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A Raisin In The Sun Essay

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Recommended: Racism in the 1960's

In the play, A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger family strives to achieve financial success while facing the challenges of racism in the 1950s. Each character’s perspective of race affects their ability to succeed in their respective positions. One of the main characters, Beneatha Younger, represents a radical who opposes the social norms of her time. Ms. Younger studies at a college to become a doctor. Beneatha's progressive beliefs are evident in her rejection of Christianity, her fascination with African culture, and her vocal remarks on Black oppression. While Benethea contributes to the advancement of African Americans, she also creates tension in her family by enthusiastically denying values that are dear to them. …show more content…

Her intellectual curiosity and exposure to various ideologies lead her to adopt atheism, challenging the religious foundation that her mother holds dear. In a conversation with her mother, Benethea proclaims
"Mama, you don’t understand. It’s all a matter of ideas, and God is just one idea I don’t accept. It’s not important. I am not going out and be immoral or commit crimes because I don’t believe in God. I don’t even think about it. It’s just that I get tired of Him getting credit for all the things the human race achieves through its own stubborn effort. There simply is no blasted God—there is only man and it is he who makes miracles!” (Hansberry …show more content…

Ms. Younger maintains the belief that the progress of Black Americans has been through their efforts and without any aid from God. Benethea feels that God has not done anything for the marginalized group and that His figure has only stolen credit from African Americans. Conversely, Mama's faith in God guides her life. Her devoted pursuit of God provides her with solace, guidance, and strength. Beneatha's lack of acceptance of this faith shatters the foundation of Mama's belief system, leaving her feeling hurt and confused. Beneatha's denial indirectly questions the values and traditions passed down through generations, thus distancing her from the cultural and spiritual heritage that Mama cherishes. Beneatha's denial of God's existence not only isolates Mama but also divides her from the rest of her family. The Younger family, like many African-American families during the 1950s, relied on their faith and the community it provided as a source of resilience and unity in the face of racial discrimination and adversity. According to Master of Humanities William F. Spencer, “As a ‘free space’, the Church was an environment in which people were able to learn new self-respect, a deeper and more assertive group identity, public skills and values of cooperation and civic virtue. This was particularly vital in a thoroughly racist society

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Beneatha later reveals her true thoughts of “Be on my side for once”(145). She had not complained about this before, however she was able to burst her thoughts out now because of her anger and her modern philosophy of equality. Mama uses her interrogative tone again, this time more intense because of the progression of Beneatha’s exclamation. Her questions make her voice sound powerful, as her questions have now left the specific occasion and have turned to general philosophy such as “When do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody?”

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Not only is her physique sturdy, but she also shows herself to be an unyielding person in both her opinions and actions. An example of her steadfastness in her beliefs is when Beneatha is talking about her own atheist beliefs. Mama’s response to Beneatha is a definite show of her opinion, as she “slaps her powerfully across the face” (35). To her, the small apartment is still her house and “in [her] house there is still God” (35) and judging by her response to Beneatha’s opinions, Mama will go to any lengths to defend her own beliefs. Beneatha has already shown that her

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The reformation of civilization’s thoughts and discrimination has changed over the years from the culture of every ethnicity or race. Every person no matter the race has some sort of cultural tradition that has been past down from generation to generation. In the play “Raisin in The Sun” the character Beneatha has a difficult time trying to find herself. Beneatha struggles with cultural identity, finding herself, and achieving her dreams.

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A Raisin in the Sun is an inspirational book/play that tells the overcoming story of an African-American family Going through the terrible struggles of Chicago in the 1950’s. Greg Kincaid once said “No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That's the only way to keep the roads clear.”. This explains Beneatha younger, a young woman who tries to find herself while dealing with others scrutinizing and being treated like a child in her family. In conclusion, Beneatha younger is an overpowering character that is shaping her life through independence, an education, and growing closer to her

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Walter uses his male privilege to put Beneatha down. Beneatha battles being underprivileged at home and in society by defying odds and choosing her own path. According to the matrix of domination, Beneatha being an African American woman shows that in order for her to have full privilege she has to deal with both the isms. The social construction of difference has produced racism and sexism and connected them and society has used them to justify

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In 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.

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Beneatha doesn 't really believe them though, she thinks that they are against her she says “Forgive me for ever wanting to be anything at all” (Hansberry.37). She is saying that no one else in her family is ever going to be anything. She believe that she is the only one that is going to be successful. The rest of her family just has a low paying job and they don 't really make anything of them self. The real truth is that her family is working hard to put her through school so that she can make

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The world stereotypes rich people as rude, stuck up and selfish. Ever wonder why? Studies from Yale, The New York Times, TED and more have concluded, money changes everything. Whether it’s attitude, morals or values, money can affect and change all aspects of someone’s life. The play, A Raisin in the Sun, has a theme showing this claim clearly.

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Literary Criticism (A Raisin In The Sun) In Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin In The Sun”, the reader follows the life of the Youngers, a family struggling with financial issues and the inability to follow their dreams. However, with the promises of a ten-thousand dollar check in their name in regards to the death of Mama’s husband, Big Walter, the family finds hope in the possibility of a life better than before. One family member with especially high hopes, wishing to pursue a career as a doctor, is Beneatha Younger, Mama’s daughter. Despite much criticism regarding her role as a woman, Beneatha Younger stands against the status quo, striving higher for herself in this inspiring playwright, and showing the audience just how important strong female roles in literature are.

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In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Beneatha’s suitors, George and Asagai, take very different approaches to heritage, relationships and education; these approaches differ

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“People share a common nature but are trained in gender roles”- Lillie Blake. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry not only are social and economic issues of African Americans displayed, but also the changing gender roles of the mid-twentieth century. The characters through their ethics and values show a clear split in their way of thinking. A gap in age and values from Mama to Beneatha shows that the play showcases the change in gender relations and establishes the character’s identities. Gender plays a crucial part in establishing and defining the characters, setting the time period and way of life, and showcasing the struggle between culture and modernity.

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Reader Response: 3 “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, is a play about a black families experience in 1950s South Side Chicago. The story revolves around what happens to the family when Lena Younger, the matriarch of the family, receives a ten thousand dollar life insurance check upon the death of her husband. Everyone from the family has different plans for what they want to do with the money. Lena Younger serves as the head of the family. She is Walter and Beneatha’s caring mother so they and Ruth call her Mama.

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A 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.

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Lorraine 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.

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Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun presents the rise of feminism in America in the 1960s. 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 feministic ideology in the play. A Raisin in the Sun is feminist because, with the feminist notions displayed in the play, women can fulfil their individual dreams that are not in sync with traditional conventions of that time.

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