Analysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry

Welcome to Windham High School’s very own theater production of the incredible play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. To further understand the play please read the text below about the background of Hansberry’s life, living conditions in the era that the play took place, and reviews written about the play. Lorraine Hansberry was a playwright and a writer. She was born in Chicago May 19, 1930 in Chicago, and she grew up in the Woodlawn neighborhood in the South side of Chicago. Her parents were well known civil rights activists; Carl Hansberry (her father) and Nannie Hansberry (her mother). When she was 8 years old, she and her family moved into a white neighborhood, where they experienced violence and antagonism†¦show more content†¦Even though people of color had more freedom in Chicago than those who lived more in the South, they still struggled to find their place living there; they lived in their own communities away from whites with very few opportunities to make lives for themselves. Living conditions weren’t very ideal. In an excerpt from How We Built the Ghettos James Boulie has written, â€Å"Many blacks lived in apartments that lacked plumbing, with only one bathroom for each floor.† In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Mama and her family shared their bathroom with neighbors and they had a system for who would use the bathroom at certain times. Boulie has also written, â€Å"With the buildings so overcrowded, building inspections and garbage collection were below the minimum mandatory requirements for healthy sanitation. This unhealthiness increased the threat of disease.† This is most likely why mama had always been cleaning and taking care of the home they lived in. Not only were the living conditions awful, but the opportunities to move into nicer places were even worse. In the History of African Americans in Chicago, on Wikipedia, it was written that, â€Å"Redlining is the practice of denying key services (like home loans and insurance ) or increasing their costs for residents in a defined geographical area.† When it came to a colored person trying to move into a white neighborhood, it usually didn’t end very well. As a childShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry1856 Words   |  8 Pages11, 1959 Lorraine Hansberry Was African American Born in Chicago on May 19, 1930 Died at age 34 from pancreatic cancer She attended the University of Wisconsin and was the first person in her family to not attend a black college She worked as a waitress and cashier at first, and writing was just a hobby. In 1956, she committed all her time to writing. She wrote about feminism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, and through her writing, it can be inferred she was homosexual. In 1938, Hansberry and herRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry944 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the 1950’s are clearly depicted as a time of racism and sexism. The Younger family is disrespected during the play which might have led to some of the mistakes they made later. The 1950’s influenced Lorraine Hansberry while writing her play by showing how mistakes help us grow as a group or an individual such as when Walter lost all the money, Ruth almost killed her baby, and Walter was going to sell their new house. Lorraine wanted to showRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry784 Words   |  4 PagesA Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Introduction Lorraine Hansberry, the author of the play A Raisin in the Sun, indicates that she had always felt a need to put her life experiences in the black neighborhood in writing. In his book, she depicts in a realistic manner of the African-American life. The play portrays black characters combined with themes and conflicts naturally and realistically. A Raisin in the Sun provided a twist in the American art as it highlighted on key issues which wereRead MoreAn Analysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 914 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is an autobiographical play written in 1950 by Lorraine Hansberry, an African American writer. The main characters are the Younger family, Mama, his son Walter and her daughter Beneatha. The play dramatizes a conflict between the main characters’ dreams and their actual lives’ struggles in poverty and racism. The main characters’ lives as African-Americans contribute to their feeling of entrapment by poverty and racism. The play predicts the black society struggles in the yearsRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1876 Words   |  8 PagesA Raisin in the Sun is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959. This is a story about an African American family striving to reach the American Dream despite significant financial difficulties and a racially oppressive environment in the postwar era. The passage I chose was from Act 2, scene 3 of the play. This is when the chairmen of the neighborhood committee in Clybourne Park, Mr. Lindner comes to speak with the Younger family about their future presence in the neighborhood. This passageRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin And The Sun Essay2363 Words   |  10 Pagesas Normal as Possible Poverty is always a great place to start a story, yet is there a lesson to be learned if the characters ends up right where they started? That is one of the several predicaments in the story â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Afro American writer Lorraine Hansberry. The story takes place in Chicago during the late 1950’s the civil rights era, and the most prevalent question is what makes an African American different to any other person. The story dives deep into what that is throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1343 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is play written by Lorraine Hansberry about a struggling African American family. Set in the nineteen-fifties, the play explores the dynamics of how the family operates in a time era Chicago that challenges the family with poor economic status and racial prejudice. Hansberry uses