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A Raisin In The Sun Essay Outline

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Title: The Triumph of Pride and Identity in "A Raisin in the Sun" Introduction: "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry is a play that explores the themes of racial discrimination, dreams, and family dynamics in 1950s Chicago. In the final scene of the play, the Younger family faces a pivotal moment when a representative from a white neighborhood association, Mr. Lindner, offers them money not to move into a predominantly white neighborhood. This text analysis essay will delve into the significance of this scene and examine how the characters' pride and sense of identity triumph over external pressures. Body: 1. The Quest for a Better Life: The Younger family, consisting of Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, and his mother Mama, have recently …show more content…

Lindner arrives, he represents the discriminatory attitudes prevalent in society at the time. His offer to bribe the Younger family to maintain racial segregation in the neighborhood challenges their sense of self-worth and pride. However, this confrontation also becomes a catalyst for the Youngers to assert their identity and stand up against oppression. 3. The Power of Pride: In the face of Mr. Lindner's proposition, Mama displays unwavering pride in her family's achievements and their rightful place in society. She emphasizes their hard work and their refusal to compromise their dignity. By rejecting the offer, Mama demonstrates her belief in the value of self-respect and refuses to succumb to the racist ideologies imposed upon her. 4. Walter's Transformation: Throughout the play, Walter Lee struggles with his own sense of identity and purpose. He initially contemplates accepting Mr. Lindner's offer, as he believes it could solve their financial troubles. However, Mama's unwavering pride and her reminder of their ancestors' struggles ignite a newfound determination in Walter. He realizes that their fight is not just about moving into a house, but about preserving their legacy and standing up against

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He can't just be a giant that no one can talk to, he needs to be responsible and hold himself accountable. Walter calls Lindner over and informs everyone that he will go and scam Lindner to make him pay them a lot of money when he comes to buy the house back, they all hate it and say he's not even a man anymore. This becomes rock bottom for the Youngers. However when Lindner makes an appearance , Walter informs him that they deny his offer, and plan on moving into the house, and he makes his family proud and gives them all hope for the future. Mama wanted to move out and he didn't let her dream die.

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1449 Words | 6 Pages

The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry debuted on Broadway in 1959, and the movie was made in 2008. “A Raisin in the Sun” is about the Younger family, the fifth generation of lower-class African-Americans living in Chicago’s Southside. They are faced with problems such as racial discrimination, poverty, and conflicting dreams. As the family decides on how to spend the insurance check of $10,000 from Walter’s father’s death, these problems cause many conflicts to rise. Reading the 1959 play and the 2008 movie, I have realized certain similarities and differences in how the story plays out.

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308 Words | 2 Pages

In addition, Mama is the head of the family, even with Walter in the house, everyone listens to Mama. Therefore when their family moves into a white neighborhood and Mr. Linder comes over to discuss an issue. At first, Mr. Lindner that communication is important

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1716 Words | 7 Pages

Despite her family's struggles for money to survive in the suburb of Chicago city where many black people live, Mama tries to keep them together. As a domestic servant, Mama has been working for a white, wealthy family for several years. By expecting to receive insurance compensation, she finally decides to retire. She has been facing many conflicts in her relationship with her children regarding the difference between her generation and her children's generations. Even though the conflict was unavoidable, everyone had to follow her rules based on what she

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973 Words | 4 Pages

Mama made a decision that put Walter in charge of the remaining money, however she did not know that this decision might not have been the best for the Younger family. Walter was hesitant in taking the money, but Mama reassures Walter by saying, "I ain't ever stop trusting you" (Hansberry 546). This line from Mama foreshadows the possibility that Walter will not obey her and do something foolish with the money. Walter proves this foreshadowing as he is talking to Travis and says, "... your daddy's gonna make a transaction... a business transaction that's going to change our lives" (Hansberry 547).

