The story of this play is simple and the majority of African-Americans faced such issues in the 1950’s, living on the south side of Chicago, struggles with poverty, dignity and dreams of a better life. Wanting better for your children and trying to fit in, while maintaining family values. A Raisin in the Sun is an excellent example of the relationship between family values and conflict. In this play it portrays: values and purpose of dreams, the need to fight for racial discrimination and the importance of family. In this play the Younger family is expecting to receive an insurance check for ten thousand dollars, for the passing of Mr. Younger. Each family member has a different view on how they would like to spend the money. Mama
A Raisin in the sun shows the hardship many needed to face in order to attain this notion of the American Dream. The play did more than simply show what everyone faced, she shows the struggles that many African Americans families had to face when trying to achieve the notion of the American Dream. She does this by showing the environment that many African Americans lived in when there was bombing in the neighborhood or when white people would force African Americans who finally bought a home, out. Lorraine also shows the struggles of the characters of the play like Walter who struggles with the decision he makes and the contradictions that stop him from achieving his goals of being wealthy or when Beneatha goes against the norms of society by becoming a Doctor and trying to do activities that men usually do.While American Dream is quintessential to America because you’re able to go from nothing to something, this notion is unique to African-American since the society work against them even with having the same aspiration because of the prejudice they faced from the society.
“ 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 the 1950’s African Americans faced many hardships like economic problems and racial discrimination against Caucasians. These problems have left many African Americans working for white people as drivers, maids, or butlers to them making them inferior to the white man. In “The Raisin in the Sun” they face the same trial and tribulations that many African American families were struggling with which were economic hardship and racial discrimination in America. “The Raisin in the Sun” is a play about a struggling family trying to make it into a world where they are inferior to others.
Parents and children often disagree on ways to spend money. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, Lena Younger, mother of Walter Lee Younger, debates with her son about the importance of money. Walter Lee Younger believes that money is everything, but Mama believes that it is anything but everything. This conflict between Walter and Mama is the outcome of their different ways they grew. Overall, it reveals the theme of betrayal in the play.
Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, addresses the hardships of an African-American family living in the projects of post-segregation Chicago. The family aspires to fulfill their dreams of owning a home despite the odds they face. W.E.B Du Bois critical race theory explains the issue of racism and white dominance that not only the family in the play faces, but the African-American community as a whole.
When A Raisin in the Sun debuted on Broadway in 1959, America was a much different place than it was today. Racism was as prevalent as ever in our schools, the workplace and the government. Segregation and Jim Crow was still law in most of the country. Not to mention even though women had the right to vote, women still did not feel like equals compared to their male counterparts.This social climate is what made A Raisin in the Sun such a success for the ways this play explored various social issues at that time. A Raisin in the Sun was so groundbreaking because it addressed the underlying racial and domestic tension that is covered up by the economic prosperity that we learned about in history class. From the role of the black man to even
In conclusion, the play A Raisin in the Sun by. Lorraine Hansberry shows how hard it was for a poor black family in the 50’s. Through all the discrimination and segregation made it nearly impossible for an African American family to progress in life. The two most important characters Walter and Mama made the play what it
Throughout the play poverty is touched upon in different scenes, but never truly presented. With Ruth unexpectedly expecting a baby, she and Walter’s marriage is stretched thin as life presents difficulties. The Youngers were dealt a hand of poverty that lingered with every twist and turn. In every household a new baby includes many new expenses. In the case of Walter and Ruth these circumstances test their
A Raisin in the Sun was written by Lorraine Hansberry and is a play about an African American family who are struggling in the 1950’s to keep the family together. Although the play is portrayed in the 50’s many issues like the economy, racism, and family dynamics the characters had to face; these issues are still issues in the 21st century.
First, starting off with the story A Raisin in the Sun, This story takes place in 1959 ,this is also the time when segregation was still around. The story tells about a black family, known as the Younger, who live in the south side of Chicago. The Youngers live in an apartment, but there are five of them and they live in a two bedroom apartment. This family is also very poor, and they try to save as much as they can. The families dream are all different but they are also very much similar. For example, the man of the house, Walter Younger dreams to live the good life, like white people did who were wealthy as well as having his family to support him in everything he does. This is stated in Act 1 Scene 1. All the dreams and wishes of the Youngers are to live in a better house and to have a better lives than they do now thought out the play. By the end of the play they all realize that money is not going not going to make them happy, but love is the only thing the family needs to be happy.
Lorraine Hansberry, the author of the play A Raisin in the Sun, uses the characters’ dreams to expose the nightmares of racism. Each character wants to escape the “ghetto life on the South Side of Chicago” (Brubaker). The Youngers are an African-American family living in Chicago during the 1950’s. The play focuses on their dreams for a better future. The play begins with the family waiting on a $10,000 life insurance check, as Walter senior has recently died. Walter senior’s wife, Lena (Mama), her two adult children, Walter and Beneatha, Walter’s wife Ruth, and their son, Travis, all live together in a two-bedroom apartment. The main characters has different dreams of what success means to them and how best to use the inheritance money; they know that the money is the key to unlocking a better life. Mama, Walter, and Beneatha each pursue their own vision of the “American Dream”, but they all meet the same challenge of racism in the 1950’s.
The Scholarly Article “Review of the Original 1959 Broadway Production” explains the story/play A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry. The article was found on Huntingtonthetatre.org, Accessed on August 27, 2015.The article begins with a short introduction of Loraine Hansberry and how she touches common issues that many African American families were struggling with in 1980. The play is about a lower class family that lives in South Chicago striving to overcome poverty. The characters of the story include a widow mother and her two children; she also has daughter in law and grandson who live with her as well. Claudia McNeil is described as a simple spiritual Matriarch, with a son who is driven to be a successful business owner,
Set in 1950’s Chicago, Illinois, the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is considered one of the best African American dramas. Centered around an African American family living in the Southside of Chicago the play portrays the family’s struggle for a better life. When Walter and Beneatha Younger’s father, Big Walter, dies their mother, Mama, is left with a ten-thousand-dollar life insurance check. However, each family member has their own idea of how to use the check to achieve a better life. Mama believes that leaving the slums will ensure a better life for her children while Beneatha trusts that education is the best way to end their poverty, but Walter believes the only way to advance in life is by incredibly wealthy. After Mama
‘A Raisin in the Sun’ is a play telling a story of Younger’s (a black family’s) lower-class struggles in its efforts of acquiring a middle-class acceptance. The play opens with Mama, the 60-year old family mother, waiting for a 10,000 dollars check from an insurance firm as compensation after her husband’s death and the drama focus on the way in which this money should be spent. Walter Lee Younger, the son, is desperate of becoming a better family provider and wants to invest this whole package into a liquor store together with his two other friends. Walter believes that this investment will wipe away the financial problems of the family forever. However, Mama objects this for ethical reasons and some minor conflicts emerge over their disagreements. Ruth, Walter’s wife, supports Mama but hopes that they (Walter and her) could provide their son, Travis, with more space and opportunity. Finally, Beneatha, Mama’s daughter and Walter’s sister, wants the money to be directed towards her medical education fees. She also objects the wish of her family members to join the white world.
Regardless of how old a child is, parents will always struggle with their children maturing. In the fictional play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, a family of five African Americans lives in Chicago, Illinois in the 1950s. During this time period, Mama, Lena Younger, is having a very hard time accepting the terms that her husband, Big Walter, has passed and is getting a $10,000 life insurance check. As a result, Mama’s son, Walter Lee Younger, wants to become the head of the household for once and this creates an exceeding amount of conflict between the two.