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A raisin in the sun simple essay
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Expectations can be about many things: grades, work ethic, clothing choices, the way someone acts, lifestyle, race, etc. In “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry and “A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes, the expectations and the experiences of these people are based upon their race and the racism others have against them. Although it seems like a thing of the past to some, racism is a significant part of issues that society still deals with today. People have been dealing with this for a very long time, as well as the expectations that come from it, whether it be from themselves or from others. Sometimes, individuals will strive to meet the expectations people have of them, while other times, they strive to do the opposite, to battle …show more content…
Adding the thoughts and the struggles that the characters have within themselves would further demonstrate the representation of expectations. An area where the internal conflict would aid the representation is with Walter Lee. Throughout the play, Walter has big dreams and he wants to invest in a liquor store to possibly make a lot of money. Being able to see how his mind works and what he aims to achieve would help the audience understand the expectations he has for himself and what Walter believes he has to do for his family in order to have a better life, possibly including changing himself to “act more white”. Showing the internal conflict would also help in the case of Beneatha. In this play, she is viewed as being very outspoken about her heritage and goes to great lengths such as cutting her hair and changing the way she dresses in order to show this. It seems as though Beneatha feels a sort of duty towards educating people about their heritage and showing the internal conflict within her would portray the reason why she feels so strongly about this topic as if it is an expectation for her. Although this would give an insight to the characters’ feelings and views, Hansberry’s choice to not include this element allows the audience to focus more on the expectations that come from each other and how the expectations people have for others do not always have to be
Expectations are define as personal belief that something will happen. It’s similar to judgment or assumption people made to a certain person or group of people. It may not be true and it could be different from what is expected. People can also change how they live their lives based on their own expectations just like how the Greasers and the Socs had different expectations. These two groups have contrast expectations that caused bad actions to come up or lead them to benefits for their own group. Expectations may force people into something they are not, even if it is to become a hero or the opposite.
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.
Lauren Oliver once said, “I guess that’s just part of loving people: You have to give things up. Sometimes you even have to give them up” (Good Reads). This quote connects very well to the play, A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. The quote conveys the message that if one loves someone, one must give things up. A Raisin in the Sun is about an African-American family living in the south side of Chicago in the 1950s. The Younger family is a lower-class family that has been struggling to make their dreams come true. One of the character’s in the play named Walter Lee has been struggling to make his dreams come true. Walter’s changes that are shown tie to the quote written by Lauren Oliver. The changes that are seen in Walter Lee throughout the book, A Raisin in the Sun, reflects the theme that one must sacrifice something for the love and happiness of one’s family.
Does money really bring happiness? This questions has been asked over and over throughout history yet there is no real answer for it. The only way to know is to learn from experiences. In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun the characters are caught up in caring too much about money, and it effects them all in many different decisions that they make such as Ruth wanting to get an abortion, Mama buying them a house, and Walter investing in the liquor store.
The battle against racism was fought with the help of many people. Beneatha in the story, A Raisin in the Sun by Hansberry, was always trying to find herself within the story. Whether it would be the guitar lessons she would take or the clothes she would wear, it all meant something to her.
Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin in the Sun, relates the story of a working-class African-American family with dreams. They are willing to rebel against the position that society has forced on them because of their race and class in order to fulfill their dreams. Walter Younger is a chauffeur who "can find no peace with that part of society which seems to permit him and no entry into that which has willfully excluded him" (Willie Loman 23). He wants to rise into wealth and live as his employer, Mr. Arnold, does. Walter feels as if he is going crazy at times. He tells Mama, "sometimes it's like I can see the future stretched out in front of me-just plain as day.... Hanging over there at the edge of my days. Just waiting for me- a big looming blank space-full of nothing.... But it don't have to be" (73-4). James Draper explains Walter's inability to act out in his work " Black Literature Criticisms," saying:
I. Conflicts in the Play - There are many types of conflict evident in this play. Some are as follows:
Have you ever found money coming between you and your family and disrupting love and life? Money can destroy families and change them for the worse. In the Raisin in the Sun, the author Lorraine Hansberry, uses events of her life to relate and explain how the Younger family, of Chicago's South side, struggles and improves throughout the book. One main cause for their family's problems is because of money and how it causes anger to control the family. The play deals with situations in which the family is dealing with unhappiness from money. Walter, the man of the house in the Younger family, tries impressing Travis, his son, too much with money instead of teaching him the more important lessons of life. Walter also dreams to invest in a liquor store and make a lot of money and becomes overwhelmed and badly caught up in his dream. Lastly, the Younger family is much too dependent on the check their Mama is receiving. The family has lost the fact that their mama tries to tell them, before, freedom was life but now money seems to have the controlling factor in life. When money becomes an obsession for a family, problems occur.
