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George Murchison, a young Black man and one of Beneatha’s suitors, has immense pride in his social status. Beneatha says George’s family disapproves of her because she does not have the kind of money they do, and she claims the only people snobbier than rich white people are rich Black people. In addition to flaunting his wealth, George brags about his knowledge of theatre etiquette and his frequent trips to New York. He looks down on Walter for his crass discussions of money, and makes Walter feel small by referencing Greek mythology he knows Walter will not understand.
Social signifiers are immensely important to George. He dresses in the popular college style to show off his education. He does not want to be associated with anyone in the Younger family beyond Beneatha, and he shows particular disdain for Walter. George treats college education as an expectation for his life. He sees Beneatha’s education as respectable because having a degree elevates her closer to his lifestyle, but he does not want her degree to be more than an accolade. As soon as she cares about her studies and how she can use her knowledge in the world, George deems her unattractive. The prestige of a degree matters to him, but using it as a vehicle for change makes him uncomfortable.
George is uncomfortable with conversations about race. When Beneatha claims he assimilates into white society to seem less Black, George says she parrots the ideals she learned from college without understanding what they mean. When Beneatha excitedly dresses in the Nigerian clothing Asagai gives her, George ridicules it as a costume and is initially mortified to be seen with her wearing her natural hair. Unlike Beneatha and Asagai, George has no interest in connecting with his African roots. Ultimately, George is far more comfortable with his assimilated status in white America, much to Beneatha’s displeasure.
