Post 4

Vernacular demonstrates the differences between the various classes. Prevalent within A Raisin in the Sun, the characters speak by shortening some of their words. Beneatha articulates her words and out of all the people, she assimilates herself an educated audience. Mama, Ruth, and Walter Lee are decently educated. They talk without slurring many words together, yet they still have a certain dialect that makes them distinguishable. Before Walter Lee reveals his plans to his family about allowing Lindner give money, he alters his voice, "Captain, Mistuh, Bossman, Great White, Father, just gi' ussen de money, fo' God's sake, and we's - we's ain't gwine come out deh and dirty up yo' white folks neighborhood (144)..." This mode of speaking demonstrates the uneducated slave. Walter demotes himself and his family back by his dialect. He allows the white men to have dominance over him by calling him Captain and Bossman. The manner in which a person speaks exhibits the class and the education that which a slave had. By reverting to the habit, it reveals the helplessness that Walter feels within himself.