dreams as one of her main themes in this play. Three of the characters, Walter, Beneatha, and Mama, all have a similar goal in their respective dreams, to improve the life of the whole family, butRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1854 Words   |  8 Pageseven drink from the same water fountain. Schools being desegregated has helped young American people grow together in an educational environment, where they can build friendships with students of other races. Throughout the play, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†, Lorraine Hansberry vividly portrays the racism and discrimination of white people towards African-Americans in the fifties, as well as similarities to her own childhood. Walter Lee Younger, husband of Ruth Younger, works as a chauffeur for a rich whiteRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1797 Words   |  8 Pages Worthless money itself All money brings is nothing but dreams and evil. Where there is money there is also dishonesty or corruption.. In a play called â€Å"A Raisin In The Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry, she focuses on the struggle that was faced by one African American family from late 1950s. As the play opens, the family are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the death of Mr.Younger’s insurance policy. Everyone was very excited and were waiting for the money to beRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Beneatha In A Raisin In The Sun1487 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis â€Å" A Raisin in the Sun† is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry about the life of an African American family during the era of segregation. The play starts off with the Younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from Mr. Younger’s insurance policy. The family argues over what they are going to do with it. Mama wants to buy a house with it, Walter wants to invest in a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to use the money to go to medical school. The contrast of the characters’ personalities Analysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Introduction Lorraine Hansberry, the author of the play A Raisin in the Sun, indicates that she had always felt a need to put her life experiences in the black neighborhood in writing. In his book, she depicts in a realistic manner of the African-American life. The play portrays black characters combined with themes and conflicts naturally and realistically. A Raisin in the Sun provided a twist in the American art as it highlighted on key issues which were unfolding in the U.S in the 1950s. Despite the economic boom experienced after World War II, there was growing racial tension and domestic tension. Summary The play A Raisin in the Sun is worthwhile discussing as it cut across sensitive topics†¦show more content†¦The play further focuses on the American dream through the character Walter who has a desire to make progress and is full of entrepreneurial spirit. Mama: What done got into you girl? Walter Lee done finally sold you on investing? (Hansberry 19). Walter doesnt challenge the current system but instead works very hard to ensure that he rises to the highest social class. He yearns of having a nice car, an expansive house and expensive jewelry for his wife together with a nice job. Walters dream envisages the American dream which at that time was the main focus. The play also addresses feminist questions which were prevalent during this period. Hansberry uses the character Beneath, who is socially progressive and studies to become a doctor to show that marriage is not an important rite of passage and women should focus on other career goals. Hansberry also delves into th e issue of abortion through the character Ruth. Ruth who came from a poor background becomes pregnant thus complicating the family situation which seems unable to accommodate another life thus prompting her to abort. This makes the topic to enter into action in an age where abortion was illegal. Style Hansberry was very objective in her work; as through her distinct work from other plays of that time drives a message home to the audience. Thus, in my opinion, the story is enlightened to individuals not only during the era it was set but even in the recent timesShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry1856 Words   |  8 Pages11, 1959 Lorraine Hansberry Was African American Born in Chicago on May 19, 1930 Died at age 34 from pancreatic cancer She attended the University of Wisconsin and was the first person in her family to not attend a black college She worked as a waitress and cashier at first, and writing was just a hobby. In 1956, she committed all her time to writing. She wrote about feminism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, and through her writing, it can be inferred she was homosexual. In 1938, Hansberry and herRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry944 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the 1950’s are clearly depicted as a time of racism and sexism. The Younger family is disrespected during the play which might have led to some of the mistakes they made later. The 1950’s influenced Lorraine Hansberry while writing her play by showing how mistakes help us grow as a group or an individual such as when Walter lost all the money, Ruth almost killed her baby, and Walter was going to sell their new house. Lorraine wanted to showRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry1158 Words   |  5 Pagesincredible play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. To further understand the play please read the text below about the background of Hansberry’s life, living conditions in the era that the play took place, and reviews written about the play. Lorraine Hansberry was a playwright and a writer. She was born in Chicago May 19, 1930 in Chicago, and she grew up in the Woodlawn neighborhood in the South side of Chicago. Her parents were well known civil rights activists; Carl Hansberry (her father)Read MoreAn Analysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 914 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is an autobiographical play written in 1950 