
Walter Lee – it makes a difference in a man when he can walk on floors that belong to him… (2.1.170)
Lena hopes that owning a house will give Walter a sense of pride. In her mind, it will give him something in the world that is truly his. Of course, Walter sees this as an unwise investment. He'd rather invest in a business than a home.
Quote 29
MAMA
When the world gets ugly enough – a woman will do anything for her family. The part that’s already living. (1.2.235)
According to Mama, a woman's main priority is to secure the future of her existing family, even if it means sacrificing other lives. And aborting an unborn baby is a huge sacrifice for Ruth.
Quote 30
MAMA
It ain’t much, but it’s all I got in the world and I’m putting it in your hands. I’m telling you to be the head of this family from now on like you supposed to be. (2.2.113)
Mama tells Walter that it's time he lead the family. It seems that Lena is definitely old fashioned in her view of gender roles (no wonder she doesn't understand Beneatha). Lena feels guilty that he hasn't let Walter take his place as the "man."
Quote 31
MAMA (Quietly, woman to woman)
He finally come into his manhood today, didn’t he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain…
RUTH (Biting her lip, lest her own pride explode in front of Mama)
Yes, Lena. (3.1.155-6)
Even though Walter is the protagonist of the story, it is the women in his life who have the biggest dream for him: to find his own manhood. Hansberry suggests that manliness is having the strength to stand up for what is right.
Quote 32
MAMA (Putting her finger on his nose for emphasis)
She went out and she bought you a house! (The explosion comes from WALTER at the end of the revelation and he jumps up and turns away from all of them in a fury. MAMA continues, to TRAVIS) You glad about the house? It’s going to be yours when you get to be a man. (2.1.156)
Lena announces to Travis and the family that she has purchased a house with Big Walter's life insurance money. She did not consult anyone about it beforehand.
Quote 33
MAMA (Raising her eyes to meet his finally)
Son – I just tried to find the nicest place for the least amount of money for my family. (2.1.178)
Lena stands up for her right to use the money the best way she saw fit. She feels that she has made the right choice for her family and that, as head of that family, she had the right to do it.
Quote 34
MAMA (The mother and son are left alone now and the mother waits a long time, considering deeply, before she speaks)
Son – you – you understand what I done, don’t you? (WALTER is silent and sullen) I – I just seen my family falling apart today… just falling to pieces in front of my eyes…We couldn’t of gone on like we was today. We was going backwards ‘stead of forwards – talking ‘bout killing babies and wishing each other was dead…When it gets like that in life – you just got to do something different, push on out and do something bigger… (She waits) I wish you say something, son…I wish you’d say how deep inside you you think I done the right thing – (2.1.186)
Lena needed to make a big decision in order to get her family back on track, even if it meant disappointing her son. She knows her choice will be a hard one, but still she felt it was the best thing to do.
Quote 35
MAMA I’ve helped do it to you, haven’t I, son? Walter I been wrong
[…]
Listen to me, now. I say I been wrong, son. That I been doing to you what the rest of the world been doing to you. (2.2.111-3)
Lena realizes she may have contributed to Walter's state of helplessness and decides to rectify her mistake. She now believes that she might have made the wrong choice in not giving Walter any of the money.
Quote 36
MAMA
That leaves sixty-five hundred dollars. Monday morning I want you to take this money and take three thousand dollars and put it in a savings account for Beneatha’s medical schooling. The rest you put in a checking account – with your name on it. And from now on any penny that come out of it or that go in it is for you to look after. For you to decide. (2.2.113)
Lena decides to give all that's left of the insurance money to Walter, hoping that entrusting him will resurrect his faith in himself. In the short term, this seems like a really bad choice, because Walter loses all the money to Willy Harris. Ultimately, though, it leads to Walter's redemption. It seems like even choices that sometimes seem bad can turn out alright in the end.
Quote 37
MAMA (Opening her eyes and looking into WALTER’S)
No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good. Like Willy Harris taught you. You show where our five generations done come to. (WALTER looks from her to the boy, who grins at him innocently) Go ahead, son – (She folds her hands and closes her eyes) Go ahead. (3.1.120)
Lena urges Walter to consider how his actions affect his son. She makes Walter think about how his choices might influence Travis's choices in the future. If Walter gives into Lindner, will it set a negative example for his son? Will Travis sacrifice his dignity in similar ways?
Quote 38
MAMA
Your wife say she going to destroy your child. And I’m waiting to hear you talk like him and say we a people who give children life, not who destroys them – (She rises) I’m waiting to see you stand up and look like your daddy and say we don’t give up one baby to poverty and that we ain’t going to give up nary another one…I’m waiting. (1.2.238)
Lena wants Walter to say that Ruth should not sacrifice their future child's life and her health to lighten the family's load. This is just too big a sacrifice to make in Lena's mind.
Quote 39
MAMA
I seen…him…night after night…come in…and look at that rug… and then look at me…the red showing in his eyes…the veins moving in his head…I seen him grow thin and old before he was forty…working and working and working like somebody’s old horse…killing himself…and you – you give it all away in a day – (She raises her arms to strike him again) (2.3.189)
Lena recalls the sacrifices Big Walter made for his family. She hates the fact that his son lost all of his life's savings in one day. In this moment, it seems like all of her husband's sacrifices were for nothing.