Discrimination In A Raisin In The Sun
Madeleine Blanchard
October 29th 2014
English 8-6
Mr. Chupka
Fifty-six years ago A Raisin In The Sun exhibited many of life’s struggles during the fifties time period, but current society faces these same dilemmas. Six decades have proved that little change has been made in the areas of racism, abortion and poverty. In some ways the Younger family and the issues they dealt with in the play represent a microcosm of America today. Whether the topic is how abortion is still constantly making headlines or how racism and poverty are still current issues, modern day America is not entirely different from what it was in the late fifties. The Younger family faced many instances of racism. For example, Mr. Linder told the family that because they were black, the citizens of Clybourne Park did not want them to move in. Mr. Linder shows why America needs the list of unlawful acts of discrimination to prevent situation like this to arise. The unlawful acts of discrimination includes an offence called blockbusting. In simple terms, blockbusting is when a community tries to scare someone into moving out of the town. An example of their argument may state something along the lines of; if this …show more content…
There were many examples of this. For example, in the first scene Travis asks Ruth for fifty cents and she says that they do not have fifty cents. Also, Beneatha cannot afford the medical school she is going to and the family cannot afford to live in a proper house. According to a Stanford University study in 1959 the percentage of Americans living in poverty was 22 percent. As of 2012, the percentage was closer to 15 percent. While this percentage has decreased, there are still millions of families living in poverty just as the Youngers were. African Americans make up nine percent of the fifteen percent. This information further proves that poverty in the U.S is still a prevalent issue and also a racial
October 29th 2014
English 8-6
Mr. Chupka
Fifty-six years ago A Raisin In The Sun exhibited many of life’s struggles during the fifties time period, but current society faces these same dilemmas. Six decades have proved that little change has been made in the areas of racism, abortion and poverty. In some ways the Younger family and the issues they dealt with in the play represent a microcosm of America today. Whether the topic is how abortion is still constantly making headlines or how racism and poverty are still current issues, modern day America is not entirely different from what it was in the late fifties. The Younger family faced many instances of racism. For example, Mr. Linder told the family that because they were black, the citizens of Clybourne Park did not want them to move in. Mr. Linder shows why America needs the list of unlawful acts of discrimination to prevent situation like this to arise. The unlawful acts of discrimination includes an offence called blockbusting. In simple terms, blockbusting is when a community tries to scare someone into moving out of the town. An example of their argument may state something along the lines of; if this …show more content…
There were many examples of this. For example, in the first scene Travis asks Ruth for fifty cents and she says that they do not have fifty cents. Also, Beneatha cannot afford the medical school she is going to and the family cannot afford to live in a proper house. According to a Stanford University study in 1959 the percentage of Americans living in poverty was 22 percent. As of 2012, the percentage was closer to 15 percent. While this percentage has decreased, there are still millions of families living in poverty just as the Youngers were. African Americans make up nine percent of the fifteen percent. This information further proves that poverty in the U.S is still a prevalent issue and also a racial