Theme Of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is realistic fiction in which the play's title and characters represent the play's themes. The play focused on black Americans struggles to reach the American Dream of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness during the 1950’s and 1960’s. the idea of everyone having a the chance to achieve a better life should exist. Hansberry created her title using a line from Langston Hughes poem “ A Dream Deferred”. The original poem was written in 1951 about Harlem. Hughes line from the poem claimed that when dreams are deferred they become broken. This meant that they are lost/hopeless. Hughes poem further suggested that when dreams and goals are denied to be pursued people forget about them and put them off.
Hughes notes Black Americans discontent with Americas society. Hughes poem was a precursor to the civil rights movement. Hansberry not only used Hughes poem to express her message of the American Dream. Through her character's Walter,Beneatha, and Lena, Hansberry created real examples of Black America's Struggles to reach the American Dream.
Through her characters Walter, Beneatha, and Lena, Hansberry created real examples of Black America's struggle to reach the American Dream. Through her character Walter Younger, she created a real example of a Black America's struggle to reach the American Dream. Walters American Dream was to get the best quality life for his family. He was going to achieve this dream by investing in the liquor store to get more money out of it. His dream was deferred because of social injustices backed by power/ unjust economics by the dominant belief system of the time period. Walter said
Beneatha's American Dream was to become a doctor and help the world. She was going to achieve this dream by going to med school. Her dream was deferred because of society and what she saw/ believed about it. Beneatha said “That was what one person could do for another, fix him up- sew up the problem make him aright again. That was the most marvelous thing in the world. I wanted to do that”. This is when she decided to quit on a career as a doctor because of what she saw in others. What she saw in others made her feel as if there was no hope in helping others because of their actions. Beneatha's American Dream of getting closer to her roots was also deferred because being closer to her roots would mean society would look down on her even more than she was then for her color. Beneatha said “ It means someone who is willing to give up his own culture and submerge himself completely in the dominant, and in this case oppressive culture!” (81). This is just an example of why she wanted to become closer to her roots. Other Black Americans had let their roots go and had let them become submerged because of what White Americans would say and do to them. Beneatha's American Dream was denied because Black American culture was being submerged and denied. Beneatha's American Dream was to have someone that understood her. She was going on dates with George but