Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

As we see from her first entrance, Beneatha is a loud and outspoken character. She is a single young female living in a home with Ruth and Mama. Quite similar as characters, they share traditional values and believe women should care for the wellbeing of their family. Ruth and Mama take pride in doing domestic service work as their source of income and are continuously seen putting their children’s needs before theirs. Hansberry uses Beneatha’s character to contradict these values and introduce a character with modern feminist views. Beneatha fiercely fires back to anyone who questions her life goals. She is constantly found bickering with Walter about her dream of becoming a doctor. She is reminded by him that “girls” shouldn’t be doctors. Beneatha voices her feelings on male dependency when she mentions to Mama and Ruth “Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet - if I ever get married”, and they respond with a shocked “if!”(50). The idea of a woman not wanting to get married was shocking to Mama and Ruth. Beneatha feels that she does not need to be dependent on a man; she has one goal, to become a doctor. She does not need a man in her life, she feels perfectly

Beneatha is a character that shows the struggles of an African American female at the time. Beneatha’s struggle is trying to become a doctor when others are telling her to give up on her dream. Walter, Beneatha’s brother, says, “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” (Hansberry 12-13). This is evident that Walter does not believe that Beneatha should become a doctor because it goes against the social norms of the time. Ruth shows determination by continuing her dream even with her family putting her down.

Beneatha combats traditional gender roles by going to college to become a doctor. Women were not known for going to school to get a degree, especially to get a medical degree that was not to become a nurse. Walter, Beneatha’s brother expresses to Beneatha and his family how he feels about the path she is taking to live her life which includes becoming a doctor. “Who the hell told you to become 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…” (Hansberry 38). Walter is a man who seems to believe in gender roles because he thinks that because Beneatha is a woman so she should not be going to college to become a doctor but she should be going to college to be a nurse.

In Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” (1959), she reveals the life of the Youngers family. In doing so, there surfaces a detrimental ideology that destroys the family financially and in their overall happiness. In Act II Scene I, Walter, the father figure of the family, says, “Why? You want to know why? 'Cause we all tied up in a race of people that don 't know how to do nothing but moan, pray and have babies!” (Hansberry 532). By way of explanation, the family and much of the African-American community for the 1960’s, is built upon a loose ideology that is a brutal cycle that infects the lives of those who inhabit the area; tired of all the commotion from the Caucasians who, to them, miraculously achieve a life of ruling and

The play “ A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry shows three generation of women under the same roof and the struggle each women face, the dreams that they had and how they overcome the obstacle in their life to move on to something better. The women in the family has had to sacrifice a lot to make the family either happy or progress further in life.

Her sister-in-law and grandmother believe she should marry George Murchison because he’s from a wealthy family and could potentially help her. Despite this, Beneatha doesn’t want to marry him because she doesn’t want to be with someone she doesn’t love. In the 1900s there was a lot more sexism than there is today. People believed women should stay at home and take care of their children and the house. Her brother, Walter, believes her dream of becoming a doctor is unrealistic and not worth thinking about. “If you so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people then go be a nurse like other women.”(Walter, 38). Later on in the play, Beneatha’s grandmother, Mama, gives Walter $3,500 for him and $3,000 for Beneatha’s education. However, Walter ends up using all the money to invest in a liquor store, and it eventually gets taken by a man named Willy Harris. Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor became more unrealistic. Since Walter used her money, she now doesn’t have any money for the education that’s needed to become a doctor. The ending of the play doesn’t mention what happens to Beneatha and her dream of becoming a doctor. However, we do know that her dream looks much more like a fantasy rather than a reality due to her brother’s

Beneathe’s dream is to become a doctor, but everyone, especially Walter, is critical of it. Typically women don't become doctors, let alone black women. Walter says, “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” (Hansberry 38). Walter says this in response to the fact that she needs money for medical school and he wants that money. He is being a little selfish here and basically telling her that she should give up on being a doctor. The medical school fees are too expensive and there are really no black women that are doctors. This really prevents Beneatha from fulfilling her dreams. Beneatha’s dreams can be compared to the line “Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet.” The sugary sweetness of her dreams “crusts over” as life gets in the way, this causes her to push off her dreams. What gets in her way are the expenses, the constant reminder that she's black, and the fact that she's a

