Topic A

[christina b]

In Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, at the top of the pyrimid,is Self-
actualisation. I believe Beaneatha Younger belongs here. Self-
actualisation is needs associated with realizings ones full potential.
Beaneatha has dreams of being a doctor. The play, A Raisin In the Sun,
aslo inclueds that Beaneatha thinks she has many potential for almost
anything. in Act 1 Scene 1, she tells Mama how she is going to take
Guitar lesons. Mama replys "How long it going to be before you get
tired of this now?-like you got tired of that little play-acting group
you joined last year?" then Ruth inclueds, " The horseback-riding club
for wich she baught that fifty-five dollar riding habit that's been
hanging in the closet ever since! (page 47). Going down the pyrimid
even more is extremem needs. This is about self esteem and the esteem
of otheres. Walter best fits this. He wants to look good and has the
dream of being rich. He cares about the job he has now and the job he
really wants. In fact, he even tells Mama how he hates driving aroung
rich white men and saying "yes sir". The Middle of the pyrimid is
Ruth. This is Love and belonging needs. This is about the need for
love and belongingness. Ruth cares about her family. She cares about
keeping the baby or not. She looks alot older than she looks because
she works very hard. Nex is safty needs, security need. This is where
Mama belongs. Mama, later on in the play, buys a new house for the
family in a safe neighborhood. She buys a new house because where they
were living before, Travis was in the streets playing with rats and
slept in the living room. Last is Basic needs/ physiological needs.
This is about basic need like food, water, sleep, drink and shelter.
The only person in this play that fit this is, Joeseph Asagai. He
doesnt really care about anything else except for his background of
where he came from and Beaneatha.

[matt riina]

I respectfully disagree with the placement of Mama on the level of
safety and security needs. While she does want o bring her family into
a safer neighborhood and provide a better lifestyle that is less of a
need and more of a desire. Mama already has a house over her head and
the protection of a close and loving family to provide safety and
security. While she may live in a bad neighborhood that does not
always jeopardize her situation. While a nicer house and neighborhood
would be beneficial it is not a need for her, it is more of a desire
which is not necessarily necessary for her. She has the basic needs of
life and safety to a certain extent, the first place where she falls
short is at love and belonging because she has just lost her husband
and is turning to her family as surrogates for her needs but she still
needs an intimate relationship and her husband’s death denies her of
hat. Because of these reasons I would place Mama on the love and
belonging level not the safety and security level.