Quote 7
MAMA
Son – I come from five generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers – but ain’t nobody in my family never let nobody pay ‘em no money that was a way of telling us we wasn’t fit to walk the earth. We ain’t never been that poor. (Raising her eyes and looking at him) We ain’t never been that – dead inside. (3.1.97)
Lena tells her son that they come from a family of proud people. In her mind, taking money from Lindner would make them worse than slaves. At least during slavery, they didn't have a choice. If Walter takes the money and submits to racism willingly, she feels her family will really have lost its soul.
Quote 8
MAMA (Seeing the make-down bed as TRAVIS has left it)
Lord have mercy, look at that poor bed. Bless his heart – he tries, don’t he? (She moves to the bed TRAVIS has sloppily made up)
RUTH
No – he don’t half try at all ‘cause he knows you going to come along behind him and fix everything. That’s just how come he don’t know how to do nothing right now- you done spoiled that boy so. (1.1.148-9)
Lena lovingly helps Travis with all of his chores at the risk of not asking him to do anything for himself. Throughout the play, we see that Lena has a special tenderness for her grandson. Perhaps, it's easier for her to feel hope for the young boy than it is for own children, who are now adults.
Quote 9
MAMA
Crazy ‘bout his children! God knows there was plenty wrong with Walter Younger – hard-headed, mean, kind of wild with women – plenty wrong with him. But he sure loved his children. Always wanted them to have something – be something. That’s where Brother gets all these notions, I reckon. (1.1.206)
Lena tells us that Big Walter was far from perfect. Even though he was flawed, he had some positive qualities. Lena claims that the best of these was his love and support for his children. It's clear throughout the play that Walter shares many of his father's strengths and weaknesses.