Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
A Raisin in the Sun depicts the struggles imposed upon the members of the Younger family in the 1950’s in the United States of America during a time of racial discrimination. Lorraine Hansberry reveals through each character individually, and together as a family, how race and gender have contributed to the situation this black family are in as well as the hardships they face while trying to gain respectability in their society as well as in their home.
The play shows strong views of gender and how the Younger family members each have a different opinion in regards to gender roles and what it means to be a man or a woman.
Although traditional, Ruth does not always accept her generalised role as a woman. She does not always agree with what Walter says and does and in turn shows the reader that Walter does not always have power over her. An example from Act I can be used when she asks Walter: “What kind of eggs do you want?” (Hansberry, 2011, p. 11) and Walter responds saying: “Not
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He is certain that he should be the head of the family and solely be the provider for the Younger family. He struggles deeply with the fact that his family members have a lack of faith in him and his role in their family. He blames his lack of power on the female members of his family as well as his race. “We are one group of men tied to a race of women with small minds.” (Hansberry, 2011, p. 19) Throughout the play, his idea to invest in a liquor store business is also dispirited by his mother, sister and wife. Walter wants to be respected and uphold his sought-after role as a man. Walter also believes that woman are fit to only take on supporting roles in society. He depicts this when telling Beneatha: “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…” (Hansberry, 2011, p.
Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun, By Walter Lee
185 Words | 1 PagesAct 1, Scene 1, we begin with the emergence of the character straight from the gate. Walter Lee, upon awakening almost immediately asks his wife Ruth, “Check coming today?” He seems, almost as if a child on Christmas morning wondering if Santa had visited and left him his present. For Walter’s character this money represents an end to his oppression and answer to his plight. The life he leads is filled with people pushing him down and keeping him in a “ditch “ of sorts.
Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis
1500 Words | 6 PagesIn the play Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry takes place on the southside of Chicago where Walter and his family are racially profiled and show us how the survive throughout their struggles. The central struggles for the younger family in their search for the American dream is mostly poverty and being racially profiled against for their actions. Hansberry challenges the traditional gender roles and issues of dominance throughout the play when Mama gives Walter lee the rest of the money at the end of the play. He becomes all excited and was supposed to save some for himself and put the rest of the money to Beneatha 's education. Instead, he gave all that money to Willy another character in the play which later on that he stole from him.
Gender Expectations In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
1127 Words | 5 PagesAlthough Walter does not deserve the power, the manhood of Walter Lee enables him to “control” the family. Conversely, Beneatha’s talkativeness and her aggressive personality are against how a 1950s African American should act. Ruth asks “Can’t you be a little sweeter sometimes? (Act 1, Scene 1)” to indicate the modest characteristics women should have. Furthermore, Ruth’s decision of abortion at the beginning of the play was unconventional since it was against gender expectation because it is against her duty as a wife and a mother.
A Raisin In The Sun American Dream Essay
699 Words | 3 PagesIn A Raisin in the Sun, a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, the audience was able to obtain a sense of the struggle for the American dream. We are introduced to the Youngerś a black family living in the Southside of Chicago around the 1950’s. Each member of this family has their own meaning to what is the American dream. A Raisin in the Sun teaches us that even though life might be full of conflicts, it is important to not give up on our dreams.
A Raisin In The Sun Sexism Analysis
779 Words | 4 PagesIn the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, there are many examples of sexism throughout its entirety. The character, Walter, demonstrates the acts of a sexist human being. Walter is sexist to not only women in general, but to the women in his family. Not taking into consideration of other people’s sayings and their feelings, Walter generally only thinks about himself, says what he believes, and truly only cares about money. Walter constantly is fighting with all of the women in the family as well.
Gender Roles In Trifles
1014 Words | 5 PagesThe play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is largely based on stereotypes. The most prevalent one explores the difference between gender roles. Glaspell exerts the repression of women in the 1900s. During that time, women were highly looked down upon by men, and were only seen as the housekeepers and child bearers. This example is displayed throughout the play with the men, however, the women in this play prove that the stereotypes of gender roles held against them are completely wrong, which is shown through the characters, set design, and symbolism.
