What Is The Theme Of A Raisin In The Sun

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run?" (Langston Hughes). It is important to never lose sight of one’s dream. Dreams are what keep people moving in life, but if they are ignored, they may morph and lose their prevailing form. This is evident in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", as Walter’s, Beneatha’s, and Mama’s dreams become delayed, distorted, and blurred.

In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, and 1961 movie written by Lorraine Hansberry and presented by Columbia pictures, one of the most important themes is the American Dream. Many of the characters have hopes and dreams. They all strive towards their goals throughout. However, many of the characters have different dreams that clash with each other. Problems seem to arise when different people’s dreams conflict with one another.   Another theme is racism. Racism was rampant during the 1950’s and this often hindered African American dreams.

We just plain working folks” and refuses to give Walter the money until Act 2 Scene 2 she finally apologises to Walter and says “I been wrong, son” then gave him a large sum of money, “sixty-five hundred dollars” to be exact. The money would have to be “put in a saving account for Beneatha’s medical schooling. The rest you put in a checking account – with your name on it.” Walter finally gets a chance to be the “head of his house and the man Mama always knew he could be, just like is father. In a sense his intentions were good he even said “Daddy ain’t going to never be drunk again.” Walter even has a heart-to-heart with his son Travis about “what kind of man you going to be when you grow up?” Ironically Walter goes behind the Youngers back and gives the money to “Willy”, in trusting their business venture to work. This backfires in the end as “Bobo” tells him that “Willy is gone”, he has disappeared with the money and is never seen or heard from again. Walters’s character is questioned one more when he has to make a decision for his family, it was about the down payment on the families’ new house. The house is situated in a white suburb in “Clybourne Park Improvement Association.” Chairman of the “New Neighbours Orientation Committee” “Karl Lindner” has offered the family a large sum of money, in actual fact to “buy the house from you at a financial gain to your family.” The most important decision in the play was made by Walter who rejects Mr Lindner’s offer. “We don’t want your money, and he has “decided to move into our house”, so they will not give in to the racial

Symbols can be; images, signs, colors, sounds, shapes, anything. It is like how blue can stand for sadness, and how the sun can stand for happiness. Symbolism is an object or an idea that has a representation beyond the literal meaning of the object. The functions of symbols are to add meaning to the text and underline some subtle point the author is making, also to give the reader a clue about the mood of the story and what will happen. The symbols Lorraine Hansberry used in A Raisin in the Sun are the light, plant, and the window. All three symbols; the light, the plant, and the window, have to go together for the Youngers to reach their dream.

After Mama tells Walter she was out taking care of business Walter replies with ”What kind of business?” This short simple reply from Walter gives the effect that he’s worried about something and wants an answer quick. Walter being in such a state of worrisome shows that he is really worried about the money and if Mama spent it or not. The insurance money was key to Walter’s plans of owning his own liquor store. After Mama isn’t quick to answer Walter’s first few questions he grows even more restless and says, “Where were you, Mama? Mama, you didn’t do something with that insurance money, something crazy?” Finally, Mama answers saying she took care of business Walter gets even more upset because he could tell she used the insurance money and could almost see his dream crumbling before his very own eyes. Lorraine Hansberry asks numerous questions when she writes as Walter in order to create a sense of urgency and worry on the whereabouts of the money. This is an example that supports the theme because Walter dreamt of having his own liquor store while Mama and much of their family dreamt of living in a nicer house, which she decided to

(page 45-46)” In the first act alone, the audience is shown the great disparities between the American dream for a white man and the American dream for people of color. However, now with this insurance money from Big Walter’s death, there is a chance of someone their dream, the problem that the Younger’s face is which someone should get to use the money. Beneatha needs it for college to become a doctor, Walter needs it to invest in a liquor store so he can finally “be somebody.” But Mama wants to use that money to buy a house. She wants to leave their current rented apartment and she wants a nice house in the suburbs where she could have a garden and “with a yard where Travis could play in the summer. (page 44)” Mama believes that a change of scenery is what the family needs and that it will bring them back together. These three characters have the most conflicting wants for the

However, Hansberry uses a man by the name of Linder who tries to help himself and the Younger family, but with that, he is promoting segregation. On the other hand, with mama moving, they are putting their lives at risk, however they will be moving past segregation and trying to make all lives equal. Both Lindor and Mama were thinking about themselves and not others around the community.