Beneatha believes that education is the only way to achieve a successful life.  Yet, Walter does not understand why she values education so much, and asks her, “ I just wondered if you’ve made up your mind and everything” (Hansberry 25).  She wants to become a doctor so that she can live a more independent life.  Brubaker says, “Beneatha’s version of the American Dream is solitary, less traditional, and not as concerned with family; her’s is a less conservative version of the American Dream.”  Beneatha’s family is concerned with her dream of becoming a doctor because it was so rare in the 1950’s.  She does not want to feel like she has to constantly rely on a man, and even implies that she might not even get married.  Her interest in Africa “symbolizes her struggle to understand her identity as an African-American Woman” (Marshall).   Beneatha does not want to assimilate to the traditional ideas of

Travis Younger, Walter and Ruth’s young son is a unique character in the play, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry. He was identified as a spoiled child because his parents gave him whatever he wanted as they don’t want Travis to think they don’t have enough money but later, he becomes devoted. Towards the end, Travis becomes the symbol of the “future” for the Younger family because his future represents the possibility of ending the burdens of frustration that have accumulated over the generations.

A Raisin in the Sun is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, this play also comes in a series of movies. In the movie version of A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Leon Kenny, there are many similarities and differences from the play. In the play, for example, a difference is that Mama talks about the check with Walter in their apartment, but in the movie they talk in a diner after Mama finds Walter in a bar. Another difference is that Travis was in the play a lot, but in the movie he was hardly included. A similarity, however, is that Mama gives her same speech about how loving someone when they are down is the best thing you can do for them. The movie version was set in the time period of the Civil Rights Movement, and the play was not set in that time period. While both versions of A Raisin in the Sun address the similarities and differences, the differences exceed the similarities, hence a teacher must show the movie and the play so the students can understand the significance of both.

In A Raisin in the Sun the family had some ups and downs in this story because so many problems has occurred throughout the story. The family faces hardships in that moment seem to tear them apart but through everything, they always stick together. Lorraine Hansberry wrote all this characters in so many different ways because they’re all special in their own ways, and who I think brings everyone together mostly is Walter because he made some mistakes that he can’t really fix but he proves to everyone that he can always make things better but can’t reverse what he did. In the play Walter cares for everyone especially for his son and wife but he wants to dream big like he said “Cause sometimes it is hard to let the future begin!” Walter believes his dreams of a better future has came true when Willy was at the door with some good news.

Lorraine Hansberry was born in Chicago on May 19, 1930. Growing up on Chicago's south side, in a middle class african american family with four other siblings . Hansberry’s childhood took a very big part in the writing of A Raisin In The Sun . During 1938 Hansberry and her family had moved into an all white neighborhood , where they were faced with a traumatic and racist experience; The family had fought against the segregation and racism pointed towards their children. Hansberry was almost killed from a brick flying through the window of her house sent flying from a hostile neighbor. After these traumatic events the Hansberry family was left with no choice, but to keep fighting.

Ruth, a character from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, goes through a change in demeanor over the course of the book. In A Raisin in the Sun, Ruth begins as a woman who works day in and day out doing domestic labor to provide for her family - her husband, Walter; her son, Travis; her sister-in-law, Beneatha; and her mother in law, Lena. She is quiet-mannered and lives in a small apartment with her family, where she manages to get by. During the play, Ruth develops a stronger will, and it changes her relationships with both the people around her and herself.

Beneatha is an independent woman with great ambition. She always stands up for her beliefs and ideas no matter how contradict others. Beneatha is a fox, she is clever and, a quick thinker, she stays true to herself. When talking about her future Beneatha states, “Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet--if I ever get married… I couldn’t be bothered with that. I am going to be a doctor, and everybody around here better understand that” (Hansberry, page 32). Beneatha is already sure of herself and what she wants to be in life. This encounter between her family is a defining moment for her character it shows how serious she is about her future. She also is not afraid to speak about her beliefs no matter the consequence. For example, ”God is just one idea I don’t accept. It’s not important. I am not going out and be immoral or commit crimes

“Symbolism is the language of mystery.” Symbolism in literature is an object or idea that has meaning beyond the literal meaning of the object. For example a rose is considered a symbol of balance. The beauty of the flower expresses promise, hope, and new beginnings. In the book A Raisin In The Sun, many symbols are used, but there were three main symbols that were in the book, that also all connected together in the. In the play. Lorraine Hansberry uses window, light, and plant as the symbols in the play.