...“A Raisin in the Sun” What happens to a dream deferred? In the poem written by Langston Hughes detects what could happen to dreams that are not pursued or maybe even dreams that don’t come true. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry which also discuss dreams and how they can change throughout time. Both Langston Hughes and Lorraine Hansberry write about the effect of dreams and pursuing happiness. Neither of the two directly spells out racism but by reading the two together they are talking about the dreams of African Americans and how their dreams are harder to achieve and sometimes they just shrivel up like a raisin in the sun or maybe it just sags like a heavy load Hughes writes. The realities of dreams during this era in time for African Americans were slim. In Hansberry’s play we know that blacks are not equal to the whites. The main theme in both pieces of work is about the dreams and ambitions that everyone possesses and to be able to overcome society’s views and live a life that you want for yourself, regardless of what anyone else says or does. Broken dreams can be extremely hard for anyone but more so if you are already expected to fail. A Raisin in the Sun becomes about dreams as the main characters try to overcome obstacles in their own lives to achieve their dreams. The title of the play is perfect because of all the dreams and failures that are mixed throughout the play will the Youngers dreams shrivel up “like a raisin...
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...The American Dream: A Reflection of “A Raisin in the Sun” The play “A Raisin in the Sun” was written by an American playwright and writer Lorraine Hansberry. The play reflects the story of Lorraine Hansberry's life. She grew up African American in a dominant white society experiencing racism and struggling to reach her dreams. The central conflict of the play “A Raisin in the Sun” lies in Walter's notion of this American dream. So what is the American dream? For some it is the dream of equality and freedom and for others it is the dream of a happy life or even the dream of fame and wealth. The American dream differs for each member of the Younger family. “The concept of “the American Dream” has lured tens of millions of immigrants from all...
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...102 -63 12/9/2013 "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry At first glance, A Raisin in the Sun is about an African American family's fight to get out of the ghetto on Chicago's South Side. The splendor of the play is that it discovers the African American identity, social status, and racial challenges in combination with the complexities of universal human nature. A Raisin in the Sun debuted on Broadway in 1959, but not without a large struggle at the time. The plays almost all-black cast made it a risky investment in pre-Civil Rights America, and it took more than a year for producers to raise enough money to begin. Even as the curtain rose on opening night, Hansberry was pessimistic, expecting bad reviews. But her powerful writing excelled through all doubt, and the play was named the best play of the year by the New York Drama Critics' Circle, Hansberry ‘ play was nominated for four Tony Awards, and became a classic of American theater (Umich.edu). “What happens to a dream deferred?” asks Langston Hughes. Lorraine Hansberry in her powerful writing style develops, A Raisin in the Sun, and discovers the answer to his question through the Younger Family. Principally, the Younger Family members received a 10,000 dollar insurance check after their father’s passing. Each of the Younger’s had his or her own impression as how to spend the check. Each member believing that his or her idea will solve the family’s problems and will make their dreams come true. However, it takes...
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...Langston Hughes’ “Harlem: A Dream Deferred” What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun Or fester like a sore- And then run? Does it stink like rotten mean? Or crust and sugar over- Like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? ______________________________________________________________________________ Trevor B. Taylor A Dream Deferred, The Heartbeat of Harlem For the residents of Harlem, until the later half of the twentieth century, “wait” is all they ever heard. Wait! Wait for the laws to change before you can fulfill your destiny. Wait, until you’re allowed to go to college. If any of the people of Harlem were a shining gem just waiting to be polished, it might not ever happen, or it would have had to of been postponed. Because the residents of Harlem had black skin, their dreams were deferred. L. Hughes shines light on the minds of Harlem past and everyone else’s, who’ve experienced a dream that never came true or hasn’t yet. He effectively uses similes, metaphors, and rhetorical questions to express how he feels about a dream being postponed. The “dream” is a goal in life, not experienced while sleeping. an expected goal. The poem, in its’ current form leaves the dream up to the reader. But the poem was originally titled “Harlem”. Hughes since then gave this title to another one of his poems that more clearly states was happening there. That poem in black ink, clearly states...
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...impression of hope for centuries; yet not all the inhabitants of land of the free cooperatively supported equal rights. The mere confidence in holding on to a dream became difficult for individuals, as well as families, as unremitting rejection from society left many in poverty. Subordination of minorities in American generated a strenuous struggle by both African-Americans and numerous white Americans advocates who endorse the termination of racism and encourage egalitarianism. The awe-inspiring production A Raisin in the Sun became renowned as a historical reenactment of a handful of people most personal, influential, monumental, life altering moments in life that occur within their home. The play epitomizes real life’s situations about overcoming obstacles, defining one’s distinctive way of life, and handling idiosyncratic conditions at home in a reconstruction of the fictitious Younger family who animate life in 1950s America, moreover Chicago. The play was created by an African-American writer Lorraine Hansberry in 1959 who advocated for human rights which consists of racial minorities and women. In the day to day reality of the Younger’s situation, Mama, Beneatha, Ruth and Walter are able to come together in harmony realizing that together they are stronger than they are separately. The moral in A Raisin in the Sun, publicized through the Younger family, epitomizes the magnanimous gesture of gratitude and devotion to always love your family, the people you are already given...
