ipl-logo

Raisin In The Sun Symbolism

793 Words4 Pages

“Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.” Symbols can add a deeper meaning than just an object itself that the author is trying to make.Symbols can also foreshadow what is yet to come. The audience can interpret a symbol in many ways it depends on their experience. In Southside Chicago the Younger family is struggling to have hope as they are always facing society.In the drama, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry the plant symbolizes the Younger’s dream as it evolves throughout the play. Meanwhile in southside Chicago dreams are either being crushed or pursued. The Youngers family are always facing society as they live in poverty. A family with such big dreams believes the only way for these dreams to come true is money. Mama received her husband's life insurance which was 10,000 dollars. Trusting Walter, her son, she mistakenly gave him the money. Mama specifically told Walter to put away some money away for Beneatha Walter's sister. Like Walter Beneatha has big dreams. She wants to go to medical school …show more content…

In the middle of act one Mama says, “Lord, if this little old plant doesn't get more sun than it’s been getting it aint never going to see spring again.”(1.1, 40) Mama says this in the beginning as the plant symbolizes their dream, and the sun symbolizes hope.Their dream will never be pursued if they don't have hope. As the Younger’s seem to live in darkness with little hope.They must have “sunshine” to even come close to pursuing their dreams. Hope doesn't comes into the play until the money does. Especially Water sees, only way for hope is money. In the beginning they have no money as they live in poverty.The plant has not yet evolved into their big dreams as it lives in darkness. Regarding the circumstances the plant will not grow as they do not have the ‘“sunshine” to do

Show More
Related

How Does F Scott Fitzgerald Use Symbols In The Great Gatsby

113 Words | 1 Pages

What is a symbol? In literature a symbol is an object, person, place or an idea that has a real meaning in itself and also a deeper and profound meaning . Many examples of symbols can be found in the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The story of the book takes place in the roaring 1920’s and within the story Fitzgerald uses a lot of symbols as objects and physical location. The physical locations such as valley of ashes, Gatsby’s mansion , Nick’s house , the green light located in the Buchanan residents’ dock are not only places or locations that the author mentions, they symbolize emotions, feelings and other significant information.

Read More

A Raisin In The Sun Mama Quotes Analysis

482 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the play Mama has a small potted plant that she cares deeply about. Not only does this small plant represent her family’s delayed dreams for a better future, but it also represents Mama’s constant care for her family. “Growing doggedly in a small pot by the apartment’s kitchen window, Mama’s plant has “spirit” despite the fact that this little old plant...ain’t never had enough sunshine or nothin.” This plant connects to the family by sharing the need of desires. For example, the plant needs sunshine to thrive and grow big and strong.

Read More

Mama's Plant In A Raison In The Sun

200 Words | 1 Pages

Mama’s plant in A Raison in the Sun, represents hope; hope for their future of having a house and a garden in the back. Mama is able to tend this dream plant and keep it alive even with the harsh atmosphere. When mama feels Walter and Beneatha are losing touch with her, she portrays her feelings through the dream plant, "Lord, if this little old plant don't get more sun than it's been getting, it ain't never going to see spring again" (40). This shows Mama truly believes that if Walter and Beneatha keep acting the way they do, they will not only ruin mama’s dream but also fail to initiate Big Walter’s legacy. Another piece of evidence that proves this, is when Ruth and Mama were talking about the now run-down house her and Big Walter used to

Read More

A Raisin In The Sun Mama's Plant Analysis

825 Words | 4 Pages

There are many symbols in A Raisin in the Sun worth describing, but one that particularly stands out is Mama’s plant. It is old and barely a substantial piece of nature, yet it makes many vital appearances in the play. The small plant seems to personify Mama’s stubborn nature in its intent on survival despite its close to death appearance. It also represents Mama’s dream that seems close to being crushed, yet never dies. As a whole, the plant is an extension of Mama’s character and an important symbol in the play.

Read More

Similarities Between A Raisin In The Sun And The American Dream

714 Words | 3 Pages

The setting is illustrated in Southside Chicago and shows the struggle of a black family trying to prejudices when wanting to become successfully wealthy. Between these 2 excerpts, they show that their lives are similar, but have more differences in fulfilling their American Dream. A Raisin in the Sun and The life of Fredrick Douglass have many similarities in regards to their dream. Fredrick and Walter both find their American Dream through different situations, but have meaning to them.

Read More

Symbolism In Where The Red Fern Grows

964 Words | 4 Pages

Symbolism is a used in our everyday lives that appears quite often but isn't deeply thought about. The greater meaning of symbolism is using something from a phrase to an image to represent a message. We use symbolism to gain a message in life that forever stays in our hearts. In the book Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, symbolism is used to awe the reader and make them think about the message being sent in the story. Encounter with the two cups

Read More

Excerpt From The Winter Hibiscus Summary

600 Words | 3 Pages

To her the plant represents home, it represents what it used to feel like back home. I know this because in the story it states "a wave of loss so deep and strong that it stung Saeng's eyes ow sewpt over her, a blink a channel switch a boat

Read More

What Does Rain Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

650 Words | 3 Pages

What do symbols mean to you? Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. In F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is about a rich guy named Gatsby that moves right across his ex Daisy. Gatsby moves across Daisy on purpose to have a second chance with Daisy by asking his neighbor Nick thats related to Daisy to set up a date at Nick's house for Gatsby to try to get with Daisy again. The author uses symbols such as the green light, T.J. Eckleburg's eyes, and the Valley of Ashes as symbols to support the theme of hope.

Read More

What Does The Plant Symbolize In A Raisin In The Sun

1105 Words | 5 Pages

A Raisin in the Sun is a play, which consists of three acts for a total of six scenes. From the very beginning, the plot line begins with the Younger family waking up, going about their morning as they normally do. The family living in the small apartment consists of Mama, Beneatha, her daughter, Walter, her son, Ruth, Walter’s wife, and Travis, Walter and Ruth’s son. The apartment that accommodates this family consists of a small kitchen, containing one small window, a living room, which also serves as Travis’ room, and two bedrooms, one for Walter and Ruth, the other shared by Mama and Beneatha. In the kitchen window lays a potted plant, second to only family in Mama’s most prized possessions.

Read More

Raisin In The Sun Symbols

478 Words | 2 Pages

Symbols in the Sun In the drama A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Symbols are a recurring theme. Hansberry uses them skillfully throughout the piece to give things a deeper meaning that can relate to the story. She uses it for Beneatha’s hair, a plant in the apartment, and even the insurance check the story revolves around.

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

What Is A Reader Response In A Raisin In The Sun

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.

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

Symbolism In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

1100 Words | 5 Pages

Symbolism in general is the building blocks to all sources of literature and can shape a piece of writing in many ways. Symbols in general can portray what something or someone represents, giving a deeper and metaphorical meaning to a symbol. Symbolism is often used within poetry, literature, music, or even art. This is how an author conveys a different meaning to the audience. For example artists may use the color “red” not only because of the color theory, but to convey love, passion, and maybe even health.

Read More

Essay On Symbolism In The Book Speak

1197 Words | 5 Pages

Art is way of expression. People can use actions and art or express themselves in ways other than speaking. In the book Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, symbolism holds a big significance. The trees mentioned throughout the book symbolize Melinda’s changing “seasons” (her “growing” as a person). People, like trees, go through phases, they freeze in the winter, becoming nothing but lonely limbs without leaves covered with white slush.

Read More

More about Raisin In The Sun Symbolism

Open Document