More handpicked essays just for you.
Conclusion summary of a raisin in the sun
A raisin in the sun characterised
Literary analysis of a raisin in the sun
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Lorrine Hansberry wrote A Raisin In The Sun with a setting that took place within the 1950’s within the South Side of Chicago. This play demonstrates the African American family of the Youngers who are struggling to find their dreams within their chaotic lives. Hansberry gives the audience a glimpse at the Youngers’ lives within a period of a few weeks.The plot revolves around Mama obtaining money (ten-thousand dollars) from her deceased husband insurance and how the money will be utilized. The characterization of the family members, Walter Lee, Ruth, Beneatha, Travis, and Lena (Mama) are brought to light by the characters’ interaction with the money. The Youngers family is portrayed with the intention to outline the interworking of an African However, dreams are the factor that divide the Younger family, yet, also identify each family members personality, thoughts, and actions. For example, Walter wants to be a successful businessman, and make more money. Walter believes that money will solve all the answers economically and emotionally. In addition, Ruth wishes to move out of the apartment and rekindle the love within her marriage. Beneatha, on the other hand, wants to become a doctor to heal people. Hansberry, constantly uses direct characterization with Ruth to portray her characterization within the play, but also to portray the characters pain or exhaustion, “Drily, but to hurt” (16). Ruth Younger, wife of Walter and the mother of Travis, is a prime example. Within the play, she manages the upkeep of the apartment. Moreover, she is the mediator for Mama, Walter, and Beneatha. Ruth knows that her mediation between the family is essential for the sanity of the household. However, her mediation is mostly utilized between Walter and Mama. “No. Mama, something is happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is-but he needs something-something I can’t give him any more. He Needs this chance, Lena” (25). Ruth’s desire to reconnect with her husband and family allow her to struggle for what she The plot orbits around the decisions and actions that he takes. As an African American male, his character evolves the most throughout the play. Moreover, Walter is living in a home that has overlooked his need to be the head of the family. “I want so many things that the are driving me kind of crazy… Mama-look at me” (Hansberry, 60). This quote reveals the use of indirect characterization, revealing Walter’s need to succeed, to obtain security, and become the head of the family. However, Walter’s mother Lena remains the matriarch of the family until the end of the play. Constantly looking for financial prosperity, Walter believes that money will solve all of the family problems. Yet, his obsession with money eventually becomes his downfall. Most of his actions and mistakes hurt his family greatly, but his belated rise to manhood makes him a sort of hero in the last
Ruth was being prevented from having a baby because of money problems, Walter was bringing him self down by trying to make the liquor store idea work. Once Mama decided to buy the house with the money she had received, Walter figured that he should further go on with the liquor store idea. Then, when Walter lost the money, he lost his dignity and tried to get some money from the “welcome party” of Cylborne Park. Mama forced him to realize how far he went by making him show himself to his son how low he would go. But he showed that he wasn’t susceptible to the ways the racism created.
Walter is confronted by the event of having another child when his wife, Ruth, shares the information about what has happened and what her plans are to resolve and continue the scenario. Walter brings to topic of his importance to the scenario, and decides to break away from the event and think of his answer towards his wife’s information and response. He later is shown the understanding of his wife by the reaction of his mother, who questions his standing on how his father would have reacted. This brings Walter to think of why he should change and not walk out on times of importance. Walter discovers that his turmoil of drinking and appearance on the topic could lose the life of his newly developing child.
The first reason I believe that Walter is the protagonist is because he isn’t a selfish man. What I mean by this is when he is talking about issues he tends to discuss family issues above his own personal things. Though at times in the play when he is drunk and loses his temper he does start speaking selfishly, I believe that his overall attitude in the play is for his family to move up the world. I believe that Walter’s son Travis is the main reason why he acts so unselfishly. He seems to want the best for this son and doesn’t want his son to feel that there isn’t anything he can’t have or do.
No matter how hard they try, there are some people who cannot get ahead in life. Walter Lee Younger is a man who is frustrated with his current position in life, and every disappointment he has encountered thus far. Although he tries to be a loving man, sometimes he does not know how to show the idea of love, 'Sometimes...sometimes...I don't even know how to try' (Hansberry 89). His position in life can be regarded as symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Although Walter has a job, it seems inadequate for his survival. As a result, he has become frustrated and lacks good judgement. Throughout this play Walter searches for the key ingredient that will make his life blissful. His frustrations stem from him not being able to act as a man and provide for his family and grasp hold of his ideals to watch them manifest into a positive situation. Walter Lee Younger, a man who is vehement for his family, has many ambitions in life, and dreams of the biggest dreams out of anyone else in the play.
A Raisin in the Sun is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry. The primary focus of the play is the American Dream. The American Dream is one’s conception of a better life. Each of the main characters in the play has their own idea of what they consider to be a better life. A Raisin in the Sun emphasizes the importance of dreams regardless of the various oppressive struggles of life.
1. Walter - His dreams of owning a licquor store conflict religiously with Mama's value system. The conflict between Mama and Walter is amplified by the fact that it is Mama's apartment in which the family lives and Walter is unable/unwilling to make decisions because Mama is so domineering. Ironically, it is the one decision that she eventually lets Walter make which nearly destroys the family.
