First View my Video Lecture: HERE
INFORMATION ABOUT SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK (SHAKESPEARE’S “MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR” — FREE TICKETS — NOT TO BE MISSED — SUMMER 2021)
THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENTS:
- Read: Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun (1958)
**Download for easier full screen reading of the pdf**
- Watch: Kenny Leon’s film version: A Raisin in the Sun (2008)
- Post: Discuss any aspect of the play that interests you such as the setting (time, space, and place), key lines, character development, structure (division of acts, acenes), gender roles, intersectionality, the play in the context of African American history, the concept of “assimilation,” lessons (or key ideas), connections to Oedipus Rex, Lysistrata, or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the relevance of the play for 2021, etc.
- Also discuss what you like best about the film and/or how it is different from the play.
- Read earlier student posts (and comment on one of them). Do not repeat what a student before you has posted.
- DO NOT REFER TO (OR COPY) FROM OUTSIDE MATERIAL. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE PLAY.
Additional resources on the play, film, and author:
Book Review: Radical Vision: A Biography of Lorraine Hansberry
P. Diddy on “Raisin” and Film Trailer
Hansberry’s NY home, important to recognize, especially during Pride
Interview with filmmaker Lenny Leon, Interview
An aspect of the play that interests me is the character development of Walter Lee Younger. In the beginning, Walter is obsessed with money and opportunities, which leads him to take on a huge risk that eventually backfires. In the end, Walter seems to accept his mistakes and moves on with life.
One thing that I liked about the film was the conveying of emotions and inclusion of backgrounds. While the play can be descriptive, it relies partially on the imagination of the reader. On the other hand, the film shows the reader everything, allowing them to gain an understanding of the setting, mood, and emotions of the characters. Just as how Oedipus was blind to the truth, Walter was blind to the harsh reality of life. Both of these characters learn their lesson and accept the outcome as is.
I totally agree. The growth of Walter Lee’s character was very interesting. And indeed, the author did a splendid job in portraying emotions.
Keen observations, Brian, on Lansberry’s overall genius as a playwright. Your connection of Walter to Oedipus is also spot on!
well said Zainab!
Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” was a very interesting read for me as it showed a whole different side of African American life and literally made me put myself into their shoes. It made me consider all the money struggles and the difficult situations many people deal with in order to get what they need. All the things they give up for a better living.
The way Hansberry depicted the effects of the strenuous relationship between black and white people in America, on this family of five, was eye-opening. No doubt, that even in today’s date, the black youth wants to be able to freely express themselves as well as their heritage. In the play, Bennie represents the youth of the civil rights movements who want to reconnect with their roots in a society that tries to silence them. She rejects the European standards of beauty. On the other hand, Mr. Lindner’s character made the theme of racial discrimination very obvious and I loved the way Youngers responded to his discrimination with strength and power. They beautifully demonstrated that the only way to deal with this kind of racial discrimination is standing up for yourself and having a voice, rather than allowing it to pass unchecked. I think the author did a splendid job and her words throughout the play became extremely honest and emotional. It was a very sympathetic experience for me as a reader.
At last, I would say that the title of the play was very attractive, taken from Langston Hughes’s famous poem, capturing the tonal essence of this work so elegantly:
“What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?”
Agreed, fighting against discrimination is the only way to stop it. When people allow it to go unchecked like you said, it doesn’t do much to help those who face this issue.
Very thoughtful reply Zainab. Your opening line is particularly relevatory: “Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” … showed a whole different side of African American life and literally made me put myself into their shoes. ” Hansberry indeed was part of the Realism movement in Drama at the time and you capture the feelings and emotions of the characters as she intended. Nicely done.
The play left me feeling as if it is almost incomplete, or rather just a segment, fragment of a family’s life, torn out of the chronological sequence of events. The only comparison to “King Rex” or “Lysistrata”, or “Midnight Sumer Dream” that I can make – is that it is very much, if not absolutelly different. There is no fate lesson and or catharsis events, no such a component of a plot, where everyone gets what they deserve: whether it is punishment or a reward. “A Raisin is the Sun” has rather left me feeling like “Oh, well! It is what it is, I hope they are ok”.
The contrast with ‘Midnight Summer Dream” of Shakespeare can be seen immediately. In 1 act and 1 Scene : “Man say to his woman: I got me a dream. His woman say: Eat your eggs. ” It is hilarious, and quite bitter, very domestic and realistic.