Walter instead of begging at the feet of Mr. Linder accepting the money too not move in the white neighborhood he, stands his ground on behalf of the family and states that they’ve worked hard their whole lives and are deserving of a spot in the white neighborhood, and despite discrimination are ready to live their lives in that neighborhood. At that point Walter got the respect from his sister who rarely admits her love towards him but, also the infatuation and justification from his wife, Ruth, who was very proud. When Mr. Linder tried to move onto Mrs. Younger (Mama-Lena) she state’s “I am afraid you don’t understand. My son said we was going to move and there ain’t nothing left for me to say.” (3.1.137) standing by her son and completely supporting him and his decision as the head of the household. Walter finally felt his manhood coming back, as Mr. Linder shut his briefcase and welcomed them too the neighborhood despite the problems they will face later on. The family celebrated and packed their stuff into the moving trucks immediately, and headed for the start of their new lives!

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.

The racism-steeped social system negatively affects African-American males and females, causing deeply rooted issues. The three women in the story, Beneatha, Ruth, and Mama, represent the different views Black women took during these troublesome times. There were women like Beneatha, who didn’t want to live the typical life of a wife and mother, and openly disapproved the assimilation of Blacks into American culture as well: “Because I hate assimilationist Negroes!” (Hansberry 1500). She wanted to become highly educated, and to change the world somehow. She wanted to be something. Beneatha is a very strong-willed, hard-headed character. This could very well have been caused by the unfair rules of her time constantly being reiterated to her through several mediums. Over and over again she is told that she must

Hansberry's theme is Don’t judge a book by its cover. To illustrate, when the younger family wanted to move into the neighborhood Mr.Lindner remarked “ it’s not a race thing ..Negro families are just happier when they live in their own communities” (2.3.65). Mr. Lindner tries to make it seem like this isn’t a race matter, but why else would he want the youngers to leave?. The Younger family have the money to buy the house so it’s not a money issue.Mr. Lindner uses the fact that they’re black in the situation and that is where the thought that this is a race matter comes from. The Younger family haven’t caused any disturbances so there’s no reason they would have to move, they also have the money so there is no problem, just because they’re black they want to be in a black community? In addition, to the first statement Mr. Lindner also replies to

Even after fifty years have passed racism is still evident in Act 2.This portrays the way people treat each other in reality and how race is still a prominent issue in the world today. Bruce Norris may only hint at what rich people do in the neighborhood but raises numerous issues. One in which is that race triumphs class. Norris’s play “Clybourne Park” raised much controversy by bringing up an issue that many people now a day decide to forget and act like it is not there. By bringing the issue of race up

“Our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities” – Mr. Linder Pg.100. In the quote Mr. Linder is expressing his organizations dislike of Blacks; like most of people in the 50’s, Mr. Linder was degrading a group of people on exterior appearances. In the play you can see hints of racism and gender discrimination from Walter when he asked Beneatha why she isn’t a nurse or maid instead of striving to become a doctor. Racism has been a long hard for Black community and other minority groups in the world. A Raisin in the Sun never gives the slightest hope of racist views ever being lifted. Over time the stain of

Hansberry includes one of the most significant juxtapositions concerning blacks and whites towards the end of the play when Mr. Linder goes to the Younger household. The mere presence Lindner creates a sense of racial prejudice, for he is there to convince the Youngers not to move to Clybourne Park. When talking to the Younger family, Lindner struggles with being straightforward. He tells the Youngers that he is a part of a welcoming committee, and that he is at their home to talk about “what the association calls-(He looks elsewhere)-uh-special community problems” (Hansberry 155). Hansberry’s use of dashes in Lindner’s dialogue shows how he is uncomfortable, and the fact that Lindner is avoiding eye contact with the Younger further emphasizes his incompetence. In addition, Lindner’s use of the word “problem” to describe black presence in a white neighborhood creates a derogatory tone. It connects to the idea many whites had back then, which was the blacks being an inferior race. Hansberry, however, intentionally includes a character like Lindner to prove her point that blacks assimilating towards American culture will only diminish their status even further. When critics read the play, they often wonder about its universality because they

In the play A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry, a story about an African American family living in Chicago. The book illustrates what the daily problems of an average black family had to deal with while living in America in the 1950s and their struggle of overcoming obstacles to reach their “dream”. Hansberry use this novel to address topics such as racism, racial inequality, and racial discrimination. In 1954, many people during that time supported segregation. People perceived whites and blacks completely different and people wanted them to be separate. Everywhere in the south had “whites only” or “colored”, and many wanted to keep it that way. History will always repeat itself and people are not