Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun: An Analysis
It is known that children laugh more than adults. Why is that? They do not have a car to drive, money to spend, or people to see. However, what they do have is family to spend time with and follow. In addition, director Daniel Petrie portrayals the theme of it doesn’t matter how much money you have, if you don’t have the support of your own family you won’t be happy in the 1961 version of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun better than Kenny Leon in his 2008’s version.
In the story A Raisin the Sun the family’s support is looked at as the most valuable thing in the story. There is an example of this when Walter -a man who talks about money the whole story- doesn’t want Karl Linder’s money to take the house because of his family’s petition
against that (Hansberry 100). The respect of his family is more important to Walter than money. Walter desperately wants to be rich and successful which would be more likely with money, yet he would still rather have his family. Also, before this Lena is talking to Walter about their family’s 6 generations of laborers and they have never been poor enough to take money from people who hate them (Hansberry 96). Pride of their family is more important than looking bad and taking money from those who dislike them and are only giving it to them to make them go away. Lastly, Lena giving Walter the money to take care of was her way of making him happy (Hansberry 68). Lena did not want her husband’s legacy going toward alcohol, but her desire to make Walter happy outweighed that. Walter’s happiness drove from that moment that he was finally in charge of his family. Though the theme was evident throughout the book and movies, there are many reasons to which movie portrayed the theme better.
Daniel Petrie’s version of A Raisin in the Sun is better at showing Lorraine Hansberry’s intent for writing the story. More than anything Daniel Petrie’s word usage is almost parallel with the book while Kenny Leon modified some scenes to adapt to the newer time period. Also, I believe Lena’s ability to try and hold her family to values also helped create a stronger theme (Petrie, A Raisin in the Sun). Lena slapping Beneatha when she starts to mock her faith in God and Lena walking over and slapping her and making her bite her tongue and keep her family together did better than Kenny Leon’s version.
Kenny Leon in his 2008’s version of A Raisin in the Sun is not as good at portraying the theme of it doesn’t matter how much money you have, if you don’t have the support of your family as Daniel Petrie in his 1961’s version. That is how Daniel Petrie did a wonderful job at developing the theme of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.
In the story A Raisin the Sun the family’s support is looked at as the most valuable thing in the story. There is an example of this when Walter -a man who talks about money the whole story- doesn’t want Karl Linder’s money to take the house because of his family’s petition
against that (Hansberry 100). The respect of his family is more important to Walter than money. Walter desperately wants to be rich and successful which would be more likely with money, yet he would still rather have his family. Also, before this Lena is talking to Walter about their family’s 6 generations of laborers and they have never been poor enough to take money from people who hate them (Hansberry 96). Pride of their family is more important than looking bad and taking money from those who dislike them and are only giving it to them to make them go away. Lastly, Lena giving Walter the money to take care of was her way of making him happy (Hansberry 68). Lena did not want her husband’s legacy going toward alcohol, but her desire to make Walter happy outweighed that. Walter’s happiness drove from that moment that he was finally in charge of his family. Though the theme was evident throughout the book and movies, there are many reasons to which movie portrayed the theme better.
Daniel Petrie’s version of A Raisin in the Sun is better at showing Lorraine Hansberry’s intent for writing the story. More than anything Daniel Petrie’s word usage is almost parallel with the book while Kenny Leon modified some scenes to adapt to the newer time period. Also, I believe Lena’s ability to try and hold her family to values also helped create a stronger theme (Petrie, A Raisin in the Sun). Lena slapping Beneatha when she starts to mock her faith in God and Lena walking over and slapping her and making her bite her tongue and keep her family together did better than Kenny Leon’s version.
Kenny Leon in his 2008’s version of A Raisin in the Sun is not as good at portraying the theme of it doesn’t matter how much money you have, if you don’t have the support of your family as Daniel Petrie in his 1961’s version. That is how Daniel Petrie did a wonderful job at developing the theme of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.