However, as I was reading through the play, Lorraine Hansberry did make a lot of references through her characters to the God and also dreams – which is sort of resonates with antient Greeks comedy and tragedy, and the Shakespeare’s play, but only as a nomenclature. I get a feeling, L Hansberry has a very different appeal to a God in her play. It isn’t mystical presence of fair state of things anymore, but rather a hope for the better days and circumstances.
Mama Act 1, Scene 1 “[God] did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while.”; and “In my mother’s house there is still God. ”
Movie by Kenny Leon’s with Pi Didi acting as a Walter Younger was very touching. I think Walter and Ruth are the characters that portrait many relationships. Young man and a father, dreaming of a better and easier life, circumstances and money, whereas women ore practically trying to take care of everyday routine and better of the immediate domestic situation. However, the last word is after Mama and family buy a house in a good neighborhood, which also brings the challenges on the family.
It is a very realistic play, that left me feeling anxious for the fate of the Youngers family.
Hi Yuliya,
Your post is fascinating, and it told a lot about the play “A Raisin in the Sun.”
I particularly liked the way you understood Mama Act 1, Scene 1 about the family. However, I noticed at the end of Act 1, Walter had become overly concerned with money and had lost his traditional family values, so much so that he did not try to convince Ruth not to have an abortion.
You hit on so many fascination points here Yuliya. The play and film do feel very incomplete — and sure enough there is a modern sequel to this play called “Clyborne Park.”
Your connection to the worship of the Gods in the Greek plays and Lansberry’s relative anti-religious tone is not accidental. She truly believed it was up to people to make change – faith for her was a cop out. Reason and action were her guiding principles. Wonder overall reading.
Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” was an interesting play. I enjoyed the film adaptation because as the reader you can see the cinematic view of the characters. There were scenes in the movie that carried the emotional aspects that the play did not evoke. Particularly the scene where Walter must face his mother and family about the money being gone. As the viewer, you see how complex the emotions Lena is experiencing in the film. Whereas in the play, Lena says, “… I saw him grow thin and old before he was forty … working and working and working like somebody’s old horse … killing himself … and you —you give it all away in a day.” Reading this line in the play versus seeing the actor in the film express the pain, shock, and emotions Lena’s character was feeling was a different reaction from my perspective. Oedipus Rex has a similar factor to Walter, which is excessive pride. Walter and Oedipus realize that their actions create personal agony for themselves but their family as well. The character who had the most development was Walter. His obsession with money and a certain lifestyle blinds him from reality. There is a scene in the movie where Walter tells Lena, “Money is life” and Lena replies, “There was a time when freedom was life. Has times changed that bad.” This line in the film made me realize how much Walter wanted a better life but because of the color of his skin, society thinks otherwise. There are neighborhoods to this day that do not want Black residents and still have a stereotypical mindset. The play was realistic to the issues that African Americans faced in the past and how racism and discrimination is very much prevalent today.
Elizabeth, Your points and selected quotes throughout this post are excellent.
I particularly like your analysis about:
” the scene where Walter must face his mother and family about the money being gone. As the viewer, you see how complex the emotions Lena is experiencing in the film. Whereas in the play, Lena says, “… I saw him grow thin and old before he was forty … working and working and working like somebody’s old horse … killing himself … and you —you give it all away in a day.”
Your point about the play breaking traditional stereotypes about African American life is also important.
A raisin in the Sun is a play about an African American family aspiring to move beyond segregation and disenfranchisement in 1950s Chicago.
At the heart of Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is the universal message of the desire for social progress amid the differing opinion on how to achieve it. In my viewpoint, Walter Lee Younger is the main character of the play; Walter is a dreamer, he is thirty years old, he has been married eleven years, and he got a boy who sleeps in the living room. Also, he wants to be rich and devises a plan to acquire wealth with his friends, particularly Will Harris. When the play opens, he wants to invest his father’s insurance money in a new liquor store venture. A Raison in the Sun, a drama in three acts by Lorraine Hansberry, first published and produced in 1959.
At the beginning of Act 1 of A Raisin in the Sun, Ruth is the first to wake. After rousing Travis and Walter from sleep, Ruth begins to make breakfast. The couple begins to argue, with Ruth cutting the argument short by demanding that Walter eat his now-cold breakfast. Beneatha awakens next.
Since in act 2, scene 3 in the play, Scene three takes place the following Saturday, which the day that the youngers are moving to their new house. Ruth is in a beautiful mood, looking forward to taking a long hot long bath and telling Beneatha about how she and Walter went to the movies last night.
