The XX and the early XXI century was and is still being marked as the centuries of the world’s adjustment regarding the view of differences in people’s appearance and beliefs. This has made changes on how people see their political, religious, cultural, and human races differences. Although differences in people still are main cause of violence, there has been a significant change since the beginning of the XX century until today. “Breaking the color barrier” has taken the objetive of seen discrimination and the differences in people through plays and short stories related to American society. A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, is a play which focuses on how the African-Americans were seen during the 60’s by the white ethnicity. Those periods marked the United States of intense discrimination which marked the play. The Youngers’, family in which the play directs its attention, lived tough moments due to the African-American discrimination and economic …show more content…
He has worked his entire life as chauffeur and has always wanted to go beyond being that though he has nothing to look forward to due to lack of economical power. In families, usually the one who brings money home leads and has the power. In the play, Walter has no control of his family mainly because his salary does not give him power. Also, Lena Younger has the insurance check from Big Walter which contained $10.000, making the Youngers depend on her and not on Walter Lee’s budget. As he is seen in the play, it can be deduced that his stressed personality mainly comes from the fact that he has no money to portray power. His dream with the money is to form part of the liquor store plan so that both, family and especially himself earn. If he has the opportunity to provide enough money to the family, he would had opportunity to show he is capable. He also will be seen as the male of the family who has the last
The narrator's father left while he was still a young child and never really had much to do with the narrator nor his mother, except for him visiting “in the evening, apparently under cover of darkness. ”(Fleming 4), because he did not want to be judged for being with a “black” woman and having a mixed child. Once the narrator learns at school that he is not “white” but rather “he is coloured,”(Japtok 1), he “switches from [race to race] in the years to follow”(Japtok 1). Most of society during this time fought for racial equality because truly the African Americans were treated more poorly than the white Americans. The narrator did not quite see things as if they were mistreated but instead he saw it as how different “blacks” are from “whites” and how some “blacks” are different than other
In “The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man”, the unnamed narrator hid behind his light skin and made decisions based on fear. Whereas Walter Lee, the character in “A Raisin in the Sun” was the nobler and more respected man because he embraced his black color. He did what was best for his family and the situation they were in. He didn’t care what the white people thought of him.
One of these flaws is equal rights. African Americans are having difficulties obtaining their own spot. “[Hansberry brings] local, individual struggles of African Americans—against segregation, ghettoization, and capitalist exploitation—to the national stage. (Gordon, 121 and 122)” The play first points out segregation.
The racism and sexism being shown in the Raisin in The Sun demonstrates that the matrix of domination is in play. In the book, Beneatha is an African-American woman who is battling not only racism, but also sexism. She battles racism by attending medical school during the civil right movement era and she battles sexism at home with her brother Walter, and being told to marry George Murchison. In the text Walter says “We one group of men are tied to a race of women with small minds” (Hansberry, 35). In this quote he not only degrades the woman, but he degrades the African American woman.
In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, and the play A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry, the setting’s are crucial in the development of the plot. The short story “Everyday Use” is set in the 1960’s, similarly A Raisin in the Sun is set in the 1950’s. These times are very rough for African Americans in American history as they faced lots of Racism and prejudice impacting their day to day life. Therefore in both stories the setting is detrimental to the development of the plot as it creates conflict resulting from the Racism and Prejudice. In A Raisin in the Sun Mr.Lindner is a racist white man who attempts to pay the Younger’s not to move into the all white neighborhood.
Walter dealt with a hardship in his live as well. Walter was faced with racial discrimination. He wanted to have money to be able to to what he wants, follow his dreams. The only problem is that he didn 't have a high paying job. Your probably thinking to yourself why doesn 't he just get another job.
Believe it or not, many people are involved in racial and class division conflicts. Lately, both have become a problem in everyday life. Whether it's who has the most money, best job, better skin color, or even who clothes look the best, it's all labeled as “division.” A Raisin in the Sun is a prime proposition of class division between the races of American society in the nineteen-fifties. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the family in seen as lower class and broke based on their location.
There is no way to know if a decision that was made is the right or the wrong decision. Making decisions is apparent in "A Raisin in the Sun", among all characters. Some decisions made by the characters work out in the end and other decisions, causes anger towards the family members. Throughout the play, Mama makes several life-changing decisions. Some of the decisions are very controversial to the readers.
Beneatha wants to study to become a doctor, but instead Walter Lee wants to spend his family’s insurance money so he can open a liquor store with Willy and Bobo his friends and be a man. Since Walter Lee and his family were in a bad position and were very poor it was Walter Younger’s responsibility to keep the family together and he saw this a very big responsibility. He frequently complained about being a chauffeur and ridding rich people, every day when he woke up in the morning. He would always fight with his wife Ruth, Mama and his sister Beneatha. For instance (Hansberry 32-34) he says to Ruth his wife “You tired, ain’t you?
The famous play shows the audience the life it was like to live as a black female, and shows the struggles that the Young family faced being the first African American family to move into a white neighborhood. This play is considered a
Kelsey Wilson Ms. Taverner English 10 25 April 2016 A Raisin In The Sun Act one of A Raisin in the Sun starts in Chicago apartment. It is overcrowded and the Younger family who lives there seems unhappy. Ruth wakes her son(Travis) and husband(Walter Lee), Travis goes to shower in a shared bathroom while Ruth makes breakfast and bickers with Walter.
Introduction Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” led a great quest for the Younger household. Raisin is set in subsidized housing in Southside Chicago, in which three Black female relatives live and interact with their brother, husband, and son Walter. African Americans were frowned upon before the writing of “A Raisin in the Sun”. However, it her notorious story provided individuals of multiple races new hope for life. In 2006, Diana Adesola Mafe provided the world with her opinion of “A Raisin in the Sun”.
Being the man of the household, Walter dreams of owning a liquor store and plans on using Lena’s money to do so. Walter is always after money and believes that the only way to succeed in life is with money. For example, when Walter is talking about the check, he says, “Mama, sometimes when I’m downtown and I pass them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking about things, turning deals worth millions of dollars, sometimes I see guys don’t look much older than me” (992).This shows how Walter wanted something more out of life and not just be a poor black man. Everyone in this family had dreams but no one supported each other dreams.
The play takes place in the 1950s in New Orleans containing a diverse population. However, is race discriminated against, those who go against classifed gender roles are often discriminated and have trouble finding their way in society. Although gender equality has
Walter was introduced as a man who cared about nothing other than his business. He had sacrificed his sister’s dream of becoming a doctor, and held the power to wipe out Mama’s dream for a better home. Walter sees the gender roles as boundaries keeping him from loosening up to his family. He is given the insight that men must be powerful, wealthy, and demanding for them to truly be the head of the household. However, Walter sees past these gender roles, and not only challenges these rigid roles, but he also regains his family’s trust along the