Charterer Analysis and Theme

Through out the novel many literary terms intervene in the story in order to incorporate a deeper meaning to the story For example, "Now the once loved patter of the couch upholstery has to fight to show itself from under acres of crocheted dollies and couch covers which have themselves finally come to be more important than the upholstery." (pg 1.) The imagery here portrays the degree of poverty they are enduring since the furniture is about past its time giving us an insight on their life. Not only this but the dialogue through the first act shows us the slang the Youngers' use. 

The title of the play references a conjecture that Langston Hughes famously posed in a poem he wrote about dreams that were forgotten or put off. He wonders whether those dreams shrivel up “like a raisin in the sun.” Right from the start we can infer a theme: the value and purpose of dreams. Most of the individuals have dreams but whose dream is the most important. The Younger's family dreams clash with each other as they argue and bicker over who deserves the money to fulfill a part of their dreams. Little do they know Ruth is pregnant and about to add a whole new mouth to feed and provide for. Is abortion the right decision here in order to save the family going deeper into poverty?


As Mama’s only son, Ruth’s defiant husband, Travis’s caring father, and Beneatha’s belligerent brother, Walter serves as both protagonist and antagonist of the play. The plot revolves around him and the actions that he takes, and his character evolves the most during the course of the act one and obviously through the rest. Throughout the play, Walter provides an every man perspective of the mid-twentieth-century African-American male. 

Themes in "A Rasin in the Sun"

      One recurring theme is the idea of unfulfilled dreams. Each character in A Raisin in the Sun has unfulfilled dreams, mainly involving money and the focus of the American Dream. "You tired aren't you? Tired of everything. Me, the boy, the way we live- this beat up hole- everything. Ain't you? (Pg. 32). Walter says this to Ruth after Travis leaves for school, seeing how unhappy she is with this lifestyle. This is clearly due to the lack of money, taking a toll on her happiness.
      Similarly, Walter expresses his disappointment in life, saying "I'm thirty-five years old; I been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the living room- and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live..." (Pg. 34). This shows clear discontentment in his lifestyle. Walter wishes for the American Dream but all he has is stories. He can’t give his son a nice house and a great lifestyle, but only stories about how the richer live.
     Walter’s discontentment and concern for money branch off to make his sister Beneatha unhappy for her decisions. Walter asks, “Have we figured out yet just exactly how much medical school is going to cost?” (Pg. 36). This concern is brought from his own desire for money. His mother gets insurance checks for the death of her husband and uses the money as she sees fit. Beneatha feels unhappy for her decisions because Walter makes her feel guilty for her decisions. The family as a unit is very unhappy with their lack of money and the theme of unfulfilled dreams is evident.

Imagery Displayed Throughout A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry uses imagery to set the impoverished and conflicted atmosphere the Younger's family lived through in A Raisin in the Sun.  This technique allows readers to depict the hardships and harsh reality of Chicago's South Side community. Using lines of cold, descriptive text, Hansberry puts forth a scenery of struggling times in an African-American household during the mid-20th century. Conflicts between Walter Lee and his family were described with great detail: "...slowly Walter Lee peeks around the boy to catch the violent rays from his wife's eyes and draws his head back as if shot" (31). Here, Hansberry does a superb job of painting a picture in the mind of readers. The clever author uses a well-structured sentence, enticing the reader to want to read more. The thought of a man being scornfully stared at by his wife comes to mind. This sentence, by itself, can solely alert the audience that there was a present conflict.

"The sole natural light the family may enjoy in the course of a day is only that which fights its way through this little window" (24). After reading this line of the play, it was rather effortless to determine that the Younger's were living in a poorer area.  The emphasis on the window's diminutive stature supports that they were a family-in- need.  This inference can be made when Hansberry describes the light that is revealed in the "little window."
On page 34,  imagery is prevalent when Ruth sets up an ironing board and "attacks a huge pile of rough-dried clothes, sprinkling them in preparation for the ironing and then rolling them into tight fat balls."  The illustration that is gathered from this sentence is impeccable.
Ultimately, Hansberry's use of imagery throughout this play contributes to the development of the story's plot.

Rhetorical Strategies in "A Raisin in the Sun"

Oftentimes, authors rely on a specific rhetorical strategy to develop a theme in a story. In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry implements a myriad of rhetorical strategies, including personification, imagery, and symbolism, to convey the poverty the Younger family lives in.

Early on in the play, readers can sense the atmosphere of poverty through ample uses of personification. Hansberry emphasizes a couch which has been present in the Younger household before the birth of Mama's offspring. She says the couch "has to fight to show itself from under acres of crocheted doilies and couch covers" (23). The worn, ancient couch portrays the extensive length of time that it has been around.