However, Raisin in the Sun is unique because it addresses issues within issues, also known as intersectionality. Not only is the younger family poor, but they are also African Americans in the south side of Chicago during an oppressive time in American history. The beauty of the play is that it explores the African American identity, social status, and racial challenges in conjunction with the intricacies of universal human nature.
Assimilation plays an essential role by making the play more understandable and easier to comprehend the feelings of the younger. This analysis is significant because assimilation plays a large part in the play with the views of the citizens, the main characters, and their dreams.
The connections between A Raisin in the Sun and Oedipus Rex are multiple. Both A Raisin in the Sun and Oedipus Rex feature lead male characters whose excessive pride gets them into trouble. Oedipus Rex Highlights that fate is unavoidable, and A Raisin in the Sun highlights that systemic racism makes life inevitably more difficult for black people than white people.
What I like best about the film is scene two that takes place on a Friday night a few weeks later. George and Beneatha have returned from a date, and he keeps trying to kiss her, but she is not interested. Finally, Mama walks in on them and says hello to George before he leaves.
Hansberry reveals two sets of values regarding education differently. Beneatha believes in education as a means to understanding and self-fulfillment, while George sees education as a means to get a good job.
I agree with you in thinking that Walter is the main character of the play. He is given a lot of characterization, enough to get us to sympathize with where he is in terms of his job and his family. The belligerency from people not accepting of others, especially in 1950s Chicago, really highlights how difficult it is both for the Youngers and African Americans still. I love how you used assimilation to draw connections between all the characters and ideas of the play. Some dreams seem so impossible yet possible at the same time.
I agree with you in thinking that Walter is the main character of the play. He is given a lot of characterization, enough to get us to sympathize with where he is in terms of his job and his family. The belligerency from people not accepting of others, especially in 1950s Chicago, really highlights how difficult it is both for the Youngers and African Americans still. I love how you used assimilation to draw connections between all the characters and ideas of the play. Some dreams seem so impossible yet possible at the same time.
Jean,
You offer many many insightful points about various key scenes and themes here. I particularly liked you point about “intersectionality.”
“Raisin in the Sun is unique because it addresses issues within issues, also known as intersectionality. Not only is the younger family poor, but they are also African Americans in the south side of Chicago during an oppressive time in American history. The beauty of the play is that it explores the African American identity, social status, and racial challenges in conjunction with the intricacies of universal human nature.”
I had not thought of specific spaces (where we are from) as part of intersectionality but of course they really are. The south side of Chicago is very different from the north side; just as the Upper West Side is so very different from say Crown Heights or Sunset Park. Very profound overall post!
Kenny Leon’s adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun holds many similarities in terms of maintaining the play’s main themes, while also delivering the same messages in different ways. The play takes place on the south side of Chicago, in a small run down apartment in the mid 1950’s. The patriarchal figure of the family dies, and the members of the family all have different ideas on how they should spend the $10,000 life insurance they received after his death. This causes conflicts in the family and shows how money elicits greed and selfishness in people. This is shown in Walter Lee’s character throughout the play, and it was more evident in the movie as we were able to see his expressions and actions more clearly. Walter Lee’s actions reminded me of the tunnel vision Oedipus had in Oedipus Rex when he left home to try to break the curse. They both were so concentrated on forging their own paths, that they failed to realize that this behavior is what led them to their downfall.
Very good post Kyara. I particularly liked your observation and phrasing of Walter and Oedipus’ similar “tunnel vision.”!
One scene in the film that really stuck out to me was when Beneatha was talking with her mother and Ruth, explaining how she does not believe in God. Even though her parents raised her to believe that God exists and that she should be thankful to him, that belief never stuck. Beneatha believes that it is ridiculous to give God credit for everything that humans have done for themselves through hard work and struggling. She feels insulted that all of her hard earned accomplishments are only giving praise to God. When she speaks out about this, her mother becomes really hurt and smacks Beneatha in the face. The reason this scene stuck out to me is because I know multiple real life examples of friends who have been mistreated or kicked out by their parents due to differing beliefs. Normally I would try to comfort these friends and tell them that their parents are in the wrong. However, when watching this scene I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that Beneatha should just stop talking, apologize, and thank God for life in order to avoid disrespecting her mother. Perhaps this is how I truly feel about all friends’ situations? I do believe that everyone is entitled to their beliefs, no matter how different they are. I also understand why the mother would get so upset. She spent a good amount of her life, love, and energy trying to make sure that Beneatha would have faith in God. However, Beneatha ends up denying his very existence, and in her mother’s eyes this means that she has 1)failed at raising her daughter right and 2) her daughter would not gain everlasting life. I think that it would have just been best if Beneatha either kept her beliefs to herself, or found a better setting to tell her mother all of this.
