ipl-logo

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

462 Words2 Pages

Another way in which Hansberry and Walker represent character’s lifestyle choices is through the use of symbols. For example, in A Raisin In The Sun, George Murchison’s American style clothing is very telling of his assimilationist way of life. Furthermore, the stage directions used to describe how Walter “... [scrutinizes George’s] carefully casual tweed sports jacket…”, worn with a “…cashmere V-neck sweater over soft eyelet shirt and tie, and soft slacks, finished off with white buckskin shoes…” prove how his outfit follows the style of an American his age rather than wearing mainly American garb with touches of African culture (529). In the case of most audience members, the stage directions recounting Walter’s interpretation of George’s clothing affect …show more content…

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. Also, the mentioning of Maggie’s burn scars that she has had since she was caught in a traumatic fire as a child, compel the audience to feel sympathy for Maggie as she has been through tough

Show More
Related
732 Words | 3 Pages

In the beginning of the book Maggie mentions a scar she received after her father left her with her brother alone to go buy cigarettes. She was burned with a hot pot of beans. To her, this action by her father was neglect. She states, “But I wasn’t like my brother. I couldn’t let things go” (Rash 31).

Read More
574 Words | 3 Pages

(Taylor, 27). This quote illustrates the extensive and demanding nature of Maggie’s leadership responsibilities. The constant travel and high-stakes meetings indicate the level of commitment and resilience required to handle such a role. Maggie’s ability to manage these demands while still attending to her family needs showcases her mental resilience. Secondly, "Virgil", portrays the idea of resiliency by overcoming his struggles, similar to Maggie.

Read More
274 Words | 2 Pages

First off, Maggie is quiet and shy. She is ashamed about how she looks. The story stated,”She will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs …” Maggie doesn’t know how to be outspoken. She hides herself.

Read More
147 Words | 1 Pages

Maggie on the other hand, is characterized by her unattractiveness and timidity. Her skin is scarred from the fire that had happened ten or twelve years ago. Those scars she has on her body in the same way have scarred her soul leaving her ashamed. She “stumbles” in her reading, but Mrs. Johnson loves her saying she is sweet and is the daughter she can sing songs at church with, but more so that Maggie is like an image of her. She honors her family’s heritage and culture, by learning how to quilt and do things in the household, like her mother views their heritage.

Read More
253 Words | 2 Pages

Katelyn Walker Morrison Period 2 3/3/23 Symbols in Raisin: Loraine Hansbury's play A Raisin in the Sun takes place in southside Chicago during the 1950’s. During this time, Chicago was experiencing devastating conditions such as racial segregation. These problems correlate to the struggles that the Youngers face in the play, causing them to be less fortunate. A life insurance check of 10,00 dollars is shown to be the life changing for the Youngers. Hansbury uses symbols in A Raisin in the Sun such as the life insurance check and the allusion of Prometheus to define develop the characters in the play.

Read More
343 Words | 2 Pages

Maggie in Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” plays the role of being the nervous and ugly sister of the story, however she is the child with the good heart. Maggie was nervous ashamed of her scars “Maggie was nervous… she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs”. Living in a house with a pretty sister and being the ugly sister with scars could be the reason why she picked up on a timid personality, being ‘ashamed’ of her own skin shaping her in a way that she degraded herself from everybody else. Maggie was not this way before the fire, her mother stated, as it is quoted that she had adopted to a certain walk ever since the fire.

Read More
226 Words | 1 Pages

In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, she portrays a character named Walter Lee Jr. Walter Lee Jr. is the eldest of two children. The father has passed away, and his mother is trying to maintain her family together. Gender roles force Walter Lee Jr. to be the provider for his family. Throughout the play Walter Lee Jr. encounters major conflicts and is changed by it.

Read More
451 Words | 2 Pages

Mama’s potted plant symbolizes many things, but the most prevalent is family. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raison in the Sun, Hansberry uses a plant to represent family. Just like any living thing, a plant needs to grow, to be watered, to be cultivated, and to be nurtured. Here are some examples of how Hansberry symbolizes family with a plant. To properly care for a plant you must watch over it as it grows and water it daily.

Read More
1338 Words | 6 Pages

Alice walker in Everyday Use demonstrates the understanding of African American heritage. Understanding your heritage is important because you should always look back on where you came from. Where you came from is such a big part of who you are and is something know one can take away from you. When you understand your heritage, you get to pass it on to others. Walker does this by using characterization, symbolism, and theme.

Read More
158 Words | 1 Pages

In Stevenson?s novella I think that it follows some of the conventions of gothic literature. It. begins with a mysterious dark setting in Britain. This is one of the characteristic of gothic literature. One of the main characters Hyde is described as hideous, ugly and just over all unappealing man unlike his friend Dr. Jekyll.

Read More
730 Words | 3 Pages

Alice Walker the author of the Flowers”, was inspired to write this story because of the tragedy that has happened to multiple black Americans and how it has affected their human rights. This story describes scenery that may have happened around South America starting off with a girl named Myop, a ten-year old girl who explores the world around her, unaware of the secrets the world beyond holds. In the first paragraph, Alice Walker clearly emphasises Myops purity and young innocence with the quote “She skipped lightly from hen house to pigpen.” This demonstrates how happy Myop is in this setting, we can identify she feels safe here, “ She felt light and good in the warm sun.”

Read More
721 Words | 3 Pages

Mama always dreamed that she will be in a show with her daughter Dee and Dee will be thanking mama of all what she’s done for her, but she knows it won’t happen. Maggie is smaller than Dee and she is always nerves and very shy, when she was a child their house got burned at that time she was very scared maybe that’s what makes her nerves and shy and that also hides her personality what she looks from the inside she hides it from the outside. Maggie lives at home with mama, she never spends time in the outer world she always stays at home and mama protects

Read More
1283 Words | 6 Pages

Mama is able to tell the reader where Maggie’s burn scars came from, and what she thinks caused the fire. She tells the reader about the house burning, and how differently the two girls reacted to the fire. “How long ago was it that the house burned? Ten, twelve years? Sometimes I can still hear the flames and feel Maggie’s arms sticking to me, her hair smoking and her dress falling off her in little black papery flakes.

Read More
1561 Words | 7 Pages

In the short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker shows the conflicts and struggles with people of the African-American culture in America. The author focuses on the members of the Johnson family, who are the main characters. In the family there are 2 daughters and a mother. The first daughter is named Maggie, who had been injured in a house fire has been living with her mom. Her older sister is Dee, who grew up with natural beauty wanted to have a better life than her mother and sister.

Read More
1594 Words | 7 Pages

For Ms. Sallie Thomas, a phlebotomist manager at Upper Valley Medical Center, she never knows exactly what each day will bring. Working in a hospital, especially the emergency room, there are wide ranges of people she will interact with and potentially collect blood from. Most of all, she believes that the patients come first. She has always held herself and her employees to the ethical codes of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity. However, like in all health care practice, there are challenges she faces.

Read More

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

Related Topics

Open Document