The incorporation of imagery also exemplifies the struggle the Younger's are encountering. Hansberry describes a "sole natural light which fights its way through this little window" (24). The "little" window Hansberry describes correlates to a home in the slums (24). Hansberry also references how the Younger's share one bathroom. She explains the bathroom is "an outside hall... which is shared by another family or families on the same floor" (25). It is clear that such a bathroom is found in predominantly impoverished areas.

Beneatha symbolizes opportunity and hope. She has aspirations "to be a doctor" (36). Beneatha's dream of becoming a doctor merely represents the potential for the Younger's to move out of Chicago's Southside. A medical school's cost is expectantly high, but such an opportunity for Beneatha will remove her family from the slums.

Beneatha Younger

Hansberry appears to have a vast amount of rhetorical strategies in her literary toolbox, so readers can expect to witness more and more from her as the story continues.

Characterization

After finishing Act I, Scene I, I obtained a substantial amount of information through the dialogue and text to characterize some of the characters presented in the scene.

Ruth, a once pretty girl (24), plays a neutral role in the scene and portrays a timid personality. Her behavior towards Walter’s dream of investing in a liquor store reflects her mellowness. She first opposed against Walter’s idea of taking part in the liquor business and tells him numerous times to “Eat your eggs” (33-34), but later talks to Mama saying “…he needs something… He needs this chance, Lena.” (42). Ruth tells Mama that Walter needs the chance to invest into the liquor business.

Travis comes off in the opening scene as a little naïve; an innocent young boy who is not aware of what is going on fully. He doesn’t fully understand the financial struggle that their family is in by constantly asking for 50 cents.

Mama steps in to the scene and displays her loving and caring personality within the first few lines by first addressing the wellbeing of her plant, then continues by concerning Beneatha with her being half dressed, and offering Beneatha her robe to keep warm. Lines like “I just noticed all last week he had cold cereal, and when it starts getting this chilly in the fall a child ought to have some hot grits or something when he goes out in the cold.” (40) and “Girl, you better start eating and looking yourself better.” (41) really exposes Mama’s role of being a loving and caring leader.

Motif and Theme

In almost every work of literature there are different themes or motifs which enhance the plot and the overall meaning of the work. In the beginning of the play, A Raisin in the Sun, the motif that is evident between Walter and Beneatha Younger is a brother sister rivalry. Almost from the moment that Beneatha walks into the kitchen, the two of them start bickering through harsh dialogue such as, “I dissected something that looked like you today” (36).  The conflict between the two siblings intensifies the effects of the family’s current situation. They are struggling financially and socially and are beginning to fight over how to use what could be their saving grace; the insurance check from their father’s death.  In the eyes of the family, this check represents their idea of how to achieve the American Dream.

       

    A theme which Hansberry uses in this work is the American Dream. The idea of going from rags to riches was first coined by Horatio Alger. Walter is reaching for this American Dream and sees his opportunity through the insurance check. Longing to open a liquor store to make his life better for himself and his family, he states, “I got me a dream… I got to take hold of this here world, baby!”(33). Walter wants to change his life, achieve greatness, and not have, “a boy who sleeps in the living room” (34). In addition, Beneatha has her own idea of the American dream, going to medical school. Walter sees his potential acquisition of the American Dream through a successful business and Beneatha sees it through becoming a doctor.  

            Through recurring themes and motifs the reader can better understand the changes the characters go through and help enhance the development of the story.

Symbols

Shortly after making her initial appearance, Mama makes it a priority to tend to the “feeble little plant growing doggedly in a small pot on the windowsill” (39). She comments on the state of the plant, saying if the plant does not get more sun than it has been getting, it will not survive.

The potted plant on the windowsill is a symbol of the Younger family. It represents both Mama’s care and her dream for her family. She takes pride in caring for both the plant and her family, caring for both unconditionally and unending despite a less-than-perfect environment for growth. Despite the unfortunate circumstances in which they both must survive, the plant and the family flourish. But not for long. If the plant does not get more sunlight and the Younger family does not get a glimmer of hope soon, the results could be catastrophic. The plant will die and the Younger family will cease to exist as a whole.

The life insurance check is the glimmer of hope that the Younger family needs. It is a chance for a clean slate and a fresh start. But, how will Mama use it? She has expressed a desire to use the check to buy a new house. The current Younger residence emphasizes the centrality of the home. It is the only physical demonstration of the Younger family’s socioeconomic status. The small space filled beyond capacity suggests that the Younger family is of a lower class. The apartment is often dark due to the lack of natural light – there is only one window. The mood in the residence often mirrors the amount of light radiating through the sole natural light source. The dark and gloominess of the apartment is accompanied by the relatively glum aura of the Younger family.

