These thesis statements for “Raisin inside Sun” offer a short summary of different facets that would be essential in an essay however are free to add your personal analysis and understanding of the plot or themes for them. In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, the title refers to what can happen to a dream deferred. The main characters in the book were Beneatha Younger, Walter Lee, Ruth Younger, Karl Lindner, Joseph Asagai, and Lena Younger. The story spoke mostly about an African American family who struggled with many aspects of hardship. Walter Lee’s father was murdered he left them a really big insurance check for the family, what they don’t know is how that check was…… The competing dreams of the Younger family members make them unable to reconcile with each other.

a raisin in the sun theme essay

All through the play, Walter is the stereotypical African-American man of the mid-20th century. He serves as the head of the family who strives to provide for his family. Walter’s prime dream is to see and ensure the stability of his financial stability and that of his family . His aspirations are therefore not self-centered and are instead focused on the overall prosperity of the persons who are madness in king lear analysis related to him. In the quest for economic progress, Walter encounters numerous difficulties and hitches, which cause him great frustration.

An introduction to the play by the Westport Country Playhouse, which staged a production directed by Phylicia Rashad in 2012. With the much-anticipated April 3 opening of a new Broadway revival starring Denzel Washington, “A Raisin in the Sun” is again in the spotlight — though for teachers the groundbreaking play has been a classroom staple for decades. First performed on Broadway in 1959, “Raisin” last appeared there 10 years ago, then starring Phylicia Rashad, Sean Combs, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan, a production that was later adapted for television. The two above plays, together with the original, were referred to by Kwei-Armah as “The Raisin Cycle” and were produced together by Baltimore’s Center Stage in the 2012–2013 season. The 2013 play by Kwame Kwei-Armah entitled Beneatha’s Place follows Beneatha after she leaves with Asagai to Nigeria and, instead of becoming a doctor, becomes the Dean of Social Sciences at a respected California university.

The American Dream In A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry

This compares to Hansberry’s personal experience where her father moved her family into a predominantly white community and her family was rejected and threatened because of their race. In A Raisin in the Sun by Hansberry, nature is presented in many lines throughout the story. The story’s overall plot involves dreams, a natural aspect of humans, as the main characters fight to deal with the depression that surrounds them. The title first off gives the impression of the story centering on nature. Langston Hughes wonders if the dreams he wrote about were forgotten or just put away.

  • Do you know how to create a compelling introduction and an understandable conclusion on A Raisin in the Sun?
  • The Youngers struggle to attain these dreams throughout the play, and much of their happiness and depression is directly related to their attainment of, or failure to attain, these dreams.
  • Because money is such an important element in this play, the difference of opinions about it adds unnecessary conflict.
  • There are a lot of people who just barely make it from paycheck to paycheck.
  • Achieving dreams is a major theme in this play, and here, dreams are what fuel everything, including emotions and the future.

Gretta and Gabiel’s marriage has decayed, similar to any natural food, plant, or living organism-even human. Many comparisons metaphorically are made throughout the story to symbolize the state of certain situations such as the marriage. Joyce uses natural symbols of snow and ice and also represents the colors yellow and brown. She uses snow and ice as a way to point out that something is frozen and motionless just like paralysis. Daniel Petrie makes changes in his film version of A Raisin in the Sun, thus affecting Hansberry’s central theme of society’s responsibility of oppression.

Themes

All the family members are dreaming of having a better lifestyle after having this amount, but their dreams ended in smoke when the money seems to have gone as easily as it has come. Yet another symbol of nature or natural symbol is mama’s plant, which represents her care and dream for her family. When she first appeared on stage, mama moves straight toward the plant to take care of it. She states that the plant never gets enough light or water, but she takes pride in how it still grows beautifully under her hands. So much nature is composed in this description of the plant and this therefore reveals about mama and how caring she is; a natural quality of any mother.

a raisin in the sun theme essay

Petrie, however, downplays Joseph’s influence and in fact removes the very action that demonstrates Beneatha’s defiance of society’s oppression. Hansberry leads the reader to support the characters and their determination to rise above oppression. Petrie however, presents and develops the characters in a manner which leads the audience to conclude that although this family has been oppressed they are partially responsible. Words are more open for interpretation if they are just in print form. On the other hand, when the words come to life through interactions the tone and attitudes are less open to interpretation. Everyone in the younger family want something different out of the inheritance money.

Movie Analysis Of A Raisin In The Sun

These dreams result in conflict between the family and pose a question of whether Walter Lee and Beneatha’s intent for the use of the money is more important than the unity of the family. Walter’s life shows what can happen when personal struggles get in the way of bigger dreams to know some level of success. He does experience prejudice and oppression from the majority class, but his struggles are more internal.