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A Raisin in the Sun PDF

The raisin in the sun is a Theatrical Play by Lorraine Hansberry based on the poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes. When it hit the theater in 1959, the play won the NY Drama Critics Circle Award for the best play of the year.

Raisin In The Sun PDF

a_raisin_in_the_sun_-_lorraine_hansberry

Book Details

Book Name A Raisin in the Sun
Author Lorraine Hansberry
First Published 1959
Genre Classics
Language English
Format PDF
Page 156
Size 650 KB

Short Summary

The Story depicts the weeks of life of a young African-American family who lived in the south of Chicago in the 1950s.

When the play starts, Youngers soon receive a $ 10,000 insurance check. This money comes from Mr.Younger’s senior dead life insurance policy. All adult members of the family have an idea of ​​what they want to do with this money.

Mom, the head of the family, wants to buy a house to realize the dream she shared with her husband.

Mom’s son Walter wants to spend money on a liquor store with his friends. He believes that investment will solve the family’s financial problems forever.

But Walter’s wife, Ruth, agrees with her mother, hoping she and Walter can give Travis their son more space and opportunity.

The Younger Family

Finally, Walter’s sister and mother’s daughter, Beneatha, wants to spend money on college classes. She also wants her family to be less interested in entering the white world. Instead, Beneatha seeks to find her identity by looking back at Africa and its roots.

As the play progresses, the family clashes over highly competitive dreams. Ruth learns that she is pregnant but fears that having children could put more financial pressure on his family.

Her mother deposited the money for a home for the whole family, and when Walter says nothing after Ruth said she plans an abortion.

They believe that a large and bright house will help them all. This house is located in the white quarter of Clybourne Park.

Younger’s future neighbors send Mr. Lindner from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association to give them more money if they don’t move in. Furthermore, Walter gets tricked by his friend and loses the remaining cash ($ 6,500) to Willie Harris. The thief persuades Walter to invest in a liquor store but runs away in cash.

A Raisin In The Sun Analysis

Walter Younger really encapsulated the American dream. He has a real entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to move forward. Walter didn’t want to attack the current system like Beneath. Instead, he wants to elevate their social ladder to a higher level.

He was dissatisfied with his driver’s job and wanted a big house, a beautiful car, his wife’s pearl, and an office job.

In short, he wanted a bourgeois lifestyle. Walter’s idolization of wealth and power actually made him yearn for change. Still, as long as obstacles such as racial discrimination continue to hinder him, his hopes and dreams will diminish.

After several incidents, although she disapproved of the liquor store’s idea morally, his mother still realized the importance of the plan.

Moreover, after Mama paid the house’s deposit next door in the (mostly white) neighborhood, she left her eldest son to be responsible for the rest of the insurance.

And asked him to pay up a large part of his sister’s medical school. Instead, Walter decided to spend all his money on a liquor store with two suspicious men. When Willy, one of the “investors,” runs off with all his money, the plan fails.

The family depends entirely on that money. They are already planning to move and pack their luggage.

After the incident, the hard-hit Walter is seriously considering taking the Lindner’s offer of money to stop them from moving into the white area.

Moreover, from the perspective of the family, this possibility is immoral. It favors money over human dignity. Despite these wrinkles, Walter decided to accept the offer. However, a look from his young son causes him to change his mind.

Finally, in the future, the family chooses to move on. The road ahead might be difficult, but they know they have made the right decision.

The characters

Walter Lee Young

The 35-year-old driver has a young son, Travis, and his wife, Ruth. The family lives with Walter’s mother and sister in a small apartment on the south side of Chicago. Hansbury (Hansbury) described Walter as a slender and energetic person with nervous movements and unstable speech. Sidney Poitier, who appeared in the original Broadway play.

Beneatha  Younger

Walter’s 20-year-old sister is a college student who invaded a young family with contemporary ideas and philosophies about race, class, and religion. She is a beautiful intellectual and works hard to improve her speech. Diana Sands played her in the original Broadway play.

Lena Young (mother)

Patriarch of a family in their 60s. She recently lost her husband Walter Sr. and receives a $ 10,000 life insurance check. She was played by Claudia McNeil (Claudia McNeil) in the original Broadway play.

Ruth Younger

Walter’s wife and Travis’ mother. Ruth was stunning when he was thirty, but he was old due to his poor background. During the 11 years of her marriage and being a domestic worker, she often took responsibility for maintaining the family business. Ruby Dee played her in the original Broadway play.

Travis Younger

Walter and Ruth’s 10-year-old son.

Joseph Asagai

A Nigerian college student who is chasing after Beneatha.

Mrs. Johnson

The young man’s nosy neighbor points out the dangers of moving to Clayburn Park

Karl Lindner

The middle-aged Caucasian representative of the Clayburn Park Improvement Association.

George Marchson

Veneta’s boyfriend and classmates come from a wealthy black family.

Bobo

Willy and Walter, in addition to senior investors in the liquor business.

Willy

The Liquor store partner who runs off with Walter and Bobo’s investment funds.

Conclusion

The book examines the impact of racial prejudice on the fulfillment of dreams of African American families. It covers all the points about the black community’s trial and tribulations in the ’50s and today, and these issues like deep-rooted racism that has not waned in the 50 years since the play was first created.

 Raisin In The Sun Movie

Furthermore, there have been two movies that are based on the play and with the same name. The first was a 1961 movie by director Daniel Petrie and starring Sidney Poitier. The other is a 2008 film made for TV, it was directed by Kenny Leon and starring Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad, and Sanaa Lathan.

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