A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry

Act I “the furnishings of this room were actually selected with care and love and even hope – and brought to this apartment and arranged with taste and pride.” (1.1. stage directions) • Setting – Southside of Chicago • Crowded apartment • Travis sleeps on couch • Walter & Ruth/Mama & Beneatha share rooms • Apt building shares bathroom • family struggles to maintain their pride in the face of poverty

Walter & Ruth’s relationship • Fight – but do love each other • Argue over dream/scheme of business • Stressed – money, space • Dream – he feels she doesn’t believe/support him • Walter’s dream – better life, power, control “Mama, something is happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is – but he needs something – something I can’t give him anymore. He needs this chance, Lena.” (1.1.187) p.17 • Walter- dissatisfied with his life, taking it out on everyone around him. • She is afraid of what will happen between them if Walter doesn't get the chance to attain his dream.

Travis • Future generation; hope • Asks for 50 cents • Ruth – “don’t have it” • Walter – gives his $$ • Walter wants Travis to think they have money & believe there’s a future • part of the reason he's giving Travis money is to deliberately undermine his wife. • Chases rat in street w/ friends • Graphic nature of poverty • Upsets Ruth

Walter & Beneatha • Brother/Sister relationship • Pick on each other • WALTER“Have we figured out yet just exactly how much medical school is going to cost?” (1.1.109) • Walter resents Beneatha's wish to become a doctor because it will cost the family a significant amount of money. • The Youngers' poverty seems to often make them turn on each other. • Walter thinks her dream is unrealistic

Ruth • Walter is dissatisfied with his life, and he constantly takes it out on her • taking a real toll on her • seems irritable, depressed • Pregnant • Biblical allusion – Ruth = devoted wife and daughter-in-law Mama: "When the world gets ugly enough – a woman will do anything for her family. The part that's already living" (1.2.235). P.42 • Though Ruth hates the idea of aborting her child, she feels it's the best decision for her financially-strapped family.

Mama’s values • Family • Nurturing, unconditional love • struggles to instill her values in children and connect with them • worried about Walter's obsession with money • totally disapproving of Beneatha's lack of faith in God • Religion • "In my mother's house there is still God."

Beneatha • Flits from one thing to another • Cameras, horses, acting, guitar – all need $$$ • Wants to express herself • Walter has some value to his argument • She’s had her share, and he’s resentful • Mama and Ruth support her ($$) • But Beneatha doesn’t make sacrifices • Alaiyo – One for whom bread – food - is not enough • Food=necessity of life • She’s not satisfied with only a basic life • Asagai understands her journey of self-expression

Big Walter • Was good, caring, loved children, hard working • Lost child and almost didn’t get over it MAMA (She holds the check away from her, still looking at it. Slowly her face sobers into a mask of unhappiness)Ten thousand dollars (1.2.169) • Lena realizes there is no price someone can put on a lost loved one • seems she would remain in total poverty if she could have her husband back

Symbolism • Plant = children • Plant – scraggly/lacks sunshine but survives • Children – stunted/lacks opportunity ($$$) but survive • Eggs=dreams • New baby • “Eat your eggs” – argument is not about food • Frustration- women keep men from achieving their goals (Walter’s POV) • Momma’s maiden name • Lena Eggleston • Motif = repeating symbol or theme

Themes • The value and purpose of dreams • Black man POV • Women POV • Generational conflict • Walter- life is about money • Mama – life is about freedom • Pride • Clean house before Asagai arrives • African-American vs African culture • Beneatha/George vs Asagai • Identity • Assimilate- to conform with the customs of a group or nation

Act II Scene 1 • Setting: later the same day • Walter drunk • Walter/Beneatha dance to African music • Imagines himself a great chief • His need to express power & authority in his life • George – rude to Beneatha (get out of that costume) • Beneatha’s hair cropped short • Wants to be natural, back to heritage (from convers. w/ Asagai) • George not interested in heritage • “Let’s face it baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy spirituals and some grass huts!”

Allusions • Liberia – founded in 1822, Africa’s first Republic (independent state – elects own people), founded by freed slaves from America. • Ashanti – Founded in 16th C. • Songhay Civilizations – 11th C. Smelted iron. • Bantu – 2/3 of African population; language; agricultural and introduce crops; can settle down. • Uncle Tom – Comes from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin – servile/subservient to whites – yes sir, always takes a lower roll; slang/slur term, negative, not standing up for your race

Beneatha, George, Ruth, Walter • George – shallow, interested in looks, has money • George comes to take Beneatha to theater • does not like how she looks • makes comments about heritage • B calls G an assimilationist • Person willing to give up their own culture to submerge himself in a dominant culture • Walter talking to George about father’s business • George bored, blows him off

“Good night, Prometheus” • Greek God, stole sacred fire from Zeus, gave it to mankind and the Gods didn’t like it. • Fire = intelligence • Prometheus was overreaching his place in life by stealing the gods’ fire • Walter – has big ideas, but not “enlightening” George • Verbal and dramatic irony • No business knowledge, experience • Expressing his contempt for Walter • George is a snob Verbal irony- say one thing but mean another Dramatic irony- audience knows more about the situations

Mama bought a house • in a white neighborhood – Clybourne Park • Ruth is excited – sees environment as pulling them down, need to get out of there. • “Is there a whole lot of sunlight?” • Symbol = hope, light • Walter mad b/c he wanted the money • butchered his dream • Initially tells Travis – he’s the future – it’s for him • Family falling apart before her eyes, and she had to do something

Act II Scene 2 • Friday night a few weeks later • Date- George tells Beneatha her looks are important • “I don’t go out with you to discuss the nature of “quiet desperation” or to hear about your thoughts…” • He doesn’t care about her thoughts • Beneatha told Mama earlier he is shallow • “Well - I guess you better not waste your time with no fools” • B thanks Mama – grateful for her understanding

Act II Scene 2 • Mrs. Johnson – newspaper article • “You mean you ain’t read ‘bout them colored people that was bombed out their place out there?” • Mama does not allow the “n” word in her house • “Education has spoiled many a good plow hand” • Booker T. Washington • Mama - fool

Act II Scene 2 • Walter – discover he has not been going to work, driving around, then to a bar (Green Hat) • Phone call • he is being an immature child • Mama realizes she is really to blame and gives him $6500 • $3000 for Beneatha and rest to put in savings to decide what to do • Trust, responsibility

Act II Scene 3 • Saturday, moving day, one week later • Mood – happy • Ruth and Walter in love and getting along • Walter and Beneatha also getting along • Mr. Lindner Clybourne Park Improvement Association • “Welcoming committee” – low down on how things are done • “special community problems” (colored people moving into certain areas) • “Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities” • want to buy house back from the Youngers

Act II Scene 3 Mr. Lindner • Stereotypical bigot – (defies) polite, sit down, communicate • “You people” – code word shows real reason there • Assoc. wants to buy them out w/ financial gain • “This friends is the welcoming committee” – IRONY (not welcoming) • “30 pieces and not a coin less” – ALLUSION • Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (betrayal) – this is a betrayal of the American way of life, and would be of ourselves.

Act II Scene 3 • Willy took off with the money • Beneatha’s money, too – Walter did not put it in the bank • “That money is made out of my father’s flesh” -Walter • reflects his belief that money is the lifeblood of human existence • Mama hits him • Mama’s idealism about family falters

Act III • Mood – dark, depressed • Beneatha & Asagai • Tells story • why she wants to be a doctor p.88 • Incident w/ sled • She feels her future is gone • Beneatha – life is a circle – bad things keep repeating (p. 89) • Realist, fate is sealed • Asagai – life is a line – no one knows where it ends • Idealist, can change the future

Walter and Mama • Call Lindner • Wants to sell out p. 95-97 • Mama – sees the death of his soul • “…We ain’t never been that dead inside.” (96) • Mama taught children to love family when they’re down • “There is always something left to love” (98) • Mama – asks Travis to stay • Walter – guilt – turns into a man – keeps house • Walter achieves independence without the money

Symbolism Mama’s plant • feeble plant represents her family’s deferred dreams for a better future, which have struggled to survive under the strain of life in Chicago’s South Side • “this little old plant . . . ain’t never had enough sunshine or nothing.” • Mama takes it to new house • symbol of perseverance will accompany the family as it faces new challenges in Clybourne Park. • “It expresses me.” • Also… represents “dream” house w/ garden • Loved gardening

Symbolism Beneatha’s hair • pride in her African heritage and her desire to explore her African roots • Asagai - straightened hair- “mutilated” • decides to cut her hair and wear it in its natural form • proudly marks herself as an anti-assimilationist and visibly expresses her racial identity

Symbolism • Eggs = Dreams = motif • New baby • Younger, Eggleston • “Lord, ever since I was a little girl, I always remembers people saying, "Lena – Lena Eggleston, you aims too high all the time. You needs to slow down and see life a little more like it is. Just slow down some." (3.1.69) • migrate from the South • Lena blames herself for dreaming too big, figuring that she was wrong to buy the house • “Eat your eggs” - how women keep men from achieving their goals • “Damn these eggs…” • Walter feels Ruth is not supporting his dream

Symbolism • Sunlight • Ruth – “Is there – is there a whole lot of sunlight?” • hope and life, since all human life depends on warmth and energy from the sun.

Theme • Family • Love them, especially during difficult times • Dreams • Value and purpose of individual and collective dreams • Everyone has the power to change his/her life • Asagai- “Life is simply a straight line…one that reaches to infinity” • Asagai- we see the African struggle for independence similar to Walter’s • “A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes

Theme: Pride • Mama tries to instill in her children a sense of respect for their ancestors, who were Southern slaves and sharecroppers • Walter plans to accept Lindner’s humiliating offer • He can’t compromise his honor (pride) in front of his son • Walter becomes the man Mama hoped for • Reaffirms the dignity of the human spirit • Their dream of rising above their apparent limitations is realized

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker • Mama accepts herself for whom she is • Strong, country, strong-willed (like Dee) • Dee changes her name b/c… • Wants to identify w/ African heritage • The quilts were promised to Maggie • Conflict resolved = Ultimately Mama gives Maggie the quilts b/c of her daughter’s love of family tradition • Dee’s statement about heritage = irony • Mama & Maggie appreciate their heritage by living it, while Dee wants to leave old ways behind & preserve them only as artifacts on display • ARIS connection • Identity & heritage

A Raisin in the Sun