ipl-logo

A Raisin In The Sun Research Paper

778 Words4 Pages

The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry successfully demonstrates the struggles of black Americans in the 1950s with poverty, discrimination, and restrictions. The main characters, The Youngers, are forced to grapple with the reality of racism and the many tough decisions that need to be made to live a peaceful life. Throughout the play, the Youngers are faced with several challenges that can change the course of their lives or leave it the same. One of the decisions is whether they should or should not move to a white neighborhood after spending various years in the Black Belt. After several debates, the Youngers later moved to Clybourne Park. Despite the dangers, he was offered money by a man called Karl Lindner. The Youngers decision …show more content…

Lindner was reasonable because of the minimum space they are provided in their current apartment. At the beginning of the play, the Youngers are constantly complaining about the lack of space they have—one bathroom for all. Beneatha goes on to say, “I am going to start timing those people." Hansberry, Pg. 35 (Hansberry, Pg. 1). Beneatha's statement gives the inference that the Youngers have to share one bathroom with several other people. It's clear the apartment they are in is cramped. If they were to move, they’d have their own space and privacy—with no one rushing them. The lack of space causes several problems, from little privacy to arguments, so the Youngers not refusing to move to an environment where they’d receive that much-needed privacy makes sense. Lastly, others might think that the Youngers’ decision to reject Mr. Lindner's offer was wrong because of the dangers, such as physical harm, black Americans faced moving to white neighborhoods. Black Americans who decided to move to White neighborhoods were under constant threats of harm; they had the chance to endure bombings or get bricks hurled at them. This is stated in an excerpt from the Chicago Public Library. It goes to say, “They suffered constant verbal abuse and the threat of physical violence. Their property was damaged by hurled bricks and explosives were thrown through their windows. African Americans endured danger and ostracism.” Black Americans were under several threats. The Youngers would be no different in this situation; they have dark skin. Even if they presented themselves as great people, they’d still suffer abuse. However, the Youngers would still suffer the same abuse as the black belt. The Black Belt suffered fatal fires, and the houses were neglected to the point they were considered slums. Death rates were also higher in the Black Belt than anywhere else. The Youngers would have a better chance of survival in Clybourne

Show More
Related
1424 Words | 6 Pages

In a nutshell, when these persons enter early adulthood or late adolescence, it is worth pointing out that they get to recognize the effect of racism from the individual perspective. As such, these persons then develop identities in opposition to anything that is European-American. Case in point, this development is a social identity whose design is keeping the dominant group and protection of these young persons from any form of psychological assault that results from race and racism. Each human pass through this stage and this is especially true for young blacks because they undergo intensity in the emersion and immersion into their culture and history. All the children are sitting together because the emersion and immersion are in the context of their

Read More
490 Words | 2 Pages

The racial boundaries and system at the time greatly impact his ability to provide for his family, which affects everyone involved. His psychological focus is set to believe that money is the missing piece that he needs. He does not listen to his peers who wish for him to follow the needs of his family. He then later decides the right decision is to move into an all-white neighborhood in which Mama bought a house in. Even when Mr. Lindner offers the family money to not move in, Walter sticks up for him and his family, showing how much he had changed as the financial problem grew.

Read More
1130 Words | 5 Pages

Lindner and Mrs. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson comes to the Younger’s family home to tell them how many violent and forceful acts await them in Clybourne Park from the white people. Mr. Lindner comes to the Younger’s family home to offer them money, so they do not move into Clybourne Park. “Our association is prepared, through the collective effort of our people, to buy the house from you at a financial gain to your family ”(1918). Lindner says that he 's here to tell the Younger’s "the way we do things out in Clybourne Park”(1918).

Read More
831 Words | 4 Pages

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun,” the family explores many issues, both within their family and with outside conflicts. This play has a historical feel to it. In Chicago 's south side a black family is living in a run-down apartment. It takes the readers back to a time that many young people don’t know of, and a time that offers respect to older generations (1959). The play takes on a few social reforms.

Read More
929 Words | 4 Pages

“A Raisin in the Sun” Throughout the generations many different people from all walks of life have battled through the struggles that make them who they are. Even though Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, was written over fifty-five years ago, it still hits strong on the topic of equal rights, and how the struggles of generations can come to define a person. Throughout the play we learn a great deal from the three generations of women in the house and how they have developed their own strong and very different identities. Even though these women have all had major setbacks throughout their lives, they have made the best of their situation and work hard for all that they have.

