In
, handles 's rudeness with emotional support.
Similar
to her Biblical namesake, Hansberry constructs Ruth as a supportive and caring figure who
handles Walter's rudeness. Ruth does not contradict her husband when he is rude to her or her
family. Rather, she counters it with support, love, and devotion towards her perceived duty as
a wife and caretaker of the family. For example, in the opening scene, Walter is rude to Ruth
because she does not immediately voice full throated support for his ideas:
Walter: See there, that just goes to show you what women understand
about the world. Baby, dont nothing happen for you in this world €˜less you
pay somebody off!
Ruth: Walter, leave me alone! Eat your eggs, they gonna be
cold.
Walter is fairly rude in making the assumption that
Ruth does not understand the world. Instead, she redirects him to eating. Ruth fulfills what
she sees as her duty as a wife. She supports her husband by suggesting that he take care of
himself and finish his meal. She does not rebuke him or aggressively challenge him like her
sister- in- law would. Rather, her approach in dealing with his rude demeanor is to focus on
her job as a caretaker of the family. Ruth is able to find a path beyond Walter's rudeness
through her nurturing capacity.
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