ipl-logo

Assimilation Affect The Family In A Raisin In The Sun

785 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Discuss the theme of racism in A RAISIN IN THE SUN

How does the theme of assimilation affect the family in A Raisin in the Sun?
Assimilation has affected the family by the Youngers attempting to assimilate, Beneatha's relationship with George, and the characters view on African heritage. The Youngers change their life to blend in with a white community. Beneatha connects to her African heritage, despite what George believes and the characters aren’t fully in touch with African heritage.
The Younger family attempt to assimilate throughout the story. When gaining a sum of money, the Youngers decide to buy a home in a white neighborhood. The white people in the neighborhood reject integration, as it will disrupt their daily lives, “...That for the happiness of all concerned that our Negro families …show more content…

“It’s just that people ask such crazy things. All anyone seems to know about when it comes to Africa is Tarzan–” (Beneatha). Beneatha knows that African Americans tend to be out of touch with their heritage and most people, including the Youngers, only associate it with Tarzan and what humanity has portrayed it as. Beneatha despises the ignorance of people, a part of her heritage that don’t seem like they want to be a part of it. George, a strong supporter of assimilation speaks out against his African heritage. “Oh, dear, dear, dear! Here we go! A lecture on the African past! On our Great West African Heritage! In one second we will hear all about the great Ashanti empires; the great Songhay civilizations; and the great sculpture of Bénin – and then some poetry in the Bantu – and the whole monologue will end with the word heritage! Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts!” (George). Beneatha believes George assimilates into white culture to be less black. George has no intention of reaching out into his past culture and associates it as a scarce society. Exemplifying the ignorance in the understanding of their

Show More
Related

Close Reading Of Ralph Hilly's

389 Words | 2 Pages

Racism is one of the main subthemes that is evident throughout the book. The treatment of the African American race showed how the White race felt about the African Americans. The Whites were afraid their “blackness” would rub off on them. An example of this behavior in the book was when Hilly says, “ It’s just plain dangerous. Everybody knows they carry different kinds of diseases than we do” (Stockett,10).

Read More

Compare And Contrast The Movie A Raisin In The Sun

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.

Read More

Theme Of Selfishness In A Raisin In The Sun

811 Words | 4 Pages

In the text “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, the author uses the writing strategy of conflict to develop the central idea of how oneself can become selfish when trying to achieve the American dream. The text shows that the central idea is selfishness because circumstances are presented where various characters fail to take into consideration others while seeking their dreams. For example, Walters says, “ Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy ’bout messing round with sick people, then go be a nurse like other women-or just get married and be quiet…. ’’. This example of greed shows that the ambition to obtain a dream brings out the selfishness is true in the instance of Walter.

Read More

A Raisin In The Sun Literary Analysis

877 Words | 4 Pages

and then they will get out of the white folks neighborhood. This shows how they are in desperate times and will do anything for money. The family thinks that this money will provide them happiness and in the end they realize that they were wrong. They decided not to keep the money because they didn’t need it, this was the right choice because it teaches them hard work pays

Read More

Essay Response To Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin

828 Words | 4 Pages

He sees African American youths finding the points of confinement put on them by a supremacist society at the exact instant when they are finding their capacities. The narrator talks about his association with his more youthful sibling, Sonny. That relationship has traveled

Read More

How Does Alice Walker Use Symbols In A Raisin In The Sun

462 Words | 2 Pages

This generous act on Joseph’s part makes the reader see him as a better relationship choice than George who does not treat Beneatha well or bring her presents. Additionally, this widens the gap between Beneatha and the rest of her family as she is the only member who truly appreciates the African style enough to wear a Nigerian robe. Alice Walker uses the same method of symbolism in her short story “Everyday Use” as well. Assimilation is skillfully represented through “…the burn scars down Maggie’s arms and legs…” as she “…stand[s] hopelessly in corners…” since it represents the oppression and physical/emotional pain one who assimilates faces (237). However, Mama notices her daughter and realizes her pain in combination with her humble and ashamed attitude, which verifies the fact that the two are able to become closer as a result of this.

