The story took place in a small town in central Florida near Orlando. The events took place in the spring and snakes are known to be prevalent in the area during that time.…
In the article , “The art of social Criticism : Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the sun ,” the author states that this play was written for those African American families and their struggles to be able to get out of the ghetto on Chicago’s South Side. Lorraine took every chance to engage herself in her everyday life and her literary work being a writer and a student. African Americans were placed in the lower class while some other families were middle class but still placed in the lower class like Lorraine and her family. Even though Lorraine was placed in the lower class that did not affect her , her privilege still did not insulate her from the struggles and anger she was facing. Basically the the reality of the play is the realization…
In the end of the story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, an oppressed wife, Delia finally gets revenge from her husband Sykes. The end of the story is significant because after being abused by her husband for fifteen years Delia finally had enough and seeks revenge. Throughout the story Sykes shows no respect towards his wife, he always mistreats her, and does anything he can to ruin her day. For example, Sykes does not respect Delia’s work even though she works very hard to support to both of them. While Delia was sorting clothes, he yelled at her for bring white folks clothes into their home and he kicked the clothes around. Then he starts to kick and step all over the white clothes knowing that Delia has to resort the clothes again. Also,…
Since the foundation of the United States of America it has always be portrayed as the land of endless opportunities in which its people can do freely what they desire. This is also known as the American Dream, which is set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, achieved through hard work. However, can prosperity and success be achieved by everyone or do certain ethnic groups have discriminatory barriers limiting their success? In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry it becomes painfully clear that African Americans have to deal with racial prejudices complicating the completion of their desired dreams of a better prosperous future. Even though, the diverse…
As someone reads, it is likely that they witness symbolism. Whether they notice or not is to be determined. Symbolism may serve a greater propose then it seem and it might even foreshadow a certain feeling or event. In the play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, there are many examples of symbolism. In this play, sunshine, Mama’s “raggedy-looking” plant, and the new house represent the characters’ happiness, relationship, and hope.…
“A Raisin in the Sun” and “Black Like Me” are the definitely one of the most thought-provoking films I have watched recently. The first movie, starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee, being a picture of the young African American man’s struggle to reach for his dreams and to provide his family with an affluent life. Watching the motion picture I sympathized with the main character’s distresses and dilemmas and hoped that everything would work out well for him in the end, however the reality proved to be quite brutal . The other film tells the story of a white American journalist who artificially darkens his skin color and travels throughout the deep south to experience what is it like to be black. The story is based on facts, which is very impressive and courageous considering the period which the story takes place in. John Horton, shows how important it is to put yourself in the shoes of another person, and try to understand them and how they feel, especially in the rough situation of the African Americans at that time. It’s clear that the writer did not mange in the end to understand how is it like to be born with dark skin, mainly because – as one of the characters pointed out to him – he can return to being white, he did not grow up having to deal with the “hate stare”. I believe the same thing can be found in A Raisin in the Sun, the creator of the play it was based on tried to present the story in such a way as to make the audience (white people) feel the pain of the main character to look at his situation from the being-black point of view.…
In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, she tells the value and purpose of dreams and how oftentimes dreams do get deferred. Hansberry got the title for the play based off of Langston Hughes’ famous poem A Dream Deferred. The language Hansberry uses reflects the deeper meaning of Hughes’ poem. Although the Younger women have lived in the same apartment for generations, they each face their unique trials and tribulations. Mama is faced with the decision of how to spend the money she received from her deceased husband’s insurance settlement; Ruth has to choose if she wants to have an abortion; and Bennie continues her aspirations of being a doctor and young feminist in the 1940s. All three women’s stories fall back on one common factor: a dream deferred.…
Success. Webster’s dictionary defines it as “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted; the gaining of fame or prosperity.”Although to truly understand the meaning of success, one needs to understand the relationship between success and goals. Success can simply be accomplishing your goals, but can also have a deeper meaning, such as personal growth. In the book A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger’s, Walter and Lena especially, are portrayed as a typical African American family in the 1950’s, trying to fight the prejudices that haunt every aspect of their lives. Lorraine Hansberry takes us through the journey of the Younger’s as they attempt to accomplish their dreams and achieve success. Overall, despite the obstacles they face such as racism, sexism, and dishonesty, Walter Lee and Lena “Mamma” Younger achieve success to certain extents; Walter achieves complete personal success and Mamma is completely successful in her goal to buy a house for her children and Travis.…
Black women`s struggles for voice, acceptance, equality and fulfilment has become an interesting field for discussion for numerous African American writers. The main objective for them was to present their day-to-day life in the context of the legacy left behind and history which should never be forgotten. In the following chapters of this thesis, the analysis of three chosen books will be presented. There is no coincidence in this choice because of the fact that the authors share their legacy and heritage. Apart from that, Alice Walker admits openly that she has chosen Zora Hurston as her precursor in whose footsteps she wants to follow (Sadoff, 1985). When she was asked which book she would take on a desert island with herself, she without…
Beneatha unlike Walter, was supported by her hard working family and with that developed a sense of entitlement that was demonstrated in many ways throughout the play. She struggles with her identity as an African American woman due to other characters opinions of who she should be. She doesn’t see the world as her family does and does not wish to become someone’s wife and caretaker. She wants to be independent and is constantly criticized about her dream of becoming a successful doctor instead of a homemaker of some sort. She’s criticized by Walter in the beginning of the play for wanting to become a doctor and in response to that criticism, Beneatha says sarcastically, (Hansberry)“Well – I do – all right? – thank everybody! And forgive me for ever wanting to be anything at all! (Pursuing him on her knees across the floor) FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE…
“Another thing, Joe Starks hadn’t been been dead but nine months and here she goes sashaying off to a picnic in pink linen. Done quit attending church, like she used to. Gone off to Sanford in a car with Tea Cake and her all dressed in blue! It was a shame. Done took to high heel slippers and a ten dollar hat! Looking like some young girl, always in blue because Tea Cake told her to wear it” (Hurston 105). Before Tea Cake, all the men were making moves on her and all the women were encouraging her to find a man. However, as soon as she goes off with this new man, they shame her because he’s younger. People made the assumption that Janie would need an older man, or a man of the same age to take care of her but no longer looked at her in the…
African Americans have a history saturated with racism and prejudice. Ever since the conclusion of the Civil War, they struggled to benefit from the rights the Constitution promised. Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun utilizes an underprivileged African American family to represent the different mentalities of black households during the Civil Rights era.…
Lorraine Hansberry portrays the revolution of black’s consciousness through the play, A Raisin in the Sun, by introducing the Younger family to readers. This play takes place in a poor black neighborhood in Chicago’s Southside in the 1950s where the Younger family struggles with racial discrimination and finding their true dreams and goals. Like most literature, this play has a clear protagonist, but Hansberry also uses an anti-hero, a flawed character who lacks heroic qualities, but with whom the reader still sympathizes and who eventually redeems himself through a heroic act or decision. With the weight of his deferred dreams upon his shoulders, Walter Lee Younger digs himself into a massive pit of troubles but slowly redeems himself by realizing the wrongs of his actions, making him the anti-hero of this play.…
Zora Neal Hurston's writing style clearly displays the experiences of her childhood. Both her diction and manipulation of point of view allow the reader to gain a deepened understanding of her life as a youth.…
The climax of the play occurs with Bobo's telling Walter that the money is gone and includes the family's immediate response to this tragic news.…