by Lorraine Hansberry, an African American writer. The main characters are the Younger family, Mama, his son Walter and her daughter Beneatha. The play dramatizes a conflict between the main characters’ dreams and their actual lives’ struggles in poverty and racism. The main characters’ lives as African-Americans contribute to their feeling of entrapment by poverty and racism. The play predicts the black society struggles in the yearsRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1876 Words   |  8 PagesA Raisin in the Sun is a p lay written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959. This is a story about an African American family striving to reach the American Dream despite significant financial difficulties and a racially oppressive environment in the postwar era. The passage I chose was from Act 2, scene 3 of the play. This is when the chairmen of the neighborhood committee in Clybourne Park, Mr. Lindner comes to speak with the Younger family about their future presence in the neighborhood. This passageRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin And The Sun Essay2363 Words   |  10 Pagesas Normal as Possible Poverty is always a great place to start a story, yet is there a lesson to be learned if the characters ends up right where they started? That is one of the several predicaments in the story â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Afro American writer Lorraine Hansberry. The story takes place in Chicago during the late 1950’s the civil rights era, and the most prevalent question is what makes an African American different to any other person. The story dives deep into what that is throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1343 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is play written by Lorraine Hansberry about a struggling African American family. Set in the nineteen-fifties, the play explores the dynamics of how the family operates in a time era Chicago that challenges the family with poor economic status and racial prejudice. Hansberry uses dreams as one of her main themes in this play. Three of the characters, Walter, Beneatha, and Mama, all have a similar goal in their respective dreams, to improve the life of the whole family, butRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1854 Words   |  8 Pageseven drink from the same water fountain. Schools being desegregated has helped young American people grow together in an educational environment, where they can build friendships with students of other races. Throughout the play, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†, Lorraine Hansberry vividly portrays the racism and discrimination of white people towards African-Americans in the fifties, as well as similarities to her own childhood. Walter Lee Younger, husband of Ruth Younger, works as a chauffeur for a rich whiteRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1797 Words   |  8 Pages Worthless money itself All money brings is nothing but dreams and evil. Where there is money there is also dishonesty or corruption.. In a play called â€Å"A Raisin In The Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry, she focuses on the struggle that was faced by one African American family from late 1950s. As the play opens, the family are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the death of Mr.Younger’s insurance policy. Everyone was very excited and were waiting for the money to beRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Beneatha In A Raisin In The Sun1487 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis â€Å" A Raisin in the Sun† is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry about the life of an African American family during the era of segregation. The play starts off with the Younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from Mr. Younger’s insurance policy. The family argues over what they are going to do with it. Mama wants to buy a house with it, Walter wants to invest in a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to use the money to go to medical school. The contrast of the characters’ personalities Analysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry Everyone makes massive mistakes here and there, but it is how we handle them that helps us grow for the better or for the worst. Throughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the 1950’s are clearly depicted as a time of racism and sexism. The Younger family is disrespected during the play which might have led to some of the mistakes they made later. The 1950’s influenced Lorraine Hansberry while writing her play by showing how mistakes help us grow as a group or an individual such as when Walter lost all the money, Ruth almost killed her baby, and Walter was going to sell their new house. Lorraine wanted to show us how her characters were able to benefit from the faults in their lives. Walter Younger, who is the man†¦show more content†¦Once Walter also found out Ruth wanted to abort the baby Walter wouldn’t even believe it by stating, â€Å"No-no-Ruth wouldn’t do that,†(75). Ruth and Walter once again disagreed by her saying, â€Å"Yes I would too, Walter. I gave her a five-dollar down payment,†(75). This couple that used to find so much love in each other now doesn’t even know each other. Even though Walter had no intention of trying to love his wife, once he made the mistake of not telling Ruth to not abort the baby by, â€Å"(WALTER picks up his keys and his coat and walks out,† (75). Through this mistake, Walter was able to understand his wife better and love her more than he ever had. In the movie when Walter and Ruth were dancing at the bar Ruth was able to forgive Walter for what he had done. She loved Walter more as a man then she had ever before the fight. Ruth told Walter that she wished he had run awa y and been mad a long time ago. Through Walters mistake, he and his wife grew closer as one and learned to love each other more than ever. Even though Walter makes a lot of simple minded decisions he doesn’t always learn from them. After the loss of the money, Walter did not know what to do with himself. Walter believes to fix to everything is money. Walter wanted to restore his former self and get his family the money back. In order to do this Walter made a call to â€Å"The Man.