In this section you can find essay examples relating to ‘A Raisin in the Sun’, the classic play written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959 telling the story of a black family living in Chicago, and their struggle to fulfill the American Dream.
Many people have had many different kinds and types of values become instilled in them from their childhood when their parents taught them the difference from right and wrong and the correct way to treat one another. For me, one of the most important values in life is honesty, and further within honesty, is trust. … Read more
Martin Luther King Jr. felt strongly about wanting to integrate races together, to be one human race together. In doing this, he led many African Americans to change the way they dressed, did their hair and acted in order to assimilate. Since black people began to act more like white people, they started to see … Read more
In American culture, gender discrimination has been presented on many occasions. By analyzing A Streetcar Named Desire written by Tennessee Williams and A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry, two strong cases of discrimination based on gender are brought to the surface. With A Streetcar Named Desire being produced in 1947 and A … Read more
In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the difficulty that the Youngers experience in their life is evident from the start. They live in an apartment that hardly fits their family and barely make enough money to pay for the necessities that come with having a family. Conflict among themselves for … Read more
Throughout Lorraine Hansberry’s, A Raisin in the Sun, the positive and negative effects of chasing the American Dream are explored. A Raisin in the Sun examines the dreams of the Younger family, as the main characters struggle to deal with the oppressive circumstances that rule their lives and impede their respective dreams. Hansberry expresses … Read more
Like the America’s Playhouse production for television, it restores to the play two scenes unknown to the general public, and a number of other key scenes and passages staged for the first time in twenty-fifth anniversary revivals and most notably, the roundabout Theatre’s Kennedy Center production on which the television picture is based.America’s history … Read more
Planet Earth… a world full of choices and consequences. A single choice can make a person either feel dignity or disgrace. In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry shows readers that dignity is a struggle for people because of their race as seen through Beneatha wanting to be a doctor and nobody believing in … Read more
In the play Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, each character has their own, individual dream. Walter, Beneatha, and Mama all have dreams and goals in life, but sometimes struggle to attain them because they are oppressed and discriminated. They all share a common theme in their dreams: the desire for happiness. Walter thinks … Read more
A Raisin in the Sun is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, which focuses on the Youngers, an African-American family living in Chicago in the 1950s. Throughout the play, the Youngers struggle to achieve their version of the American Dream while navigating the discrimination they face as a result of their race. In this section we look at the most important themes and topics to include in an essay when writing about the play.
The first major theme in A Raisin in the Sun is the idea of the American Dream. This dream is a fundamental concept in the play and is personified by the character Walter Younger. Walter dreams of owning a liquor store and becoming financially successful, and he believes that this goal will bring him and his family a better life. However, Walter is constantly met with obstacles, such as racism and financial insecurity, which prevent him from achieving his goals. Through Walter, Hansberry highlights the reality that achieving the American Dream is not easy, especially for minorities. This theme is still relevant in today’s society as many minority groups still face discrimination and lack of access to resources that can help them achieve their goals.
The second major theme in A Raisin in the Sun is the idea of identity. Throughout the play, the Youngers are struggling to establish a sense of identity in a society that does not accept them. The play illustrates how their identity is shaped by the discrimination they face, and how they can draw strength from their shared culture and experiences. This is explored through the character of Beneatha Younger, who is searching for her own identity in a world that does not accept her. Identity remains a relevant issue in today’s society, and this theme is particularly relevant for minority groups who are still fighting for acceptance and representation.
The third major theme in A Raisin in the Sun is the idea of family. The play emphasizes how the Youngers’ family is their rock and their source of strength in the face of adversity. This is explored through the characters of Walter and Ruth Younger, and how they rely on each other for support and guidance. This is still relevant today, as many families still face challenges in their pursuit of the American Dream.
Finally, the play highlights the idea of gender roles. Through the characters of Mama and Ruth Younger, the play explores how gender roles can be oppressive and can limit a woman’s ability to achieve her goals. This theme is still relevant today, as many women still face gender-based discrimination in their pursuit of the American Dream.
Overall, A Raisin in the Sun is a powerful play that highlights the struggles of an African-American family to achieve their version of the American Dream in the face of racism and financial insecurity. Its themes of identity, family, gender roles, and the American Dream are still relevant today, and it is an important reminder of the obstacles that still exist for minority groups in their pursuit of success.