Read More
1427 Words | 6 Pages

Historical Analysis: A Raisin in the Sun is a play about the author’s life. The segregation life and the event of moving into a white neighborhood are events from the life of Lorraine Hansberry, the author. The events that occurred in the play along with real life events relate to the Civil Rights Movement and feminist topics. Lorraine Hansberry moved into an all white neighborhood just like the Younger family moved into Clybourne Park. The author did not modify the major events of her own life but rather added a series of complications and details to fit the play such as the event of Walter losing the investment money.

Read More
1414 Words | 6 Pages

Walter goes into immediate denial, making excuses for where Willy, their second business partner, could be with the money. He continues on until he realizes “THAT MONEY IS MADE OUT OF MY [HIS] FATHER’S FLESH-” (128) and he had lost it all; he felt he lost his chance of pursuing a better life now that he had even lost his father’s support. His false pride is severely injured up until he is struck with an idea which he believes could save the family. He abruptly calls Mr.Lindner, who he had originally turned away, and tells him to come by because he wants to take his offer of being paid to not move into the new house.

Read More
667 Words | 3 Pages

Linder, from the Welcoming Committee, and say that they will take the money and not move into the house. However, as Angela Merkel, a German stateswoman and chancellor puts it, “When it comes to human dignity, we cannot make compromises.” His choice is to plead with Mr. Linder for the money, losing the dignity he has and that of his family’s, or move into the house, despite not being wanted by the community, but still being able to hold his head high, knowing he and his family worked to be there and deserve it. Walter’s going to beg for the money and tells Travis, his son, to leave the room. Mama, however, says no.

Read More
374 Words | 2 Pages

Segregation is the source of many problems in this world. Mainly people from the black community are segregated and forcefully separated from the rest of the world just because of their race. During the year 1950,the south was segregated, which was where the Youngers resided, by racist Jim Crow Laws. The law has set many racial tensions between the black community and the white community, the law has caused the Youngers to feel unaccepted or ashamed of their race because the white community always degrades them. This is how segregation affected the Younger’s in the play, A Raisin In The Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry.

Read More
1487 Words | 6 Pages

Linder understands that their family has enough self-worth within themselves to move in and uphold their family name without consent from others. In knowing this, Lindner leaves letting Walter use the pride in his family as who they are, carry them to reaching

Read More
490 Words | 2 Pages

Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a masterpiece of American literature that explores the causes and effects of racial discrimination in America. The play is set in the 1950s and follows the story of the younger family, an African-American family living in a small apartment on the causes of racial discrimination that are depicted in the play lead to the effect of the Younger family’s struggle to achieve their dreams. One of the main causes of racial discrimination in Raisin in the Sun is the economic inequality faced by African Americans in the 1950s. This is evident in the Younger family's living conditions, as they live in a cramped apartment with limited opportunities for social and economic mobility.

Read More
1233 Words | 5 Pages

Sometimes they would even feel threatened to be up against a white person. The Youngers’ apartment shows how they lived and what little they had for the amount of people living there. After Mama got the check for her husband's death, she did not want the money to get

Read More
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.

Read More
825 Words | 4 Pages

The Younger family purchases a house in Clybourne Park and Karl tries to pay them over ten-thousand-dollars so that they would not move there. He feels as if it would be a threat for colored people to move into white neighborhood. Walter is in conflict with Karl. When Karl comes into the Youngers family house and starts to talk about the community not wanting colored people to live there, Walter kicks Karl out of the house because he feels that Karl is talking about nonsense.

Read More
1019 Words | 5 Pages

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is set in a period where traditional roles of men and women were prevalent in how society functioned. This can be seen in their attitudes towards themselves in relation to society, gender norms, relationships and racial attitudes. However, the characters in the play faced conflicts trying to reconcile the expectations of society compared to their personal wants and needs. During the time period set in the play, 1940 - 1950, the social climate of the United States was vulnerable to major issues such as equal rights for women/minorities, and overseas wars. These issues plagued the consciousness of the American public.

Read More

More about A Raisin In The Sun Research Paper

Open Document