You picked on a very important scene, Travis, and discuss it very well. On one hand, Beneatha represents Lorraine Hansberry herself who was someone who believed in human action over Divine powers. At the same time, this secular view of the world is in conflict with the faithful mother. Does one bite one’s lip when one feels strongly about a particular issue (say when religious leaders insist on allowing members to flock their churches during a pandemic) or do we speak out. I do like your point about being respectful of others views however.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”― Nelson Mandela. This quote is a true representation of the idea that we as humans learn to hate one another because they are different from you, instead of realizing that if hate is a learned behavior, love is also a learned behavior that “ comes more naturally to the human heart”(Nelson Mandela). We live in a society where people are so stubborn to educate themselves that discrimination is a “disease” that can be cured. It can be cured in a sense of being able to cure our mind, behavior and attitudes we have among each other even if they are not the same race, gender ,religion etc.
The film did a great job showing the typical life of an African american family living in Chicago, during a time where racism and inequality continued to destroy others freedom and pride. An example of a scene, from the film that really stood out to me, was when the insurance money came in the mail and Walter’s mom refused Walter’s plan to invest the money in a liquor store. Walter becomes very frustrated and hurt that his mother does not understand that going into the liquor business will help his family live a better life. On the other hand, Walter’s mother point of view is different from a Walter in a sense that “Money is not everything, and that in her time if you could get to the north without being lynched and still have a shed of dignity” something money can’t buy. However, Walter made an important point when he said to his mother “ Will you tell that to my boy the night we put him to sleep on that living room sofa, will you tell that to my wife when she is slaving over somebody’s dirty laundry, will you tell that to yourself mama when you are fixing food in somebody’s kitchen, food your family can’t even afford”. It is evident that Walter’s pride is something that he holds while trying to invest in something that will give him enough money to better the circumstances of his family. Furthermore, we see Walter’s character reconstruct into something incredible, when he makes it clear to the welcoming committee guy that the new house will not be sold, emphasizing that “ We are proud people and we are people with pride”.
Wonderful choice of scenes, Noha, and discussion of them.
I too found this line so significant and illuminating: “Money is not everything, and that in her time if you could get to the north without being lynched and still have a shed of dignity” something money can’t buy. However, Walter made an important point when he said to his mother “
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a play of its kind especially considering the time in which it was written. One of the most amazing aspects of the play is the concept of assimilation. Lorraine brings about issues to do with assimilation as well as struggles the African American community undergoes in terms of identity. Joseph Asagai is used as the symbol to represent Africa. He also represents a side of the debate opposing the assimilation of the African Americans into the white American culture.
Asagai thought African Americans should hold onto the African culture since it is their place of origin. He was afraid African Americans would eventually lose their true identity if they adopted white American culture. The debate on assimilation tore the African American community in two as there were opponents as well as proponents of assimilation. In the play, the debate is evident when Asagai thought Beneatha should be a straight up African woman instead of an African American one, in fact, he raised concerns about her straightened hair.
Kenny Leon made a film version of the play. The 2008 film is impressive and what is liked best about it is the use of music in setting the intended mood and tone. Music is used from the beginning of the film to set the viewer into a mood which agrees with the predominant theme. The use of music makes a huge difference as the viewer will anticipate, easily appreciate and understand the theme being presented.
The film, however, does have some differences with the play. One of the differences is the accuracy of the script. The 2008 film evidently went a little off-script with added dialogues that compromise its accuracy from the play. Added dialogues in the film were highly useful but they also diluted the complexities of Lorraine’s texts making conversations between characters less intriguing.
Lots of great pick-ups here Sehar. Your discussion of assimilation is excellent.
Also interesting was your discussion of music in the film. The element of music is one we have not talked about in our class but very important — as you write. For our final assignment, consider reading/watching one of the musicals I am suggesting.
The film “A Raisin In the Sun” was a captivating story about a family who’s worn out living in poverty. A character in the play and film who caught my attention, in the beginning, was Travis, you see his determination of getting his .50 cents for school by bagging groceries in the supermarket. Another character who I admire throughout was Mama, she kept being optimistic even after all the hardship she and her late husband went through. One scene that I found heartfelt and was when she talking to Beneatha; told her, “the time to love somebody the most…is when he’s at his lowest and can’t believe in himself ’cause the world done whipped him so!”(Act III pg 145). I agree with her since Walter was just trying to start something new in his life and bringing him down won’t do anybody justice. The only comparison will be the determination Oepidus and Walter had in their storyline. Oedipus was determined to avenge the killer of Laius and save his people from the plague but ended up having a tragic ending, similar to Walter, he was determined to get his family got out of poverty but it ended badly. Both accepting the final result and moved on.
