A Raisin In The Sun Analytical Essay
A Raisin in the Sun uncovers the hardships within the black community and how to deal racial oppression of the white community. Through a character named Asagai, the play shows how to appreciate African Heritage. This play was a major breakthrough in the arts for blacks because for the first time there is a black family on stage. Through this play Hansberry touches on major issues, such as racism, discrimination, poverty and even abortion (at a time when abortion wasn't even legal). A Raisin in the Sun portrays difficult questions about a person's identity, such as Beneatha. Beneatha is a strong black woman who is obviously well educated and on her way to becoming a doctor. She believes herself to be a very independent woman, when indeed she
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is dependant. Asagai, one of the men she is dating, points this out to her. He tells her that she acts as if she is very independent but she is relying on money from her fathers' death to help her reach her dream. He points out to her that where would she be if not for her fathers death and the money that came from it? Asagai also notes on the fact that she straightens her hair (like a white woman) If she was so true to her heritage why would she straighten her hair? Obviously she is assimilating to the white world. George Murchinson is another man she is dating. He is arrogant and successful. His success in life is due to the fact that he fits right in to the white world. George does not like the natural look of Beneatha's hair and asks her to change it back. George seems to live in the white world and knows little of his African Heritage.
A raisin in the Sun depicts many dreams from the whole family.
The characters struggle with the circumstances that control their lives. Every member of the family has a different dream. Walter, the son, has a dream to be wealthy and wants to be able to give his family things. He dreams of opening up a liquor store with two of his friends. Walter seems to be the one with the most conflict in this family because he is a man but is not truly a man. As you can see when he finds out his wife is pregnant and Mama asks him to tell her not to get an abortion, in response to this he says nothing and goes out to drink. When Walter loses the money to his crooked friend he is ready to sell out the family by conceding to the white man, Mr. Linder. In the end Walter does the right thing and gains respect of his family. Ruth is Walters's wife; her dream is to have a house and to get out of the small cramped apartment they currently live in. Beneatha is Walters's sister and her dream is to become a doctor. Mama is Walter and Beneatha's mother and her dream is to have her family happy, and united. Mama has a plant in the play and it represents family. The plant grows and reproduces even with little sun. The plant eventually makes it out of the apartment and into the house where it can grow and flourish, just as the family will. The theme of the importance of dreams is evident in this play as well as the theme of racial discrimination, as evident by Mr. Lindner. He is the white man in
the play who is trying to persuade the family not to move into his white neighborhood and is willing to give them more money for the house then they have spent. When Walter loses all the money he almost agrees to this but in the end tells him no and they are moving to Clybourne Park. He shows that he is a man and does right by his family.
In one of the scenes in the play Travis; Walter and Ruth's son, was playing outside with friends chasing a rat around with a baseball bat. This scene was cut from the film. I think the producers eliminated this scene from the film because it portrays things about a black family that wasn't true. It makes them seem kind of savage like.
All in all I thought this was an excellent play and as I read more into it became even more interesting. I believe Lorraine Hansberry is a very talented woman, and I would read more from her. I give this play four stars because of the diversity that was portrayed.
is dependant. Asagai, one of the men she is dating, points this out to her. He tells her that she acts as if she is very independent but she is relying on money from her fathers' death to help her reach her dream. He points out to her that where would she be if not for her fathers death and the money that came from it? Asagai also notes on the fact that she straightens her hair (like a white woman) If she was so true to her heritage why would she straighten her hair? Obviously she is assimilating to the white world. George Murchinson is another man she is dating. He is arrogant and successful. His success in life is due to the fact that he fits right in to the white world. George does not like the natural look of Beneatha's hair and asks her to change it back. George seems to live in the white world and knows little of his African Heritage.
A raisin in the Sun depicts many dreams from the whole family.
The characters struggle with the circumstances that control their lives. Every member of the family has a different dream. Walter, the son, has a dream to be wealthy and wants to be able to give his family things. He dreams of opening up a liquor store with two of his friends. Walter seems to be the one with the most conflict in this family because he is a man but is not truly a man. As you can see when he finds out his wife is pregnant and Mama asks him to tell her not to get an abortion, in response to this he says nothing and goes out to drink. When Walter loses the money to his crooked friend he is ready to sell out the family by conceding to the white man, Mr. Linder. In the end Walter does the right thing and gains respect of his family. Ruth is Walters's wife; her dream is to have a house and to get out of the small cramped apartment they currently live in. Beneatha is Walters's sister and her dream is to become a doctor. Mama is Walter and Beneatha's mother and her dream is to have her family happy, and united. Mama has a plant in the play and it represents family. The plant grows and reproduces even with little sun. The plant eventually makes it out of the apartment and into the house where it can grow and flourish, just as the family will. The theme of the importance of dreams is evident in this play as well as the theme of racial discrimination, as evident by Mr. Lindner. He is the white man in
the play who is trying to persuade the family not to move into his white neighborhood and is willing to give them more money for the house then they have spent. When Walter loses all the money he almost agrees to this but in the end tells him no and they are moving to Clybourne Park. He shows that he is a man and does right by his family.
In one of the scenes in the play Travis; Walter and Ruth's son, was playing outside with friends chasing a rat around with a baseball bat. This scene was cut from the film. I think the producers eliminated this scene from the film because it portrays things about a black family that wasn't true. It makes them seem kind of savage like.
All in all I thought this was an excellent play and as I read more into it became even more interesting. I believe Lorraine Hansberry is a very talented woman, and I would read more from her. I give this play four stars because of the diversity that was portrayed.