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A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry.

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Presentation on theme: "A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry."— Presentation transcript:

1 A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry

2 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

3 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.” ( ) 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.

4 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

5 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?” ( ) 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

6 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" ( ). P.42 Though Ruth hates the idea of aborting her child, she feels it's the best decision for her financially-strapped family.

7 Mama’s values Family Religion 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."

8 Beneatha Flits from one thing to another Wants to express herself
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

9 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 ( ) 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

10 Symbolism Plant = children Eggs=dreams
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

11 Themes The value and purpose of dreams Generational conflict Pride
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

12 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!”

13 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

14 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

15 “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

16 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

17 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

18 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

19 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

20 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

21 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.

22 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

23 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

24 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

25 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

26 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

27 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

28 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.

29 Theme Family Dreams Everyone has the power to change his/her life
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

30 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

31 “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


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