In the play "A Raisin in the Sun", by Lorraine Hansberry, pride is one of the major themes. Several of the characters display their own particular kind of pride. Walter Lee shows a type of pride that could be called "manly" pride. Beneatha is constantly displaying her "intellectual" pride. Mama has a deep-rooted "old-fashioned" pride. Collectively, all of their prides come together to form a sense of "cultural and ethnic" pride.
Walter Lee's "manly" pride shows itself as he always insists on being accepted and respected as the head of the Younger household. He expects the rest of the family to listen to him and follow his guidance. When is "manliness" is questioned, he becomes very angry. Walter Lee wants to invest the ten thousand dollars of insurance money that his mother has inherited from his father's death in a liquor store. When his wife, Ruth, ignores his idea he becomes angry because he wants to be respected at the man of the house. He tries to make his mother understand his point of view. He thinks that money is the only way that a man can be successful. .
Beneatha's name is well suited to her since she seems to feel that everyone is "beneath" her. She feels that school and learning about her African heritage is the most important thing in her life. Her need to be intellectually superior causes her to often disrespect her mother. She shows this when she sounds out Asagai's name unnecessarily slowly to her mother, as if her mother was not capable of understanding otherwise (Hansberry 1401). She also insults her mother when she asks her mother not to "ask any ignorant questions about Africa - (Hansberry 1401). .
Most of Mama's pride has been inherited from her late husband, Big Walter. She believes strongly that everyone in put family first, respect their mother and father, and respect the Lord. She often spoke with pride of how her generation won their freedom and were no longer to be thought of as slaves.