A Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis

The play A Raisin in the Sun, begins with the introduction of the Younger family who lived on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950’s. During this time period, there was segregation around different areas in the United States, which caused problems for families who wanted to find better neighborhoods for their loved ones. Therefore, when the Younger family desired to move to Clybourne Park, a predominantly white neighborhood, they were faced with issues such as cultural identity. Throughout the play, Beneatha the youngest daughter of the Younger family, shows that she struggles with cultural identity because she refused to become an assimilationist, wants to express herself and find her own identity.

Twenty year olds are blinded by the endless opportunities that make the sacrifices of others seem invisible to them. Beneatha Younger, a twenty-year old woman in Lorraine Hansberry’s drama, A Raisin in the Sun takes her family’s generosity for granted. Beneatha is a confident, open minded, young adult who focuses on becoming a doctor, rather than contributing to her family’s income. The Younger family sacrifices a great deal so that Beneatha can experience guitar lessons, take photography and stay in school. Sadly, Beneatha, independent yet self centered, focuses on herself rather than the sacrifices her family makes for her success.

In Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun a number of social issues are both explicitly and subtly exemplified through out the characters experiences and relationships. Living in a cramped Chicago apartment, the Youngers’ display both influential goals and conflicting restraints. Beneatha Youngers is a controversial character; she complicates society’s typical gender roles, introduces the wrestle between assimilation and ancestry of African-Americans, but specifically serves as a paradigm for her generation in the play.

The play A Raisin in the Sun illustrates the social and economic pressure that is placed on the Younger family, especially Beneatha who aspires to become a doctor at the time where not many women could even imagine such aspirations. The Younger family's daughter Beneatha is an outspoken intelligent member who raises the argument for the other side of the spectrum at all times. Beneatha is aspiring to become a doctor and has some hope that some of the money from her father's social insurance cheque would help go to her medical school. The pressure of being lower middle class severely affects the relationships of the Younger family as Walter, Beneatha's older brother shows no regard for his sister as he sees her as the only one in the house not

In A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha is an African American woman in the 1950’s who is determined to put her education first and one day become a doctor. Ruth tries to convince Beneatha to marry George because he is a rich man; however, Beneatha responds that “[she’s] going to be a doctor. [She’s] not worried about who [she’s] going to marry yet-if [she] ever gets married” (Hansberry, 1959, p. 936). After this discussion, Beneatha’s discipline and mindset is revealed. Beneatha clearly shows that she is more committed to her education than any other aspect of her life.

Every person who comes to America has a common motive, with underlying details causing their motives to differ. Some come to America with the hope of freedom from the difficult lives they face in their home countries, while others will arrive because of the various opportunities for success that America has to offer. But most of all, many believe the country can give them the chance to find who they are and figure out what their goals are their new life. Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun surrounds a black family in the southside of Chicago, known as the Younger’s. The play gives insight on the life of the family, and the many difficulties they face as each family member tries to achieve their American Dream. Beneatha Younger, the daughter

The Raisin in the Sun is about an African American family who live in Southside Chicago in the 1950’s. In that time period, African American families typically didn’t have nice houses, good jobs, or a lot of money. The family of five in the book live in a two-bedroom apartment with a bathroom that’s down the hallway that they have to share with other families in the building. This causes a lot of tension and issues since they can never really get away from one another. These issues help develop some of the plot in The Raisin in the Sun and develops some of the character’s personalities and how significant they are in the play. Most of the characters in A Raisin in the Sun By Lorriane Hansberry that make influence in the story. The two

“ A Raisin in the Sun” is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry about the life of an African American family during the era of segregation. The play starts off with the Younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from Mr. Younger’s insurance policy. The family argues over what they are going to do with it. Mama wants to buy a house with it, Walter wants to invest in a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to use the money to go to medical school. The contrast of the characters’ personalities fuels the conflict and drives the story forward. Beneatha is a young college student and the sister of Walter. She has a dream of becoming a doctor. Beneatha is a dynamic character who is easily influenced by her family and the people

In Lorraine's Hansberry A Raisin In The Sun. Walter wants to make money to support his family. He wants money because he thinks it makes him a “man”. How ever when his money is stolen, Walter’s perceptions of manhood shifts from valuing wealth and power to valuing family and pride.

German-born, American psychologist, Erik Erikson, said, “Life doesn't make any sense without interdependence. We need each other, and the sooner we learn that, the better for us all.” Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun (1959), is a story of an African-American family that is struggling with their dreams and the fight to move up socio-economically and the barriers the majority has put in place for them. Lorraine Hansberry reveals one of her themes through the character of Beneatha.

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun” written by Lorraine Hansberry, she is able to take us to place to see what it was like for an African American family to survive in the mid-twentieth century. The play details how the main characters are going through an evolving social and economic position, as well as the evolving gender roles. Hansberry uses the characterization of Beneatha, Ruth, and Walter in order to show the expectations and assigned gender roles for the characters in the story. In short, Beneatha is depicted as a woman who is challenging gender norms and expectations upheld by her family, whereas Ruth is seen as an example of a submissive housewife fulfilling her expected duties. Using “A Raisin in the Sun,” as well as “Marxists

In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter Younger wants to be a “real man”. His dream is to become successful in business and make his family rich. However, when all his money is stolen, he becomes very pessimistic, abandoning the ideas of morality and dignity. At the end of the play, his son Travis inspires him to value his family’s pride over materialism. Over the course of the play, Walter’s view of manhood changes from someone wealthy and successful to a person who has pride and believes in human dignity.

In A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha Younger, a young black woman who hopes to eventually become a doctor, faces extreme disapproval from her brother, Walter Younger. Beneatha tells her romantic interest, Asagai, that her desire to become a doctor began when she witnessed her friend slice his face open while sledding and was shocked to discover that doctors successfully reconstructed his face. Her desire to be a doctor, unlike her flit with horseback riding and music, is deeply rooted and defines Beneatha for a significant portion of the play. Walter Younger arguably makes significant development throughout the play, yet continuously undermines her dream as uncharacteristic of a woman, stating in the beginning of the play "Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy 'bout messing 'round with sick people-then go be a nurse like other women-or just get married and be quiet" (A Raisin in the Sun, 1.1.78).

“I mean it! I’m just tired of hearing about God all the time. What has He got to do with anything?” (Hansberry, page 33). A Raisin in the Sun, play written by Lorraine Hansberry, depicts a poor black family in the Southside of Chicago waiting on an insurance payment to better their lives. The family consists of Ruth, Walter, Travis, Beneatha, and Mama. Beneatha being the daughter of Mama. Throughout the play Beneatha struggles with her identity, and her role as a black woman in her society. She’s an optimist, she wants the best for herself and her family, her personality is outspoken and indecisive.

In A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger family is trying to achieve the American Dream, which is “the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American”(cite dictionary.com). The Youngers are a black family living in a poor part of Chicago. They inherit ten thousand dollars because Mama’s husband died. Mama is the matriarch of the Younger family. Each family member has their own idea about how to use this money to fulfill their dreams, and the play uses the decisions of the family members and other characters to show the reader that people’s actions are not always motivated by what they appear to be. Mama wants to use the money to buy a house in a white neighborhood, because she thinks it is a better environment for her family than their current living conditions and will benefit her family. Although there are a number of people in A Raisin in the Sun who appear too want to help the Younger family, Mama shows through her decision to buy the house that she is the only person that is looking out for the best interests of her family.