Hansberry promotes a sense of African heritage through her character, Beneatha. She characterizes Beneatha as a college student struggling to find her identity, who tries to achieve such by getting in touch with her roots. The author expresses Beneatha’s struggle with the arguments between her and the rest of her family, namely her mother, Lena. Beneatha tries to express her opinions and ideas, yet because she is the youngest in the household, she tends to feel confined and restricted. Hansberry states Beneatha’s conflict when she writes “Why? Why can’t I say what I want to around here like everybody else?” (Hansberry 39). This statement reveals how Beneatha feels as though her family lacks an understanding of her feelings as well as an appreciation of her opinion, thus leading to her feeling of needing to discover herself. Only when she begins to embrace the idea of returning to her African roots, an idea first given to her by the African exchange student, Asagai, does Beneatha’s mood appear happier and lighter. Upon Asagai’s presentation of a traditional Nigerian dress to her, Beneatha seems elated, and begins to contemplate wearing her natural hair after he comments “You wear it well—very well—mutilated hair and all” (Hansberry 48). Although, Beneatha’s happiness may in some cases be attributed to possible infatuation, Hansberry shows her true passio...
In the book A Raisin in the Sun, the time period is set in 1955. A time in America where African Americans still dealt with a constant struggle between them and the rest of the country. It touches on subjects that were very sensitive especially at the time the work was released. Even though the setting of the book was in the north, Lorraine Hansberry seemed to want to show that things weren’t that much better in the north than they were in the south at that time. Segregation was still being implemented in the law system, and there was a missing sense of equality among everyone. It shows that Lorraine Hansberry took what was going on around her environment and portrayed those situations into her work. The three events listed include Rosa Parks
The play, “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, follows the story of the Youngers, who is an African American family that lives in the suburbs of Chicago during the 1950’s. Together they live a hard life and have to face the harsh reality that African Americans do. Most of the characters follow tradition since they work in low-income jobs, face racism, and limitations that do not allow them to progress. However, one family member steps outside of one tradition in their life, being the character of Beneatha Younger.
This can be observed during her conversation with Mama on page 48. The text states, “Beneatha: People have to express themselves one way or another. Mama: What is it you want to express? Beneatha: Me!” Beneatha’s excitement to express herself reveals that she does not want to do what is expected of her race and gender. She wants to express herself as an individual and let people know the true Beneatha. She is not afraid to stand out, even if she is judged for being unique. Wanting to build herself into a confident individual, Beneatha can be seen during her conversation with Asagai, a close friend, on page 62. Asagai mentions to Beneatha that the first time they had met at school, Beneatha said to him, “Mr. Asagai— I want very much to talk with you. About Africa. You see, Mr. Asagai, I am looking for my identity!” Even when she was younger, Beneatha has always wanted to have her own identity. Most african american girls in this time period were ashamed of their race and gender, however, Beneatha rises above this prejudice by wanting to stand out in a positive way. There are many other times in the play where Beneatha can be seen finding confidence by standing out. On page 62, Beneatha decides to cut her hair short, something not common and frowned upon for african american girls during this time period. She and Asagai have a conversation, Asagai admitting he is confused by her action. “It’s not mutilation!” Beneatha states to defend herself. She completely goes against the prejudice of her african american race, and has the confidence to defend herself, showing pride and confidence by projecting herself as an
The chasing of a mirage is a futile quest where an individual chases an imaginary image that he or she wants to capture. The goal of this impossible quest is in sight, but it is unattainable. Even with the knowledge that failure is inevitable, people still dream of catching a mirage. There is a fine line that separates those who are oblivious to this fact, and to those who are aware and accept this knowledge. The people who are oblivious represent those who are ignorant of the fact that their dream will be deferred. This denial is the core of the concept used in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. The perception of the American Dream is one that is highly subjective, but every individual dream ends in its own deferment.
Beneatha has a dream of going to school and becoming a doctor, but all while she is in college, Beneatha explores vast ideas and hobbies. Throughout the play, Beneatha is searching for herself even though her family does not quite understand it. Beneatha is a constantly changing and slowly becoming socially constructive. In Act One, Beneatha is noted for going in between hobbies by her mom on page 1484, “Lord, child, don 't you know what to get tired of this now – like you got tired of that little do with yourself? How long it going to be before you play-acting group you joined at year? And what was it the year before that?” She, much like Walter, has many dreams and ideas that she wants to do with her life. She claims to be independent, but really her family is what is allowing her to continue with what she wants to achieve and when the money is gone, Beneatha learns that she is not as independent as she
	Society in the 1959 was full of racial discrimination. White and blacks were still living in their own "areas", the public as a whole was very slow to accept the concept of mixed neighborhoods – blacks and white living together. This book, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Vivian Hansberry, tells the story of a lower-class black family’s struggle to gain middle –class acceptance in the Southside of Chicago. The Younger family of five, four adults and one child live in a cramped apartment in one of the poorer sections of town. The dream of owning your own business and having all the money you will ever need is a goal held by many in society, then and now. Walter Lee Younger becomes obsessed with his dream of a business venture that will give him financial and social independence, after getting and losing the money that will help this dream become reality he realizes that pride and dignity are more important for him and his family.