At the heart of Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ is the universal message of the desire for social progress amid the differing opinions on how to achieve it . A Raisin in the Sun is a play about an African American family aspiring to move beyond segregation and disenfranchisement in 1950s Chicago.
What is the lesson learned in A Raisin in the Sun?
Two of the major messages in Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun are to never let go of dreams and to recognize the importance of family .
From these two facts, one can conclude that Hansberry’s reason for writing A Raisin in the Sun was to tell her story of “Dreams Deferred” , to expose the truth of the African American family life and racism, and the struggles of reaching a dream, all from a first hand experience perspective.
What is a symbol of hope in a raisin in the sun?
Walter’s Eggs
His woman say: Eat your eggs” (Hansberry 616). The eggs represent his hope, dreams, and ambitions. The egg is an idea newly forming in his mind, but it never turns out the way that he wants. Also, it symbolizes Walter’s children.
Why is it called raisin in the sun?
The play’s title is taken from “Harlem,” a poem by Langston Hughes, which examines the question “What happens to a dream deferred?/Does it dry up/like a raisin in the sun?” This penetrating psychological study of a working-class black family on the south side of Chicago in the late 1940s reflected Hansberry’s own ...
What are three themes in A Raisin in the Sun?
The main themes in A Raisin in the Sun are dreams, selfishness, and race . Dreams: Everyone in the play has a dream. However, achieving one’s dreams proves a complicated endeavor, especially when factors like race, class, and gender interfere.
What does sunlight symbolize in A Raisin in the Sun?
Sunlight. Hansberry writes about sunlight and how the old apartment has so little of it. ... Sunlight is a familiar symbol for hope and life , since all human life depends on warmth and energy from the sun.
An author’s purpose is his reason for or intent in writing . An author’s purpose may be to amuse the reader, to persuade the reader, to inform the reader, or to satirize a condition.
What does Africa symbolize in raisin in the sun?
Asagai’s main function as a character seems to be to inject the play with symbolism. Basically, Asagi is Africa. He represents one extreme of the American debate on assimilation . His presence in the play forces the audience (and Beneatha) to ask what it truly means to be an African American.
What is the irony in a raisin in the sun?
Lesson Summary
Lindner from the welcoming committee visits to inform the Youngers that they are not welcome. Dramatic irony is when the audience has insight that the character does not have , like when Bobo walks in the door and everyone but Walter Lee is aware that his own investment has gone poorly.
Is a raisin in the sun a tragedy?
Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is a modern tragedy in which the protagonist, Walter Lee Younger, is unable to find the fulfilling life he wants so badly.
Why was a raisin in the sun banned?
A Raisin in the Sun was never outright banned . The 1961 film version was censored somewhat to make it more palatable to white audiences. In 1979, due to Ruth’s abortion references, a Utah school district required students to obtain permission from their parents before they could check it out from the library.
Who dies in a raisin in the sun?
Lena Younger’s recently deceased husband and the father of Walter Lee and Beneatha. Big Walter’s death provides the family with an insurance payment of $10,000, part of which serves as the down payment on the Youngers’ new home.
Who said eat your eggs?
The phrase “eat your eggs” most symbolizes in the play a reluctance to take risks. The phrase is uttered by Ruth whenever Walter has a new complaint about his life. She says this when Walter has the idea of the liquor store, and she repeats it when he complaints about their lack of money.
Does beneatha ever become a doctor?
Beneatha is a twenty year-old college student with dreams of going to medical school and becoming a doctor . ... Nevertheless, the family makes many financial sacrifices to make sure that Beneatha is able to get an education, even though there isn’t much money to go around.
How is love shown in A Raisin in the Sun?
There is a longing love between Willie Lee’s sister Beneatha (Mildred Marie Langford) and the world around her. Nothing seems off-limits to her love and curiosity about things that make people and their world tick. She learns horseback riding, guitar playing and African dancing with equal enthusiasm.