“A Raisin in the Sun” is set at in an area where racism was still occurring. Blacks were no longer separated but they were still facing many racial problems. The black Younger family faced these problems throughout the play. The entire family was affected in their own way. The family has big dreams and hope to make more of their poor lives. Walter, the main character, is forced to deal with most of the issues himself. Ruth, his wife, and Travis, his ten-year-old son, really don’t have say in matters that he sets his mind to. Beneatha, his sister tries to get her word in but is often ignored. Lena (Mama) is Walter’s mother and is very concerned about her family. She tries to keep things held together despite all of the happenings. Mama’s husband had just recently died so times seemed to be even harder. They all live in a small apartment when living space is very confined (Hansberry 1731). They all have dreams in which they are trying to obtain, but other members of the family seem to hold back each other from obtaining them (Decker).
Ruth has an intriguing personality. She is very loving towards her family. She will do all in her power to improve the lifestyle of her family. When it appears that the deal for the house in Clybourne Park will fall through, she promises to dedicate all of her time to make the investment work. “Lena-I’ll work… I’ll work 20 hours a day in all the kitchens in Chicago…I’ll strap my baby on my back if I have to and scrub all the floors and wash all the sheets in America if I have to-but we have to MOVE!” she pleads to her mother-in-law (Hansberry140). Her plan is unrealistic and idealistic, but the well being of her family is more important to her than anything. Ruth is also witty and sarcastic at times. She cracks jokes to lighten the mood of her family when they’re worried. “Well that’s the way the cracker crumbles. Joke. (121)” When Beneatha and Mama are stressing over the neighborhood they are moving into, Ruth makes a witty joke to improve the mood. Ruth supervises the daily routine and well being of her family. She makes sure that everyone does what they are supposed to and stays on track. ...
Walter and Beneatha’s relationship is very complex. The spiraling tension between the two siblings causes confrontation to form and creep into the Younger household. Walter needs his family to respect him as the man of the family, but his sister is constantly belittling him in front of his mother, wife, and son. This denigrating treatment taints Walter’s view of himself as a man, which carries into his decisions and actions. Beneatha also subconsciously deals with the dysfunctional relationship with her brother. She desires to have her brother’s support for her dream of becoming a doctor, yet Walter tends to taunt her aspiration and condemns her for having such a selfish dream. Mama as the head of the family is heartbroken by the juvenile hostility of her adult children, so in hopes to keep her family together she makes the brave move of purchasing a house. Mama’s reasoning for the bold purchase was,“ I—I just seen my family falling apart….just falling to pieces in front of my eyes…We couldn’t have gone on like we was today. We was going backwards ‘stead of forw...
Differences in generations can cause people to have different viewpoints in life. A Raisin In The Sun is a play set in the 1950s written by Lorraine Hansberry. The Youngers are a black family who lives in a cramped apartment in the South Side of Chicago. When Mama receives a check of insurance money, members of the family are divided in their own hopes of what it will be used for. Mama, Ruth, and Beneatha are the three women of the Younger household and their generational differences clearly show through their actions. The difference between generations is why Mama is the most devout, Ruth is an agreeable person, and Beneatha is outspoken and has modern views.
A Raisin in the Sun is a set in 1950s after the Second World War which was an age of great racism and materialistic in America. It is about a black family living in south side of Chicago and struggling through family and economic hardships, facing the issues of racism, discrimination, and prejudice. The family consists of Lena Younger known as Mama; Walter Lee Younger who is an intense man, Ruth Younger who is wife of Walter Lee, Travis Younger who is son of Ruth and Walter, and Beneatha Younger who is Walter’s younger sister. The whole family lives in a two bed room apartment and don’t have money to live a better life. youngers are tired from their struggle to ...
At the beginning of scene one of Act one showed the Youngers family’s living room was taken care of with love and deliberation, and it was a symbol of their attention to their family; otherwise they would not have spent time cleaning their living space in that uncomfortable apartment. Lorraine Hansberry successfully described Mama, mother of Walter and Beneatha, as a caring mother and ambitious woman, and Mama was an incredible character that represented a caring family person in the A Raisin in the Sun. When she received the insurance money, she immediately thought about her children, her family instead of herself, even though she had a right to use all of them. She already had her own plan for using money. Mama even refused to use that money for her own pleasure, such as traveling, when Ruth, Walter’s wife, suggested it to her.
Walter is Mama’s oldest son. His dreams are to be wealth but at the same time wanting to provide for his family. His own personal dream is to open liquor store with his money he receives from Mama.
Hansberry got the title of “A Raisin in the Sun” from a line in Langston Hughes’s famous 1951 poem “Harlem: A Dream Deferred”. The title of the play references a conjecture in a poem about dreams that were forgotten or put off. Hansberry’s reference to this poem in her title spotlights the importance of dreams in this play. It also brings to light the struggle that each character faces to realize their individual dreams. In the play, the main characters struggle to deal with the oppressive circumstances that rule their lives. A struggle inextricably tied to the underlying black dream of equality in America.
Mama’s dream is to attain a satisfying life for her family, own a house, and have Walter be the head of the household. Mama discovers her daughter-in-law Ruth is pregnant and wants to have an abortion Mama frantically says that she “done give one baby to poverty” and she not going to let the family give up another child (75). Mama lost a baby due to her poverty once and is determined to stop Ruth from doing the same. Mama has always dreamed of owning a home and now she believes a home will help keep her family together she tells Ruth she wants an little “old two story”(44) with a yard where she could have a garden and “Travis could play in ” (44) . Mama decides to use the money to buy a house because she “seen [her] family [fall] apart” (93). By buying a new house Mama believes establishes an environment for growth and development, preventing her children from doing what she had to do and will keep the family whole. Mama’s dream is selfless because there is no personal gain.