A Raisin in the Sun
Film Analysis
Naiyuben Patel
Amina Lee
Maggie Malloy
Briana Ramirez
English 3: Period 8
Thesis
In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the unattainability of the American Dream is shown through various racial discrimination actions in which it is more difficult for African Americans to prosper.
Theme Analysis
The most common form of theme in the play A Raisin in the Sun is Man vs. Nature. Walter is constantly brought down by the money issues involving him and his family. He struggles to keep his family out of poverty but constantly faces short. Walter wants to invest in a liquor store business and mama and Ruth are stopping him from doing so (Hansberry 71). This quote shows that Walter is trying very hard to keep his family out of poverty. Another example is when Walter tries to talk to Ruth about how he wants their life to change and all Ruth tells him is eat your eggs. "This morning, I was lookin' in the mirror and thinking about it...Eat your eggs, Walter. DAMN MY EGGS--DAMN ALL THE EGG THAT EVER WAS!" (Hansberry 34). Walter thinks that Ruth really doesn't care about how they live.
Conflict (Man vs. Society)
Mama is telling Walter that he should be the head of the house and lead them out of poverty. Walter feels overwhelmed because everyone is putting pressure on him.
Characterization & Quest to the American Dream
Walter
Walter Lee is the head of a big family. He does all he can to keep his family out of poverty. He has a low paying job and has many goals that he wants to achieve but never can because his family doesn't give him a chance. "Man says to his woman. I got me dream. Hos woman say eat your egg" (Hansberry 33). This shows that Walter is trying so hard to achieve the American Dream of keeping his family happy and out of poverty but just can't achieve it.
Benetha
Benetha's dream is to become a doctor. She is unable to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor because Walter invested all of the money that Mama gave him in the liquor store and Benetha had no way to pay for her Medical School. Mama asks Walter if he invested all of the money on the liquor store and Walter says yes all of it is gone even Benetha's school money (Hansberry). This clearly shows that Benetha tries so had to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor but fails because her brother invests all the money on the liquor store business.
Mama
Mama wants her children to be successful in life. She tries to guide them in the right direction as best as she can, but they kind of go off on their own. Her family for 5 generations worked very hard to make money but they are still poor. "Son I come from five generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers-but ain't nobody pat 'em money that was a way of telling us we wasn't fit to walk the Earth we ain't never been that dead inside"(Hansberry 33). This quote shows that Mama failed to successfully achieve the dream she wanted. Her children stop her from achieving her dreams.
Symbolism
Mama's Plant
"Lord, if this little old plant don't get more sun than it's been getting it ain't never going to see spring again (Hansberry 40). The wilting represents the families struggle to live in a world their skin color is an obstacle.
Benetha's Hair
"You wear it well..very well..mutilated and all. To accommodate the crinkling you mutilate it every week"(Hansberry 62).
Benetha straightens her hair to fit in with the white society but then she is criticized for it.African Clothes & Music
"Oh don't be so proud of yourself Bennie--just because you look eccentric"(Hansberry 80).
George tells Benetha that she looks very ridiculous in Nigerian clothes and doesn't like the music that she plays.Conclusion
In conclusion, in Lorraine Hasberry's play A Raisin in the Sun a racist society made the American Dream unattainable.
Works Cited
A Raisin in the Sun. Dir. Kenny Leon. Perf. Sean Combs, Sanaa Lathan, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad, David Oyelowo, Sean Patrick Thomas, and John Stamos. 2008. DVD.
Hansberry, Lorranie A Raisin in the Sun. New York : Vintage , 1994. Print.