Mama's old-fashioned and conservative views are evident when she speaks of her husband's past "womanizing" and chauvinistic behavior as being something that she could overlook. Mama actually believes that accepting such behavior is a woman's lot in life. Ruth, however, is only slightly more liberated as she, too, would accept such behavior in her man, but she would at least address the problem. Beneatha, in contrast, represents a new, liberated generation of women; she would never accept such behavior in a man and would, perhaps, have spoken out against Mama's lack of spunk in dealing with a sexist mate had Mama reminisced about life with "Big Walter" with Beneatha instead of Ruth.
Mama's single weakness appears to be her all-consuming love for her grandson, Travis, which causes her to spoil him and causes her also to act in a somewhat meddlesome manner with her daughter-in-law. Mama impresses us with her strength, but this strength appears to have been sublimated during her marriage. It seems that only after the death of "Big Walter," when Mama has to become head of the household, that she can summon the herculean strength she exhibits throughout the drama.
As her name suggests, Lena's entire family "leans on" her and draws from her strength in order to replenish their own.
