The betterment of society as a whole is often reasonably prioritized over individual desire. However, it can harm individuality while seemingly compromising with it. In A Raisin in the Sun, author Lorraine Hansberry depicts individuals confronted by covert prejudice. In fact, most instances of prejudice in the play are masked in seeming selflessness and good intentions. The play follows the drama of the Younger family, an African-American family in the ‘50s that fights for their individual dreams that appear to be out-of-reach for their class and time. Their nearly-lost hope is restored after receiving an inheritance check from the death of the late family patriarch. Mama spends a part of her late husband’s check on a house in a white suburb, a poorly-received notion by the neighborhood’s white inhabitants. The neighboorhood attempts to buy the house back from the Youngers, an offer that they claim is for the “good” of both parties. Similar covert discrimination …show more content…
Lindner tried to buy the Youngers’ house back from them and keep segregated housing systems under the guise of altruism. The elder Youngers and George try to convince Beneatha to conform to gender roles and settle down for the benefit of everyone. However, those who push these prejudices do not consider the meaning nor possible positive outcomes of breaking them. The Youngers’ decision to move into a suburban white neighborhood despite objections is a small action that would lead to The Civil Rights Movement. Beneatha’s refusal to conform to gender roles is the first small step to gender equality. Present day, one can see that individuality is winning and we are looking beyond labels and looks. Prejudice may have good intentions, but breaking them has astonishing and powerful