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...Olympic Athlete Gail Devers once said “keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe”. The quote relates well to Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a play about an African American family in who lived in Chicago in the late 1950s. From the beginning of the play the three main characters wanted the American dream. According to dictionary.com the American dream is the “ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American.” But in the unjust situation of the Younger family the American dream was maybe another dream left in the heads of promising African American. But in the play Raisin in the sun, Hansberry makes an exception with her characters Mrs. Younger, Walter Lee, and Beneatha have memorable dreams. These dreams reveal a great deal about the nature of the characters’, which unjust societal expectations and discrimination cannot destroy. Travelling down the timeline of American history, the problem of discrimination is inevitable. In the 1950s discrimination took a turn for the worse when racial segregation was born. Hansberry use each characters...
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...In the beginning of 1950’s, African American were under the straggle of civil-rights movement. Harlem is one of highlighted cities related to the movement. I, personally, interpreted the poem “Harlem” expressed the will that they never gave up to achieve it, and the distress that they had a hard time to attain it for a long time. The author of the poem “Langston Hughes” started the poem as “What happens to a dream deferred?” In this context, ‘Dream’ means ‘civil rights’ for African American people. They made an action to get the fundamental rights for a long time until then. However, it was definitely difficult to achieve. In this situation, the author asked the stability of the value of the dream which they were seeking for a large number of years. The first sentence “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” is suggesting the possibility that due to the passing of time the value of dream becomes more concentrated as a grape turns to a raisin. On the other hand, the next “Or fester like a sore--- And then run?” means the opposite, which is the negative aspect such as the meaning that the value of dream was lost because of elapse. Following “Does it stink like rotten meat?” has the negative nuance as the last sentence, while “Or crust and sugar over--- like a syrupy sweet” is the same meaning as the “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” The author is asking whether the value of dream, which is civil rights, is easily changeable or not, repeatedly mentioning the...
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...A Raisin In The Sun By Kareem Hamze A Raisin In The Sun Final Edit English 132-52 Joseph Doherty November 19th 2013 Kareem Hamze Joseph Doherty November 19 2013 Raisin in the Sun Imagine living in a world where you and your family are looked down upon. Imagine living in a world where you were treated different because of the color of your skin. Imagine living in a world where you were forced to watch the white man is more dominate than you. Well, Walter Younger and his family lived that life. A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a story about an African American family who lives in a time where racial discrimination was in major effect, it made life a living hell for black families. She explains this though the life of Walter Younger and his family. First, White and Blacks were segregated. Due to the racial discrimination, Walter and his family were not the richest people. Jobs available to African Americans were limited. Walter He worked as a chauffeur. Lorrain Hansberry grew up around the time when racial discrimination was very affective. She gives an idea of what she had been through. She does so by giving Walter this poor trait. A job that one would take only if it was your very last option. Mama, Walter’s mother, is expected to get a big check in the mail from her husband’s life insurance. With this money, she plans on buying a new house. She wants a house in a white neighborhood. At first it seemed risky, but in reality, it was a huge step...
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...is about the book “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. This book has 151 pages and was published by “Vintage Books. It has been published multiple times including the years of 1958, 1986, 1959,1966,1984,1987 and 1988. The book design was created by Merrick Hamilton. I chose to read this book because it expands my knowledge of “The American Dream and how African Americans lives were like in the late 50’s early 60’s. The Main Character in this book is Walter Lee Younger. He is a determined married man who seems to think he is superior among others in his family. He wants to achieve the “American Dream”, which in his case is to be “The Boss” (more specifically an entrepreneur). He tends to think big and, he gets angry when people don’t understand him. His place as the main character is easily shown by his confidence and determination....
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...Dr. King’s speech and the play A Raisin in the Sun have many similarities including dreams, segregation, and racial prejudice against African-Americans. Firstly, the concept of having dreams is very evident in Dr. King’s speech. He talks extensively about the future of his family (especially his children) and of the nation as a whole, expressing his opinion of how it should be. As Dr. King talks about the dreams that he has, he says: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but but by the content of their character.” (King) He is talking about how he dreams for his children to live in a time where people will not create opinions based on what people...
