One of the central lessons of the play is the value of dignity. Walter is deeply unhappy in his job as a chauffeur, and he resents the “stars gleaming” just out of his reach. He has externalized his sense of self-worth, staking his hopes for the future on becoming a business owner and elevating himself out of the service class. However, after he loses all of the money Lena gives him from the insurance check, he is forced to reevaluate his life and priorities. His decision to move into the house in Clybourne Park and reject Karl Lindner’s offer represents his newfound sense of self-worth. He has realized that material wealth is worth less than his family’s dignity, and he firmly asserts their right to exist anywhere they please. 

Beneatha’s romantic entanglements also represent the importance of self-worth. George Murchison, a wealthy and fully assimilated Black man, rejects his African heritage as “a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts.” He instead views material wealth and social climbing as the path toward greater dignity for Black people. Joseph Asagai, meanwhile, teaches Beneatha about Nigerian culture and encourages her to embrace her natural hair rather than continuing to straighten it. For George, Black pride is obtained through assimilation and proximity to white culture. By contrast, Asagai espouses the inherent value of Blackness, rejecting the notion that white people get to determine what—and who—has worth.