† When his mother asked who this man wasShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry1856 Words   |  8 Pages11, 1959 Lorraine Hansberry Was African American Born in Chicago on May 19, 1930 Died at age 34 from pancreatic cancer She attended the University of Wisconsin and was the first person in her family to not attend a black college She worked as a waitress and cashier at first, and writing was just a hobby. In 1956, she committed all her time to writing. She wrote about feminism, sexism, racism, and homophobia, and through her writing, it can be inferred she was homosexual. In 1938, Hansberry and herRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry784 Words   |  4 PagesA Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Introduction Lorraine Hansberry, the author of the play A Raisin in the Sun, indicates that she had always felt a need to put her life experiences in the black neighborhood in writing. In his book, she depicts in a realistic manner of the African-American life. The play portrays black characters combined with themes and conflicts naturally and realistically. A Raisin in the Sun provided a twist in the American art as it highlighted on key issues which wereRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry1158 Words   |  5 Pagesincredible play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. To further understand the play please read the text below about the background of Hansberry’s life, living conditions in the era that the play took place, and reviews written about the play. Lorraine Hansberry was a playwright and a writer. She was born in Chicago May 19, 1930 in Chicago, and she grew up in the Woodlawn neighborhood in the South side of Chicago. Her parents were well known civil rights activists; Carl Hansberry (her father)Read MoreAn Analysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 914 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is an autobiographical play written in 1950 by Lorraine Hansberry, an African American writer. The main characters are the Younger family, Mama, his son Walter and her daughter Beneatha. The play dramatizes a conflict between the main characters’ dreams and their actual lives’ struggles in poverty and racism. The main characters’ lives as African-Americans contribute to their feeling of entrapment by poverty and racism. The play predicts the black society struggles in the yearsRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1876 Words   |  8 PagesA Raisin in the Sun is a p lay written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959. This is a story about an African American family striving to reach the American Dream despite significant financial difficulties and a racially oppressive environment in the postwar era. The passage I chose was from Act 2, scene 3 of the play. This is when the chairmen of the neighborhood committee in Clybourne Park, Mr. Lindner comes to speak with the Younger family about their future presence in the neighborhood. This passageRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin And The Sun Essay2363 Words   |  10 Pagesas Normal as Possible Poverty is always a great place to start a story, yet is there a lesson to be learned if the characters ends up right where they started? That is one of the several predicaments in the story â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Afro American writer Lorraine Hansberry. The story takes place in Chicago during the late 1950’s the civil rights era, and the most prevalent question is what makes an African American different to any other person. The story dives deep into what that is throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1343 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is play written by Lorraine Hansberry about a struggling African American family. Set in the nineteen-fifties, the play explores the dynamics of how the family operates in a time era Chicago that challenges the family with poor economic status and racial prejudice. Hansberry uses dreams as one of her main themes in this play. Three of the characters, Walter, Beneatha, and Mama, all have a similar goal in their respective dreams, to improve the life of the whole family, butRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1854 Words   |  8 Pageseven drink from the same water fountain. Schools being desegregated has helped young American people grow together in an educational environment, where they can build friendships with students of other races. Throughout the play, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†, Lorraine Hansberry vividly portrays the racism and discrimination of white people towards African-Americans in the fifties, as well as similarities to her own childhood. Walter Lee Younger, husband of Ruth Younger, works as a chauffeur for a rich whiteRead MoreAnalysis Of Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun 1797 Words   |  8 Pages Worthless money itself All money brings is nothing but dreams and evil. Where there is money there is also dishonesty or corruption.. In a play called â€Å"A Raisin In The Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry, she focuses on the struggle that was faced by one African American family from late 1950s. As the play opens, the family are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the death of Mr.Younger’s insurance policy. Everyone was very excited and were waiting for the money to beRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Beneatha In A Raisin In The Sun1487 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis â€Å" A Raisin in the Sun† is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry about the life of an African American family during the era of segregation. The play starts off with the Younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from Mr. Younger’s insurance policy. The family argues over what they are going to do with it. Mama wants to buy a house with it, Walter wants to invest in a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to use the money to go to medical school. The contrast of the characters’ personalities