how to start off an essay about the theme of having a dream a rasin in the sun
The play, A Raisin In The Sun is staged in 1959 during a time when African-Americans could not be successful in the economy due to the extreme amounts of racism that were present. The constant encounters of prejudices and racism causes them to have to put aside their hopes and dreams to focus on trying to figure out how to overcome the obstacles that are set out in front of them. During these times, the Great Depression had begun.
Walter’s foolish spending of the money teaches one thing and that is that you should follow your dream and take the risk that comes along with it. If you believe in something and know there’s a potential risk that comes along with it, you should still follow through with it because the outcome could very well be in your favor. It is easy for someone to give up on something they dream about and face the harsh realities that are set out in front of them, but it takes courage and confidence for someone to overlook those harsh realities and focus on making their dream come true. Walter’s aspirations push him to strive and achieve his goals.
Everyone has dreams, whether it is fame, money, intelligence, or power, everybody possesses them. The American Dream is not quite like a typical dream, as it is a belief of a finer life through hard work and dedication. A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry tells the story of the Younger family and each of their American Dreams. The Youngers are a substandard African-American family living in the Chicago Southside, when they receive a check for $10,000. In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, the characters
Having dreams is a part of having feelings, a part of being alive. It’s something that everyone has whether it be to travel the world or to discover the Loch Ness monster. They all fall under the same category, one’s goal or life’s purpose. The characters displayed in “A raisin in the sun” by Lorraine Hansberry showed what life consisted of for African-Americans trying to achieve the American dream during the 1950s and 1960s. In the play, each member of the family has a dream they want to pursue
made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another.” J.E.B. Spredemann. The theme I chose to analyze is choices and consequences. For this type of writing assignment, I’ve decided to choose the following readings. The poem titled Harlem was written by Langston Hughes in 1951. I also choose to write about the play A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry. My reason for choosing the poem as well as the play. While doing research, its noted that
a person of another race. A Raisin in the Sun deals with the impact of racism on the life of the younger family. According to Nicole King (2002), “Race is a word and a category that can simultaneously denote a “person ‘s color, caste, culture, and capacities, oftentimes depending on what historical, political, or social forces are at work” (p.214). What happens to a dream deferred, does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? The title of the play; A Raisin in the Sun, comes from a line in Langston
Three generations of women are represented in A Raisin in the Sun. Lena, who is in her early thirties, becomes the default head of the household upon the passing of her husband, Walter Sr. Raised in the South during an era where blacks’ very lives were in danger because of the prevalence of lynching, Lena moved to the North with the hopes of leading a better life. The move up North was significant in that she had hopes of a better life for herself. Although Lena is ahead of her times in some respects, her dreams and aspirations are largely linked to her family’s well-being, rather than to her own. Scholar Claudia Tate attributes Lena’s low expectations for her individual self to gender conditioning – a term used to describe the expectation that a woman’s goals and dreams be linked to her family alone. Lena tolerates her husband’s womanizing and remains loyal to him even though they suffer under the same impoverished conditions throughout their marriage.
There is a strong motif of afrocentrism throughout the play. Unlike many of her black contemporaries, Lorraine Hansberry grew up in a family that was well aware of its African heritage, and embraced its roots. Lorraine’s uncle, Leo Hansberry, was a professor of African history at Howard University, a well-known, historically black college in Washington, D.C. Hansberry’s uncle actually taught Kwame Nkrumah, a revolutionary who fought for the independence of the Gold Coast from British rule. Hansberry’s afrocentrism is expressed mainly through Beneatha’s love for Asagai. Asagai, a Nigerian native, is who Beneatha seeks out during her search for her own identity. She is eager to learn about African culture, language, music, and dress. The playwright is well ahead of her times in her creation of these characters. Hansberry is able to dispel many of the myths about Africa, and concretely depict the parallel struggles both Africans and African-Americans must face.
The home for the family was once a negative part of life. Lena is concerned with Walter and his family. They all lived in a small space where they could not express themselves emotionally. The new house has plenty of room to express their emotions. They will have plenty of space to relax. No one has to sleep on the couch in the new house. The house is located in a very nice part of the city. In the new house the family will thrive and be happy. Walter wanted all of the money to use for his investment. He did not want to buy a house with the money. He was mad about spending the money on the house. Eventually, Walter agrees that it is a good idea to buy the house. Walter was the only one who disagreed with buying the house. He left the home to go drinking and everyone felt sad for Walter. Big Walter worked really hard all his life. Now the insurance money from his death will pay for the house. Because of Big Walter working hard the family could live a better life.
In the play “A Raisin in the Sun” there is a theme that you have to work hard to keep your family together. The plot is a about a dream deferred. This story is about a family that is falling apart because of Walter’s deferred dream and what they must do to stick together. It’s about a poor family trying to figure out how to spend their inheritance when they all have different dreams for the future. They must also decide which dream is the best one to do. The plant is a symbol of the family and how they are doing. The character of Lena is a symbol of peace. The house is a symbol of hope and of a brighter future. These three things represent the theme of the play.
References:
http://www.bartleby.com/essay/Dreams-in-A-Raisin-in-the-Sun-PKXADZZVJ
http://www.ipl.org/essay/The-Theme-Of-Dreams-In-A-Raisin-P3UH6X7EACP6
http://www.jcme.ca/a-raisin-in-the-sun/study-guide/themes
http://sites.google.com/a/manitowocpublicschools.org/essays/a-raisin-in-the-sun
http://blog.prepscholar.com/good-research-paper-topics
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