Right here is the PowerPoint to our Characterization
George
Questions About Characterization
1. George is flat and his dominant trait is egotism because of the wealth that his family has. He believes that he is above his African roots especially when he says “What have you done with your head -- I mean your hair!” when Beneatha’s hair is “closed, cropped and straightened". George's function in the plot is to be an antagonist in Beneatha’s conflict in marriage. Beneatha is struggling to make a choice in her future and to find herself. George acts as an option that Beneatha can take, one that refuses his African roots is enveloped in the “dominant” culture, America’s culture. George helps to establish the conflict in the plot by taking Beneatha out on dates and beginning to get more forceful in his pursuit of Beneatha, as the readers and listeners see on the date when George complains about Beneatha’s talking.
3. George’s static characteristics intensifies because in the beginning the readers don’t know much about George other than that he is wooing Beneatha, which leads Lena and Ruth to push Beneatha to give George a fair chance. We believe that Beneatha may be biased view, but later we actually find out his personality through the date that George asks of Beneatha.
5. George isn’t wearing a mask because he is a flat and static character, one without depth.
6. To play George, we agree that we would need fancy clothes, probably an expensive suit, or what was stated in the play, a casual tweed sports jacket over a cashmere v-neck sweater over a soft eyelet shirt and tie, and soft slacks finished off with white buckskin shoes. We would act George out by having a condescending air to people who aren’t like him.
Thinking on Paper About Characterization
2. The dress of George (in #6 above) helps establish his narcissism and vanity because the money that can be spent on other more useful things.
4. His motivation for asking Beneatha out is to gain her as his marriage partner since he knows that she is pretty, at least when she wear regular American clothing. When George find Beneatha in her traditional Nigerian robes, he tells her in a degrading tone, “Look honey, we are going to the theater--we aren’t going to be in it... so go change... huh?”. He just believes that she is a nice looking girl, one of the main reasons that he is dating her, which is seen when he says “You’re a nice looking girl...all over. That’s all you need, honey, forget the atmosphere. Guys aren’t going to go for the atmosphere. They are going to go for what they see... As for myself, I want a nice simple sophisticated girl.. .not a poet -- okay?” while groping her. He then tries to kiss her. Also, in the discussion with Beneatha, he tells her what he really wants in life, “It’s simple. You read books-- to learn facts-- to get grades-- to pass to course-- to get a degree. That’s all. It has nothing to do with thoughts.” This quote emphasizes that shallowness that George has, even in his purpose in life. He doesn’t find any other meaning in what Beneatha does and what everyone else in college does, except for the main goal of getting money.
5. George devises the not very intelligent strategy of trying to get Ruth to be quiet and not be so meaningful and traditional. He tells her that she is “nice looking”, but that is looking so someone simple and that he doesn’t want to talk about “moody” things. This method seems to be quite ineffective because “he starts to kiss her and she rebuffs her again”. Then, he gets angry because he thinks “This is stupid! I don’t go out with you to discuss the nature of ‘quiet desperation’ or to hear all about your thoughts-- because the world will go on thinking what it thinks regardless.”
6. He miscalculates Beneatha as a girl who would be honored to go out with someone like George, but she actually has her own goals that don’t include George and his money. The consequence of his shallow thinking is his anger which leads to their breakup. Beneatha, in turn, has wasted her time on someone who didn’t even care about her interest.
1. George is flat and his dominant trait is egotism because of the wealth that his family has. He believes that he is above his African roots especially when he says “What have you done with your head -- I mean your hair!” when Beneatha’s hair is “closed, cropped and straightened". George's function in the plot is to be an antagonist in Beneatha’s conflict in marriage. Beneatha is struggling to make a choice in her future and to find herself. George acts as an option that Beneatha can take, one that refuses his African roots is enveloped in the “dominant” culture, America’s culture. George helps to establish the conflict in the plot by taking Beneatha out on dates and beginning to get more forceful in his pursuit of Beneatha, as the readers and listeners see on the date when George complains about Beneatha’s talking.
3. George’s static characteristics intensifies because in the beginning the readers don’t know much about George other than that he is wooing Beneatha, which leads Lena and Ruth to push Beneatha to give George a fair chance. We believe that Beneatha may be biased view, but later we actually find out his personality through the date that George asks of Beneatha.
5. George isn’t wearing a mask because he is a flat and static character, one without depth.
6. To play George, we agree that we would need fancy clothes, probably an expensive suit, or what was stated in the play, a casual tweed sports jacket over a cashmere v-neck sweater over a soft eyelet shirt and tie, and soft slacks finished off with white buckskin shoes. We would act George out by having a condescending air to people who aren’t like him.
Thinking on Paper About Characterization
2. The dress of George (in #6 above) helps establish his narcissism and vanity because the money that can be spent on other more useful things.
4. His motivation for asking Beneatha out is to gain her as his marriage partner since he knows that she is pretty, at least when she wear regular American clothing. When George find Beneatha in her traditional Nigerian robes, he tells her in a degrading tone, “Look honey, we are going to the theater--we aren’t going to be in it... so go change... huh?”. He just believes that she is a nice looking girl, one of the main reasons that he is dating her, which is seen when he says “You’re a nice looking girl...all over. That’s all you need, honey, forget the atmosphere. Guys aren’t going to go for the atmosphere. They are going to go for what they see... As for myself, I want a nice simple sophisticated girl.. .not a poet -- okay?” while groping her. He then tries to kiss her. Also, in the discussion with Beneatha, he tells her what he really wants in life, “It’s simple. You read books-- to learn facts-- to get grades-- to pass to course-- to get a degree. That’s all. It has nothing to do with thoughts.” This quote emphasizes that shallowness that George has, even in his purpose in life. He doesn’t find any other meaning in what Beneatha does and what everyone else in college does, except for the main goal of getting money.
5. George devises the not very intelligent strategy of trying to get Ruth to be quiet and not be so meaningful and traditional. He tells her that she is “nice looking”, but that is looking so someone simple and that he doesn’t want to talk about “moody” things. This method seems to be quite ineffective because “he starts to kiss her and she rebuffs her again”. Then, he gets angry because he thinks “This is stupid! I don’t go out with you to discuss the nature of ‘quiet desperation’ or to hear all about your thoughts-- because the world will go on thinking what it thinks regardless.”
6. He miscalculates Beneatha as a girl who would be honored to go out with someone like George, but she actually has her own goals that don’t include George and his money. The consequence of his shallow thinking is his anger which leads to their breakup. Beneatha, in turn, has wasted her time on someone who didn’t even care about her interest.