Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

1269 Words3 Pages

Angie Ho (A0113915L)
EN1101E/GEK1000
Rebecca Raglon (W11)
07/11/2014
Q: How “feminist” does Raisin appear to you?

Equality VS Equity

When Lorraine Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun in 1959, the idea of feminism was not as recognised as it is today. Since the 19th century, feminism is focused on many different aspects, such as the equality in politics and workplace, and eliminating gender roles and stereotypes. Today, although feminism is much more emphasised, a large number of people still have misconceptions of the definition of feminism. Some think that feminism is the support of the oppression of men, which is entirely incorrect. Instead, feminism is generally defined as the advocacy of the rights of women to be equal to the men’s – this interpretation is also known as Gender Feminism. However, feminism has evolved and is differentiated into many types; another kind of feminism that is …show more content…

Due to the fact that the women in the household are self-sufficient and assertive, Walter finds difficulty in ‘finding peace’ in the household as no one is willing to listen to him. He seems desperate and exasperated as he exclaims: “WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO ME TODAY!” (Act 1, Scene 2, Page 50). Both genders in the family should be given enough power in the household to make each of them feel validated and important. By being unwilling to lend Walter a listening ear and excluding him in decision-makings, it is no wonder Walter feels neglected and insignificant in the family. The inequity of treatment within the family is not a good portrayal of equity feminism, and thus, I feel that this aspect of the play is not ‘feminist’.

The extent of feminism can also be determined through instances of sexism or gender stereotypes present in Raisin. Surprisingly, Lena, a domineering woman who appears to symbolise feminism, has also revealed a tendency to favour gender

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
570 Words | 2 Pages
One of the first ideas mentioned in this play, A Raisin In the Sun, is about money. The Younger's end up with no money because of Walter's obsession with it. When Walter decides not to take the extra money he is offered it helps prove Hansberry's theme. Her theme is that money can't buy happiness. This can be seen in Walter's actions throughout the play.
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
759 Words | 2 Pages
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.
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Free Raisin in the Sun Essays: Bad Dreams
781 Words | 2 Pages
Walter complains to Mama about the way he feels about his job. I open and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, "Yes sir no sir very good sir shall I take the drive, sir?" Walter wants to be the one sitting in the back of that limousine while someone else is doing the driving. Walter wants financial freedom, he doesn't want just enough money to provide for his family but rather he tells his mother "I want so many things." Walter is materialistic and greedy, he has been corrupted by a superficial “American dream”.
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
530 Words | 2 Pages
A Raisin in the Sun In the book “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, there were characters whose dreams were stated, some of which were shattered by greed and misfortune and others which would eventually come true. The first dream that came about was Walter’s dream of one day owning and maintaining a liquor store. He would do anything to attempt to get his dream to come true, but his mama wanted anything but that to happen. His mama had a dream of her own, though, she dreamed of one day owning her own house, where her whole family could stay comfortably.
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
3896 Words | 8 Pages
A dream deferred is a dream put off to another time, much like this essay. But unlike dreams sometimes, this essay will get fulfilled and done with. Each character from A Raisin in the Sun had a deferred dream, even little Travis although his dream was not directly stated.
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
591 Words | 2 Pages
The civil rights movement brought enlightenment towards the abolishment of segregation laws. Although the laws are gone does segregation still exist in fact? “What happens to a dream deferred, does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?'; said, in a poem by Langston Huges. The story, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry showed segregation and its affects upon all races. This essay will show how Assimilationists and New Negroes fought for their own identity in the mid twentieth century. Whether they were being true to themselves or creating carbon copies of oppression was determined by one’s view upon society.
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Raisin In The Sun Beneatha Prejudice
1233 Words | 3 Pages
In addition, not only were women considered to be less intelligent, they were also expected to become something lesser than a man. This is displayed further along in the argument between Walter and Beneatha, Walter states… “Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people- then go be a nurse like other women- or just get married and be quiet…” (38). In other words, Walter is grouping Beneatha with other women and is forming a prejudice idea of how that group should act. Walter is encouraging Beneatha to not work hard, settle down, and discard her aspiration. At the same time, he is also disencouraging her dream to be a doctor. During this time, the norm in society was for women to do easier jobs, like becoming a nurse, or not working at all and becoming a wife. Because of those stereotypes and expectations, Walter is questioning her capability and right to become a doctor. One of his reason to question her is the fact that she does not pay for her schooling. Some people may argue that Beneatha is enforcing female stereotypes
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855 Words | 2 Pages
Throughout the plays, the reader can visualize how men dismiss women as trivial and treat them like property, even though the lifestyles they are living in are very much in contrast. The playwrights, each in their own way, are addressing the issues that have negatively impacted the identity of women in society.
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
735 Words | 2 Pages
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
811 Words | 2 Pages
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun
1246 Words | 3 Pages
Wilkerson, Margaret B. “’A Raisin in the Sun’: Anniversary of an American Classic.” Johns Hopkins University Press 38.4 (1986): 441-52. JSTOR. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. .
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Theme Of Feminism In A Raisin In The Sun
980 Words | 2 Pages
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A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry
1258 Words | 3 Pages
In the American society of the 1950s, prevalence of discrimination strongly existed against colored people and women. To speak of this injustice, Lorraine Hansberry wrote a drama which revolved around characters whose such views plagued the lives of others. In the drama, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry exposes the presence of oppression and white supremacy through the characters of George Murchison, Mrs. Johnson, and Mr. Linder.
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2145 Words | 5 Pages
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699 Words | 2 Pages
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun