Essay about A Raisin in the Sun - 1559 Words

In 1959, American Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev came together at the American National Exhibition in Moscow, a â€Å"showcase of American consumer goods† (May 18), for â€Å"one of the most noted verbal sparring matches of the century,† aptly coined the â€Å"kitchen debate† (16). As Khrushchev applauded the Communist system and its hardworking women, Nixon â€Å"extolled the virtues of the American way of life† (16), emphasizing America’s â€Å"successful breadwinners supporting attractive homemakers in affluent suburban homes† (18). Although Nixon’s emphasis upon the suburban lifestyle may have successfully displayed America’s superiority in consumer goods, Nixon grossly â€Å"exaggerated the availability of the suburban home†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦A rhetorical question, borrowed from the Langston Hughes poem that serves as an epitaph to her play and an inspiration for her tit le, Hansberry suggests that while delayed dreams may â€Å"dry up / Like a raisin in the sun,† if ignored or suppressed too long, they will â€Å"explode† (3). Although Hansberry’s message, upon first glance, appears to be a prophetic warning of things to come, a closer examination of A Raisin reveals it to also be an artfully disguised call to action. Like the Negro spirituals, religious songs created and sung by African slaves as a hidden means of communication and protest, A Raisin in the Sun is a masked work of art, palatable to a white audience, but with a concealed message intended specifically for an African American audience. Growing up and maturing during the McCarthy era, Hansberry would undoubtedly be mindful of the need to exercise caution with the views expressed in her writings. Familiarity with the experiences of family friend, Paul Robeson, and intellectual mentor, W.E.B. Dubois, both victims of McCarthyism, certainly encouraged discretion with regard to the written expression of radical or revolutionary ideas (Carter 1). That she garnered inspiration from the Negro spirituals of her predecessors and concealed a message within A Raisin is revealed early in the play. At the end ofShow MoreRelatedA Raisin Of The Sun896 Words   |  4 PagesWhen I first read â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† I thought it to be quite humorous and lighthearted. However after reading it again for a second time I noticed that while it is humorous, it is also set in a time where things were far from lighthearted for African Americans. This particular play was set in the 1950’s which was a very difficult time for t he United States in regards to race relations. I thoroughly enjoyed this story not only because of the controversy within the family unit but also becauseRead Moreâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†700 Words   |  3 PagesLorraine Hansberry used symbolism in her successful drama, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† to portray emotions felt in the lives of her characters and possible her own. Hansberry set her piece in Chicago’s South Side, probably the early 1950’s. During this period in history, many African-Americans, like the Youngers, struggled to overcome the well-known prejudices that were far too familiar. The main scene, in this touching realist drama, is the home of the Youngers, an overcrowded run-down apartment. Read MoreA Raisin Of The Sun1319 Words   |  6 PagesEssay 3: Suggested Topics A Raisin in the Sun was a play written in the late 1950’s analyzing the cruel effects of racism amongst the Younger family. The younger family suffers from racial discrimination within their living space, place of employment, and the housing industry. Racism has been going on for a very long time in the United States and will always continue to exist. Racism has not only led to political but also social issues. A Raisin in the Sun confronted Whites for an acknowledgementRead MoreA Raisin in the Sun1346 Words   |  6 Pages Though there was a heightened sense of tension over civil rights in the late 1950s when A Raisin in the Sun was written, racial inequality is still a problem today. It affects minorities of every age and dynamic, in more ways than one. Though nowadays it may go unnoticed, race in every aspect alters the way African-Americans think, behave, and react as human beings. This is shown in many ways in the play as we watch the characters interact. We see big ideas, failures, and family values throughRead MoreRaisin in the sun1171 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ON THIS TEST! A Raisin in the Sun: Unit Exam Directions: Using a number two pencil, fill in the letter with the best answer. I. MATCHING: Match each character with the proper description. One will be left over. 1. Beneatha a. man whose death brings the Youngers $10,000 2. Ruth b. thinks women only need to be pretty sophisticated 3. Travis c. a messenger of bad news 4. Walter Lee d. runs off with $6500 5. Walter e. represents pride in AfricanRead MoreA Raisin in the Sun - 41047 Words   |  5 PagesTania Garcia A raisin in the sun Prof. Natalie Sandler November, 27, 2012 A Raisin in the sun In a Raisin in the sun people wondered about Walter Lee’s inner journey. A Raisin in the sun is a play that explorer’s the struggles of African American people who achieve their desires. It’s about an African American family trying to pursue an American dream of owning their own home but in the process they encounter racismRead MorePoverty In A Raisin In The Sun1413 Words   |  6 PagesEconomic and societal poverty are the key forms of poverty highlighted in the three-act play, A Raisin in the Sun. Lorraine Hansberry, the playwright, discusses the hardships of African-Americans attempting to emerge in society in the 1950’s. The play is staged in ways where the audience can grasp the trifles of an African-American family continuously experiencing setbacks whilst attempting to achieve their notion of the â€Å"American Dream†. To Walter Lee Younger, his idea of the â€Å"American Dream†Read MoreA Raisin in the Sun Essay1752 W ords   |  8 PagesA Raisin in the Sun Creativity of Hansberry played a crucial role in the development of African-American drama since the Second World War. A Raisin in the Sun was the first play by African-American author which was set on Broadway and was honored by the circle of New York theater critics. Drama of A Raisin in the Sun (1959) brought Hansberry to the Award Society of New York Critics as the best play of the year. A Raisin in the Sun shows the life of an ordinary African-American family which dreamsRead MoreAnalysis Of A Raisin In The Sun1185 Words   |  5 PagesArianna Williams-Smart English 1B Professor Quinn Final Essay The epigraph to A Raisin in the Sun is Langston Hughes poem called A Dream Deferred which was written as an example of life in harlem. The lines are a introduction to the white societys actions to take away equal opportunity from black citizens. Hughes main point is that there could be consequences when peoples frustrations build up or accumulate to the point where they have to either surrender their dreams or allow strenuousRead MoreSummary Of A Raisin Of The Sun 1052 Words   |  5 PagesEric Herrera 1103 English Prof Nathan Camp October 13, 2014 A Raisin in the Sun The American Dream is the guiding ideology for the United States. A belief that every citizen of this country has an equal opportunity to prosper and achieve his or her personal dreams. A belief that has been constantly scrutinized due to the overwhelming role that race can play to complicate that dream. Although, Lorraine Hansberry’s â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† may have been written in 1959. It’s one of the first pieces of