A Raisin In The Sun Gender Roles Essay
848 Words | 4 PagesGender roles play an important role in A Raisin in the Sun. During the time A Raisin in the Sun was written the idea of set in stone positions in a household and society were common. Women were supposed to do house jobs, keep their mouths shut, and support their husbands’ decisions and men were seen as the headman or boss. A Raisin in the Sun shows readers a window into the world where those gender roles have a twist on them. Women in the time of A Raisin in the Sun were supposed to be subservient to men.
Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
358 Words | 2 PagesThe result of the civil rights movement had a great deal of negative effects on African Americans while bringing them together to try and strengthen their community towards making a change. There are still issues with racism to this day but it was not as bad as in 1954 during the Civil right s era. The Unite d States was not united and it was very chaotic at the time .
Feminism In Hamlet Essay
1441 Words | 6 PagesFeminism has gained a new definition a new understanding of female roles since the Elizabethan Era. Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare, is about a young prince, Hamlet, being visited by his father’s apparition urging him to avenge his death by murdering Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. All the while, Hamlet is enraged by his mother’s hasty marriage to Claudius and is showering his supposed love, Ophelia, with gifts and words of affection. Queen Gertrude and Ophelia are blindly obedient to male authority due to the influence of the social standards that require women to be submissive to men. Queen Gertrude and Ophelia’s actions and outcomes as characters are affected by male influence, the social norms of this time, and the females’ consequences of following these norms.
Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
201 Words | 1 PagesI believe dreams are achievable despite your limitations. Some may say that certain things are impossible which may be true for example the rules of gravity and nature that are set in stone. You may not be able to alter those rules but there are so many other infinite possibilities and ways that you can achieve your dreams despite your background, culture, race, identity, ect. In the story “A Raisin In The Sun” the characters are limited by the color of their skin and race.
Theme Of Feminism In A Raisin In The Sun
1502 Words | 7 PagesLorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun presents the rise of feminism in America in the 1960s. A Raisin in the Sun is feminist because, with the feminist notions displayed in the play, women establish their rights to fulfil their individual dreams which diverge from traditional conventions of that time. Beneatha Younger, Lena Younger (Mama) and Ruth Younger are the three primary characters displaying evidences of feminism in the play. Moreover, Hansberry creates male characters who demonstrate oppressive attitudes towards women yet enhance the feminist ideology in the play. A Raisin in the Sun is feminist because, the play encourages women to develop an identity for themselves, particularly through education and career.
Discrimination In A Raisin In The Sun
833 Words | 4 PagesThroughout the 1950s, people of color have struggled with achieving their dreams due to the lack of equality that is portrayed in that specific time era. It has been a constant battle for equality for all races and genders over the course of time. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin In the Sun the character Beneatha struggles with her racial inequality, education, and gender stereotyping. These specific struggles are the blocks she deals with trying to achieve her dream.
The Importance Of Family In A Raisin In The Sun
963 Words | 4 PagesFamily is important to everyone in some way because family sticks together no matter what. The play A Raisin in the Sun is about a black family named the Youngers and the hardships they face together as a family. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Ruth Younger is motivated by her family. This is shown by Ruth wanting to make her family happy, her working even though she is tired, and later when Ruth finds out there is going to be another mouth to feed. Ruth Younger is constantly worrying about her family’s well being and happiness for them.
Social Issues In A Raisin In The Sun
816 Words | 4 PagesA Raisin in the Sun addresses major social issues such as racism and feminism which were common in the twentieth century. The author, Lorraine Hansberry, was the first playwright to produce a play that portrayed problematic social issues. Racism and gender equality are heavily addressed throughout the play. Even though we still have these issues today, in the 1950’s and 60’s the issues had a greater part in society. Racism and gender have always been an issue in society, A Raisin in the Sun is an important piece of American history during that time period.
Gender Roles In A Raisin In The Sun
845 Words | 4 PagesJust within the recent decades, men and women started to fight against the gender stereotypes and started to challenge their roles in a family and in the society. The play, A Raisin in the Sun, portrays the lives of African–Americans during the 1950s. Lorraine Hansberry, a writer and a social activist, reinforced the traditional gender roles, especially female’s, by depicting how the Youngers interact and how they act in an economical struggle. Throughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun, she uses Walter Lee Younger, Ruth Younger and Lena Younger to reinforce the traditional role of fathers, wives and mothers within a family.
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