Similarities Between A Raisin In The Sun And Frederick Douglass

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun and Frederick Douglass' Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass both use dramatic imagery and powerful stories to exemplify their idea of the "American Dream." However, their ideas of what makes an individual happy, differ. Walter's dream is to be successfull, after numerous events lead him to this conclusion. In contrast, Douglass, who is a slave, concludes that education and freedom are key.

In Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, we see the story of a young man who believes having money is the key to happiness. In the story, Walter recieves a check and with it, his excitement grows. However, his mother and wife do not share the same passion he does. "WALTER: A job. (Looks at her) Mama, a job? I

Throughout the years, Douglass is able to learn how to read through multiple sources. "This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge." When Douglass's Mistress grew furious seeing Douglas read, he resorted to making friendships with young white boys who could help him learn to read, which was valuable to him. This excerpt is crucial because it is the first step in Douglass's belief that reading is vital. "It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow slaves for their stupidity." Douglass has read a passage in a book written by Sheridan, and by reading this he has become aware of how horrible his condition truly is. He is terrified and anxious that there is no answer given on how to overcome this obstacle. "From this time I understood the words abolition and abolitionist, and always drew near when that word was spoken, expecting to hear something of importance to myself and fellow slaves. The light broke in upon me by degrees." Douglass learns of what the word abolitionist means and this instills in him some hope that one day he may be free. We see through imagery and emotion that Douglass is finiding hope that the more people become educated, that

The future, Mama. Hanging over there at the edge of my days. Just waiting for me a big, looming blank space full of nothing," from A Raisin in the Sun and " In moments of agony, I envied my fellow slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast...Anything, no matter what, to get rid of thinking!" to show the character's plights. Both characters in these texts have situations that are weighing on them heavily. Both texts also use the rhetorical appeal of pathos to envoke emotion and sympathy from the readers. Examples of this include, "Mama, a job? I open and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, "Yes, sir; no, sir; very good, sir; shall I take the Drive, sir?" Mama, that ain't no kind of job … that ain't nothing at all." and "I was now about twelve-years-old, and the thought of being a slave for life began to bear heavily upon my heart." These situations that the characters are in, along with delicate word choice, elicit the audience to feel for them. These powerful stories are the main similarity between the two texts. The biggest contrast however, is that these stories differ in the sense of what leads the individual to happiness. Walter believes is it wealth, meanwhile Douglass believes it is