Excellent reading of key themes and scenes from this play Esther.
I particularly liked your discussion of this great line:
“the time to love somebody the most…is when he’s at his lowest and can’t believe in himself ’cause the world done whipped him so!”
Nicely done.
Kenny Leon’s 2008 film adaptation of “A Raisin in the Sun” revolves around the dilemma of a Black family, the Youngers, who have received a sum of $10,000 after the passing of Mr. Younger. Each member of the family has a different goal with the money. Mama, out of respect for her deceased husband, wants to buy a house in an all-white neighborhood. Their son, Walter, would rather use the money to purchase a liquor store permit with his friends to get out of his chauffeur job. Meanwhile, the daughter, Beneatha, wants to use the money to fund her medical school tuition. Lorrain Hansberry’s original play does a good job of developing the main characters well, but the film allows for more scenes to be enacted outside of the Younger’s original apartment. We see the characters out and about in different settings and with their friends, which gives more context to each character’s motivations. Even though Mama, Walter, and Beneatha all want different things, they all face challenges in racism and want to honor their deceased Father.
The most interesting part of the play to me were the side characters, Willy and Bobo, their character development, and how they responded to Walter’s liquor store idea once he has the money. Willy comes off as a distrusting and conniving man, with no intention of honoring the store idea. He is driven by the need to escape his own financial issues, and ends up running away with their money, to the detriment of both family and their friendship. Bobo is described as a shrewd and honest person, who could and is easily taken advantage of. This can be seen as the direct opposite of Willy’s character, as Bobo confronts Walter’s family to tell them about the money that he ran away with. The biggest difference in how both the film and play characterize these two is their appearances. In the play, Willy is never given any lines of his own. It is up to the reader to decide on what kind of person he is. Bobo, who’s actions are described with words such as “dumbly” and “frightened”, is shown to be loyal to Walter. In Act II Scene 3 (Page 126), his reluctancy to tell Walter the truth highlights his character. (His frightened eyes on the floor, his hat in his hands) “Could I please get a drink of water, before I tell you about it, Walter Lee?” In the film however, Willy is given an actual character. He shows up in the jazz club to meet with Walter and Bobo to discuss their grand plan. Bobo and Walter have an argument later in the film after the money is stolen, and the swiveling camera with tense music captures the horrible situation both characters are in. The different settings and how everyone in the story respond to the problems that arise highlight how somber the whole play is. It starts off negatively with the tragedy of Mr. Younger, before picking back up after the money is introduced. Then, the mood goes right back down again when the family can’t decide on what to do with it, before sinking even further when they get told not to move to their new neighborhood. The money getting stolen is the icing on the proverbial crap cake.
Loosely connecting the play to Oedipus Rex, the reluctancy of Bobo telling the Youngers of the stolen money is similar to when the prophet Tiresias didn’t want to tell Oedipus of how King Laius died. In both instances, the truth would be enough to destroy a family or ruin relationships with the “messenger”. In relation to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the fantastical idea of going to Springfield to get a liquor license could be seen as far-fetched as being lost in a magical fairy forest, with respect to both play’s very different contexts. (I’ll try to think of a better connection, sorry!)
Fascinating discussion of the characters in the play and the different depiction of them in the film (as well as the additional lines and added character) , Alejandro. I had to laugh with you final line about the play’s relation to A Midsummer Night’s Dream: ” the fantastical idea of going to Springfield to get a liquor license could be seen as far-fetched as being lost in a magical fairy forest, with respect to both play’s very different contexts.” That’s pretty great!
Most people dream of living in peace. This is the biggest obstacle to living a peaceful life, especially when issues like race, class, or gender are interfered with. Besides Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” film really showed some similar issues that are still prevalent in society today. Moreover, this film is directed by Walter and Ruth younger and their son Travis lives with Walter’s mother, Leana, and sister Beneatha, in a small, poverty-strick apartment in Southside of Chicago in the 1950s. Everyone’s character is very beautiful and clear here. In addition, Hansberry’s character is very beautiful and clear in her writing which has made it much easier for me to understand. On the other hand, just as Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night Dream” speaks of true love, the true love of father and son is evident during Hansberry’s this film (7:17). Moreover, it is seen in the character of almost everyone here that they are going to change their own position like Beneatha to gon to medical school, Lena and Ruth to buy a new house, and Walter to open a liquor store with friend and “make their fortune”. In addition, the film makes it easy to understand that African Americans have had to make many sacrifices to get what they deserve. They did not have equal rights and respect. It can still be noticed in several places in our present society. So we should all be strict in this matter and respect each other. Finally, it can be said that I really liked this film.