The most important thing to take notice of in the first scene is how each character, and the family as a whole is introduced. The Younger family is ironically the opposite of the typical American dream. Their small house with tons of people is the opposite of what many middle class people of that time period had, or wanted. Each character in the novel as a dream, but they are each unique in their own way. Mama's dream is symbolized by her plant. She cares for her plant as if it is family and, obviously, her plant can't disrespect her or fight back what Mama does. Mama does her best to keep the plant alive and growing. Her actions toward the plant show what she can do for her family and what her motif is for doing those things. Beneatha, on the other hand, as a dream that is both similar and different to Mama's. She is introduced as a feminist and aspires to be a doctor. She is much more conceited than Mama and cares more about herself than anyone else. Her dreams, however, do show a desire for success, an also symbolize the "new wave" of women to come in future years. She is more focused on becoming her own person then what she can do to have her whole family get where they need to be. Walter has a dream that is quite different than Beneatha's too. His goal is to get away from where he is now and make money for his family. His age, coinciding with his dreams, represent a hopeful future for the Younger family.

Characterization in A Raisin in the Sun (pgs 1-40)

The beginning of every novel functions as an introduction to the protagonists and supporting characters, and A Raisin in the Sun is no different. The reader first meets Ruth, who clearly runs the household. She wakes Travis and Walter--without her, they'd likely be late to school and work, and they'd never get to use the bathroom because the neighbors would always have it. Ruth makes her family breakfast even though she is exhausted, which demonstrates her sense of responsibility. Yet in spite of all her hardships, Ruth still finds the joy in everyday life, as we see when she lovingly sends Travis to school.


Travis himself is still innocent, too young at eleven to fully comprehend his family's social and financial disadvantages. "'Mama, this is Friday.' (Gleefully) 'Check coming tomorrow, huh?" (28). Travis is naive and a bit optimistic about the incoming check, while the rest of the family members are stressed over how the money will be used. His innocence represents the American Dream in a sense--the gleam of potential in every young person's eyes, before hope is tarnished by disappointment. 

A Raisin in the Sun's period-typical misogyny and racial prejudice manifest in Walter Lee. Lines such as "...that just goes to show you what women understand about this world" (33), "That is just what is wrong with the colored woman in this world..." (34), and "...tied to a race of women with small minds" (35) all display Walter's prejudices against women, especially colored women, even though he is married to one. The judgments harbored by society during the 1950s have drilled their way into Walter's head and he regurgitates them, lashing out at his wife when she doesn't agree with him and at his sister Beneatha due to her choice in profession: "Ain't many girls who decide to be a doctor." (36).

The characterizations presented in the opening of this novel will only strengthen as the story progresses, and the themes of oppression and perseverance will be consequently evinced.

Let's start blogging!

Welcome to our AP Lit & Comp reading blog for A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry.  This blog serves as a discussion space for all students reading A Raisin in the Sun across all three class sections.  The end goal is for us to build a reading community both online and within the classroom.  In addition, many college courses will require online work and postings for all of your peers to view and comment on a weekly basis. 

What do we blog about?

Well, we're all reading the same novel, so we don't want to summarize (as always).  Instead, you can provide brief context for what part of the novel you're discussing & use examples from the novel, but your main purpose is to have an analytical focus for each post.  Here are some things you could discuss & analyze in your blog posts:

• Literary elements you see in the novel (think metaphors, symbols, archetypes)
• Conflicts (how they arise, how they define characters, etc.)
• Characterization:  
• actions, dialogue, or lines that define a character
• character's motivations
• Author's style, structure, & diction
• Close reading of diction where you're looking for clarification
• Events in the plot that serve as a major turning point
• How a tradition, value, or practice functions within the culture of your novel
• Themes shown in the novel
• How literary elements serve a theme (like race/culture relations, romantic entanglements, gender expectations)...if you can accomplish this, you've made it to the big leagues.

Things to keep in mind for this type of assignment:

• You're writing online, but this isn't social media, which means no text-speak or slang.  Write in an academic language.
• Use this space as practice for properly writing literary analysis (writing in present tense, avoiding 1st/2nd person pronouns, using active voice, being succinct)
• Don't let your work disappear forever somewhere in the land of lost internet posts.  Be smart & save your work.  Some people like to work in Google Docs, MS Word, or Apple Pages first.  Then, just copy & paste all you've typed into Blogger & add some bells & whistles (i.e. pictures, links, videos)

Timeline for posting & commenting:

• 11/13:  1st blog post due
• 11/16:  comment on 2 posts
• 11/20:  2nd blog post due
• 11/23:  comment on 2 posts
• 11/27:  3rd blog post due
• 11/30:  comment on 2 posts
• 12/4:  4th blog post due
• 12/7:  comment on 2 posts
• TOTALS:  4 blog posts & 8 comments
• NOTE:  posts are due on Fridays by 11:59 p.m. & comments on Mondays 11:59 p.m.

Other requirements:

• 250-300 word count
• Add links, pictures, & videos
• Comments should be at least 3 sentences that add or extend the post
• Quote evidence from the novel & use proper MLA format for embedded citations