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...This research paper attempts to elucidate how each character in the play A Raisin in the Sun written in 1959 by Lorraine Hansberry wants to achieve a dream which represents certain characteristics in common with the American Dream. Furthermore, this paper seeks to reveal to what extent aspects of the American Dreams, such as the ideal of justice or equality between the races, have been fulfilled by analyzing how these aspects are presented in the play. The Younger family is living in Chicago and is facing financial problems as well as social problems such as discrimination. As Mama’s husband died the family receives 10.000$ insurance money, which gives each family member the opportunity to fulfill their dream. Mama herself wants to buy a new house for the family, her daughter pursues the dream of becoming a doctor and her son Walter wants to open a liquor store. However, the fact that Walter’s wife Ruth is pregnant complicates the situation. Mama eventually decides to buy a new house in a white neighborhood and entrusts Walter with the rest of the money, but he loses all the money through a fraud, although he should have left some money to fund Beneatha’s education. Eventually, at the end of the drama, Mr. Lindner offers money to buy the Youngers out of their new house, but Walter stands up against him and declines the offer....
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...Hansberry wrote her famous play A Raisin In The Sun back in 1959 which is a period of time after the second world war, she addressed many topics and problems that the Americans and especially African American people were facing in their lives. One of the major concept that she brought to her play is the concept of home and what it meant and symbolized to African Americans back in those times. The play gave the readers an idea of how the concept of home was essential to African Americans. When the movie came out, it complement the idea by providing visual images to the audience which helped them better understand. To them, home wasn’t just a place that they can live in, it represented equality that they achieved by overcome racial...
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...Outline Thesis Statement: One of the major themes of "A Raisin in the Sun" is the devaluation of capitalism as a measure for success and its replacement by family pride. I. Walter Lee is obsessed with obtaining money from the very beginning of the play. His very happiness depends on success, and he measures this in wealth. 1. He longs to be successful. His speech at the end of Act II, Scene 2 beginning "You wouldn’t understand yet, son, but your daddy’s gonna make [...] a business transaction that’s going to change our lives [...] You just name it, son, and I'll hand you the world!" (Hansberry, 96) 2. Money is the only means of being successful or obtaining success. When asked why he cares so much about money, Walter screams, "Because it is life, Mama!" (Hansberry, 64) II. Mama encourages him to take her place as head of the family, despite disagreeing with his lust for wealth. 1. Mama tries to convince him that money is not the solution to Walter's crisis of purpose in a speech: "Something has changed. You something new, boy. [...] You ain't satisfied or proud of nothing we done. You my children - but how different we done become." (Hansberry 62) 2. Still she trusts him with the money in order to further his pride and encourage his familial responsibility. "I'm telling you to be head of this family from now on like you supposed to be." (Hansberry, 94) III. After the money is all but depleted, Walter stands up for himself and his family and spurns money in favor...
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...Langston Hughes (1902-1967) Langston Hughes was the first African American writer in the United States to earn a living as a writer. He was born in Joplin, Missouri, and because of his parents’ separation he lived in several places including places in the American mid-west and Mexico. He attended Columbia University, but stopped his studies because of the discrimination he experienced at the hands of his white counterparts. Hughes was a prolific writer and his themes were driven by the racial oppression that he witnessed all around him and that he experienced first hand as well. Hughes was a prominent member of the Harlem Renaissance, which was a time in America when African Americans experienced a flowering of intellectual and cultural activities in the African American communities in Harlem, New York. Alain Locke referred to this era as the New Negro Movement. During this time, Langston Hughes and other African writers’ words were full of protest and great expressions of the social injustices that were bestowed upon African Americans. Langston Hughes often wrote about the second class citizenship status that African Americans experienced, and the ills of segregation were key themes in his writings. His writings not only voiced protest, but the theme of rejection was present in his writings. He wrote about his personal rejection from everywhere when searching for work....
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...A Raisin in the Sun Renee Ngala University Of Phoenix A Raisin in the Sun Culturally diverse people represent a distinct and precise set of needs than that of others within their communities, city, and state. I chose to examine concerns and challenges of one’s culture depicted by some of the actresses and actor in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. In this book report, I will identify the unique needs of the different characters, and propose a plan for delivering culturally competent strategies to address those issues. Lena Younger Lena Younger is the mother of Beneatha and Travis. Lena is a God fearing lady whom is a dedicated hard worker. Lena lives in a small apartment with her two children, daughter-in-law, and grandson. Lena’s strong family loyalty is apparent all through the movie. Lena is going through emotional turmoil because of the passing of her husband. She finds out that she is to inherit a lump sum of money from her husband’s life insurance policy. Lena strong ties with her church and family places her in a predicament on how to spend her money. Although Lena would love to give the money to her church, but her dedication to her family and their living condition, she decides to purchase a house big enough for her family. (A Raisin in the Sun, 1961). By Lena showing how much she values her family and spiritual beliefs, functions as a driving force for the difficult decisions she made through the movie. All decision factors...
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