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968 Words | 4 Pages

Lindner constantly refers to Walter and his family as “you people,” (Hansberry 1207) which implies a superiority of Lindner over Walter. Racism today isn’t as blatant as Lindner’s, but it still exists in various ways. Social media is rampant with stories of racism and riots, and even the news is often flooded with racial strife or prejudice towards one or multiple races. In the play, Hansberry makes great efforts to effectively showcase the over looming racism that existed during the 1950s, and with this, we can see the similarities and differences of our society and Walter’s. Even though the affected parties have drastically changed, we can still see that these issues are still prevalent in our society.

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1027 Words | 5 Pages

After Mr. Lindner told the Youngers his whole speech they sent him away in a fury. In the third act of the play Walter Younger called Mr. Lindner to tell him he needed to talk and need the money he offered them early. Mama tells Walter that his father would not do this because he and his family would find a way to get more money. Walter then chooses to tell Mr. Lindner to leave again because they will come to the house. “And we have decided to move into our house because my father -my father- he earned it for us brick by brick.

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It won’t let him get a good job or house, be able to have a car, or allow him to live the way he wants to live. Because of all these stressors, it forces Walter to make a risky business decision that costs him most of his father’s life insurance money. Racism caused Walter to risk every dollar he owned and he lost it all. Later, he almost lost his own dignity by pleading with Mr. Lindner for his money back, but Mama saved him from doing it. Walter and the Youngers decided to move to Clybourne Park to live Walter’s dream of trying to live with the same privileges of white people.

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923 Words | 4 Pages

This could be for a variety of reason such as the way walter acted once mama received the money. He was always upset about not being the complete “breadwinner” and he technically wasn't the head of the house because mama was. Walter tries to make more money by investing in the liquor store. He loses the money because the man runs off with and mama warned him before so of course she becomes disappointed. “THAT MONEY IS MADE OUT OF MY FATHER’S FLESH!”

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496 Words | 2 Pages

A RAISIN IN THE SUN was composed by Lorraine Hansberry and portrayed the difficulties of a Black family against its own particular interior issues as it is escalated by white bigotry. The play handles issues of a man controlled society, destitution and white-privilege. The everyday human difficulties of family duty and love wind up noticeably harsher battles despite urban poverty and of white bigotry. The play additionally addresses the change of the difficulties of a more seasoned age of working poor African Americans in contrast with a more youthful age’s difficulty. The relationship to white prejudice was tended to in many structures in this play.

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1487 Words | 6 Pages

Nearing the end of the play, Walter finally finds true pride after rejecting Mr.Lindner’s final offer of money to keep the Younger family out of Clybourne Park. As soon as Mr.Lindner arrived at the apartment, he sat at the dining room table, took out his checkbook, and invited whomever was negotiating the deal to sit across from him. Mama sends Walter forward to confirm the deal as Ruth attempts to send Travis out of the room, but Mama stops him saying “No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing. ..

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869 Words | 4 Pages

So hearing from her son that money is the answer to everything did not settle with her so well. Walter and Mama’s arguments are very similar to Linda and her husband plus her son’s conflicts. With Mama and her family being a different race, money has not come by easy. Mama grew up in a harsh time frame, when being free and having families together was all that mattered. But since times have changed, Walter has grown up by being “free”.

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1427 Words | 6 Pages

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.

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1140 Words | 5 Pages

Lindner’s visit to Youngers and these non-violent techniques used by him are clearly representing the racial segregation in the Chicago’s neighborhood and is reflective of the very strong efforts to segregate the African-American family from the white neighborhood of his society. These techniques are harmful for the family because Mr. Lindner is trying to portray himself as a person which is not true. This fake sweetness is more likely to hurt them more as compared to the real bitterness he possesses against the family. This could be seen where Beneatha tells Mama that Mr. Lindner used “brotherhood” instead of violence to convince them to not move into the society and Mama, as stated in the stage direction is sad and says, “Lord, protect us” (121). This shows how even Mr. Lindner’s non-violent efforts made the old lady afraid of the result of moving into the white community.

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816 Words | 4 Pages

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

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