Read More

Generational Differences In A Raisin In The Sun

550 Words | 3 Pages

Generating Differences Between Generations Generational differences are prevalent as they are present with all generations. In the play A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, generational differences emerge as one of the significant motifs throughout the plot. Generational differences appear during the play numerous times to describe the differences in beliefs between generations.

Read More

Hardships In A Raisin In The Sun

1127 Words | 5 Pages

Hardships of the Youngers In Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, the characters of Mama, Walter ,and Beneatha are faced with hardships associated with their dreams being destroyed by discriminatory housing,racial inequality and lack of support from her family towards her education. In the play all the characters have some kind of dream. Mama wants to get a house for the family, Walter wants to have money to provide for his family and plans to do that with a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to become a doctor. Beneatha is going to school and at the same time she’s trying to discover herself,but her family is not supportive of this.

Read More

A Raisin In The Sun Theme Essay

916 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

The Importance Of Family In A Raisin In The Sun

963 Words | 4 Pages

Family is important to everyone in some way because family sticks together no matter what. The play A Raisin in the Sun is about a black family named the Youngers and the hardships they face together as a family. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Ruth Younger is motivated by her family. This is shown by Ruth wanting to make her family happy, her working even though she is tired, and later when Ruth finds out there is going to be another mouth to feed. Ruth Younger is constantly worrying about her family’s well being and happiness for them.

Read More

Examples Of Family Relationships In A Raisin In The Sun

795 Words | 4 Pages

Raisin in the Sun Book Report     Being in close relations with family member definitely has its ups and downs. There is nothing easy about being in a close relationship with family, but to many family is the most important relationship in their lives. In the story “A Raisin in the Sun” there are many great examples of importance in family relationship just from the way they treat each other and the conversations they have. In the story, Lena Younger, Ruth Younger and Walter Younger all make it very obvious how important family relationships are. Lena Younger (Mama) is the head of the family.

Read More

Social Issues In A Raisin In The Sun

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

Jamaica Kincaid's Blackness Essay

479 Words | 2 Pages

In the short story “Blackness” by Jamaica Kincaid, the narrator’s consciousness develops through a process of realization that she does not have to choose between the culture imposed on her and her authentic heritage. First, the narrator explains the metaphor “blackness” for the colonization her country that fills her own being and eventually becomes one with it. Unaware of her own nature, in isolation she is “all purpose and industry… as if [she] were the single survivor of a species” (472). Describing the annihilation of her culture, the narrator shows how “blackness” replaced her own culture with the ideology of the colonizers.

Read More

Racism And Violence In Richard Wright's Black Boy

671 Words | 3 Pages

The story represents the culmination of Wright’s passionate desire to observe and reflect upon the racist world around him. Racism is so insidious that it prevents Richard from interacting normally, even with the whites who do treat him with a semblance of respect or with fellow blacks. For Richard, the true problem of racism is not simply that it exists, but that its roots in American culture are so deep it is doubtful whether these roots can be destroyed without destroying the culture itself. “It might have been that my tardiness in learning to sense white people as "white" people came from the fact that many of my relatives were "white"-looking people. My grandmother, who was white as any "white" person, had never looked "white" to me” (Wright 23).

Read More

Disney Globalization Case Study

947 Words | 4 Pages

Impacts of Globalization: Disney Yip and Hult (2012) define globalization as a business operating in all four hemispheres. There is no question that Steam Boat Willie, the original 1928 Mickey Mouse and the original Disney character, has expanded the Disney Company into a global business. As Disney pursued global expansion, there were a lot of variables to contend with. In order to operate in any foreign environment, competition must be frequently analyzed. Additionally, adaptions often need to be made in order to compete and to meet the needs and wants of consumers in the local culture.

Read More

More about Assimilation Affect The Family In A Raisin In The Sun

Related Topics

Open Document