Question

In the play titled "Florence", how does Mama change the course of the play?

Answer 1

The story Florence, by Alice Childress reflects the love of a mother for her child and also helps us to understand that the negative feelings about something someone else does, may not be for us to understand. Mama, a character in this late forties play was the leading character. Mama had little faith in her daughter becoming a star, until something happened to change her mind. She meet an actress in the bus station who changed the way she though of her daughters happiness. Florence, one of Mamas children and the mother of a small little boy whom she left with Mama, went off to discover her dreams as an actress. No one seemed to believe in Florence but herself. Marge, another one of Mamas daughters, showed no encouragement towards Florence and her dreams.

During act one, Marge seems to have coaxed Mama into believing that she should not be keeping her grandson for his mama to run off and catch up with her dreams. Mama agreed to go and bring Florence back home from up North. I think that she was jealous of her sister for having the strength to go into a white mans world to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress. Marge often made remarks like them folks aint gonna let her be no actor, you tell her to wake up. To me this is an indicator of her jealousy. Marge never spoke as if her sister had a hint of talent. She only worried about the money that they would lose and not the money that they could gain if Florence was a success.

Mama on the other hand, shows a little faith in Florence. Mama really didnt want to go up North unannounced and she really did not want to bring Florence back. I think that she just wanted to know that she was doing all right.