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A Raisin In The Sun Quote Analysis

1007 Words5 Pages

Walter and Prometheus’ Actions, Ambitions, and Punishments What would you do to save the people you love? In Greek mythology, Prometheus—a titan— steals fire from the gods and gives it to humans presenting that he cares about others and is willing to risk himself for what he believes. Often, Greek mythology reflects human attributes and ideals, creating stories that resurface repeatedly. Ovid's Metamorphosis tells a tale of two lovers forbidden to wed. The same story is rewritten in the “most famous love story”, Romeo and Juliet. A Raisin in the Sun, the play by Lorraine Hansberry, can be presented as a retelling of the Greek myth of Prometheus. In the play, Lorraine Hansberry presents the character of Walter Lee Younger and his ambitions, …show more content…

Prometheus is portrayed as a hero and comes to live with the consequences of his actions, while Walter's actions are seen as misguided and possibly harmful to his family. Walter explains, “Invest big, gamble big, hell, lose big if you have to, you know what I mean. It's hard to find a man on this whole Southside who understands my kind of thinking you dig?” (Hansberry 84). This quote addresses how Walter views spending and losing money. This contributes to the way that he provides for his family and the way that they decide to spend money. There are many reasons for the differences in how Walter and Prometheus are perceived in their society. Walter lives in a society that naturally thinks of him as careless or inattentive. After Walter loses money, his society depicts him as the villain in the situation. Prometheus was born into a life among Gods putting him at a higher status than many people so when he is punished for poorly thought-through actions society views the punisher in the wrong. While people are not born among gods this pattern can still be seen today as society is hierarchical and structured towards the wealthy and famous resulting in the skewed degree and processes of

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778 Words | 4 Pages

In the beginning Walter is basically perceived as a jerk-he doesn’t seem to get along with anyone, not even his own family. His character likes to turn discussions into fights, make rude comments to his wife, and act all around immature. A part that accurately shows the way Walter conducts himself is when he is arguing with Ruth and says “Man say: I got to change my life , I'm choking to death, baby! And his woman say- Your eggs is getting cold!”

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382 Words | 2 Pages

“You know what's going to happen to that boy someday he'll find himself sitting in a dungeon, locked in forever and the takers will have the key!”  (p.g 143) The quote above is from the play A Raisin in The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. This play takes place in 1959 and follows a family through the hardships of being African-American in America. After Mama’s husband dies, the family is given ten thousand dollars as insurance money and is what their dreams depend on.

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652 Words | 3 Pages

The play by Lorraine Hansberry , A Raisin In The Sun, utilizes the use of allusions in order to supply the reader with historical background. Allusions create emphasis in the play, this allows the reader to understand and appreciate the text. Within the small details of the play, the use of allusions deepen the contextual support of the text. While reading A Raisin In The Sun, various allusions appear throughout the play. These allusions reference the outside world, but also give emphasis on the importance of the piece of the text references.

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661 Words | 3 Pages

Walter was a greedy character in the story ,but at the end he did what he thought was best for the future of his family. He noticed that he could not raise his family out of poverty alone, so he wanted to stay committed with his family. It seemed that all the family's dreams came true. Especially after all the hate,discrimination, and arguments there was finally a

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413 Words | 2 Pages

Mahatma Gandhi and Jane Addams helped a lot in their hometown to help people in their surrounding areas. These people helped these towns by changing the way people get treated and helped peoples life by giving them extra resources. For more information, Jane Addams helps adults with their kids by nursing them. This place where Addams and her friend did this type of stuff at ‘’The Hull House’’. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to make a change in South Africa.

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1948 Words | 8 Pages

One way that this connection is shown in the text A Raisin in the Sun by Hansberry, when Walter is talking to Ruth about money and their lives, he states, “WALTER… I’m thirty-five years old; I been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the living room… and all I got to give him his stories about how rich white people live…” (Hansberry 34). Another way that this demonstrated through the text Prometheus Unbound by Shelley, when Prometheus is complaining about how his punishment is unjust, he proclaims, “From thine unenvied throne, O Mighty God!/Almighty, had I deigned to share the shame/ Of thine ill tyranny, and hung not here”(Shelley 1). Walter and Prometheus are both victims of other people or groups pushing them down and causing them more suffering than they already have.

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1130 Words | 5 Pages

As the play progresses, the Youngers clash over their competing dreams. In “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, the role of the hero stays the same in Act I and Act II, but changes in Act III depending on the overall dramatic situation, yet theme of

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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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600 Words | 3 Pages

He wants to be a businessman and own a liquor store. He wants to be able to provide for his family and give them what they have never had. Walter also wants to take his mother’s position as the head of the house and make the financial decisions for the family. Walter can be seen as selfish as instead of putting the money for him and his sister in the bank he uses it all and loses it trying to fulfill his own dreams with no regard to his sister’s dreams or the rest of the family’s.

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1414 Words | 6 Pages

Throughout the plot, he struggles with acceptance of his social status and economical situations, but ends up achieving true fulfillment in simply being proud of who he and his family are as people with aspirations. Walter’s evolution

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1096 Words | 5 Pages

This directly corresponds to the way Walter’s family reacts when they find out all the money had been gambled and lost. Mama, the head of the Younger family and Walter’s mother is in such shock she starts to beat him across the face, not even thinking. After this, she kneels on the ground, helplessly begging God to “[l]ook down here and show [her] strength” (Hansberry 129). Prometheus and Walter had to watch as their actions indirectly resulted in the mental anguish of themselves and their close family. This parallel allows how closely tied ancient themes are to modern

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1127 Words | 5 Pages

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.

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702 Words | 3 Pages

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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816 Words | 4 Pages

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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779 Words | 4 Pages

Walter’s statement tries to tell the women that he didn’t try to make the world the way it is now. Yes, he wants luxurious items for him and his wife. However, even though he seriously messed up, he’s still the man in the family and will continue to make the decisions for the

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