Excellent post, Forhad. Your reading of the play and connection to “Midsummer Night’s Dream” makes me realize that “A Raisin” really is a play about true love — of a family for each other — more than anything else. Nicely done.
One thing I found interesting is being racist is essential bad for business.
When Lena went into the grocery store to buy apples that business immediately lost money from poor customer service. Another thing I found interesting is a lot of motivation for some of the
characters actions are moved by what the Rich does, which is prevalent in today’s time. Example of this is when Walter compares his life to his bosses/rich counterparts and is what causes him to rebel against his families wish for his own selfish reasons not to state how extremely manipulative his words are.
About halfway through the movie I have come to realize how
foolish this world is. So many different points of views, Beneatha who is easily swayed by Joseph. The ignorance to talk down on other people’s view points as well and not accept everyone for who they are.
Walter sticks out to me the most for his insensitive views points and how his causes have an effect. Getting angry at his wife for having a baby when it takes two to have a child, insensitive things like that is otter non-sense, then Lena buys a house on her own doing because she thinks it will bring the family together highlights the miscommunication and misunderstanding people have with each other.
Surprising Walter changes his mind on the house offering and that eventually did bring the family together which was slightly shocking to me.
Overall it was a good play depicting the mindset of a poor black family during those times.
Excellent reading Shane. Your line “About halfway through the movie I have come to realize how foolish this world is” is fantastic as is your supporting evidence on this topic.
This is actually also a great connection to Puck in “Midsummer Night’s Dream”: “What fools these mortals be!!!”
A raisin in the sun starts off with a colored family about to receive an insurance check of $10,000. The mother of the household would like to buy a house she would like to share with her husband. Watler the son would like to invest the money in a liquor store , he strongly believes that by doing this it will solve their families financial problems in the long run. Ruth, Walter’s wife, agrees with mama that buying a house is more important. Ruth discovers she is preganent but is unsure what to do as she does not want to put more financial pressure on the family. Mama ends up putting a down payment on the house, of which the house is located in Clybourne Park, a white neighborhood. Walter ends up getting ripped off by his friend Harris who ends up running away with the $6500 that they were going to end up investing in the liquor store. It states, “ That is just what is wrong with the colored woman in this world … Don’t understand about building their men up” (Walter). This part of the play I find quite interesting because what I get from this line is that he is trying to say that the women are supposed to build their man up. It’s not necessarily praising them, but building eachother up to make one another a better person. As much as I understand where he is coming from, what does that have to do with race? Why say “colored women” why not women in general? Is he trying to say that only women of color are the ones that don’t build their husband up and make them feel accomplished?
you raise good questions in this post, Evelyn.
“A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry demonstrated how aspects of sexism and racism can shape a family for many generations. Every character in the story had a different dream. Walter Lee Younger’s ultimate dream was to invest and be part owner of a liquor store. Whereas, Ruth, his wife’s dream was to build a better and happier home for her family. One particular scene that caught my attention was when Ruth was advising him to eat his eggs. According to the text, Walter noted “Man says to his women: I got me a dream. His woman say: Eat your eggs. Man says: I got to take hold of this world, baby! And a woman will say: Eat your eggs and go to work” (Page 37). The phrase “Eat your eggs” represents Ruth trying to quiet him and being unsupportive of Walter’s dreams. Walter believed that Ruth belittles him. Walter then continues by emphasizing that “That is just what is wrong with the colored woman in this world… Don’t understand about building their men up and making’ em feel like somebody. Like they can do something” (Page 37). Walter implied that he would appreciate it if his wife would make him feel like a man and uplift him rather than giving her honest opinion. His sexist statement regarding colored woman only indicated his own lack of self-confidence. In a way, Ruth and Walter fail each other since they bring each other down. The concept of overthrowing others to feel more powerful within was also shown in Oedipus. Like Oedipus, Walter was so blinded with pride that he failed to realize he was starting to demolish his marriage with Ruth.
very interesting discussion of the relationship dynamics in this play, Sahena.