Major Works Data Sheet

Major Works Data Sheet:

A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry

Biographical:

* Born 1930, died 1965 (aged 35)

* Born in Woodlawn and moved into an all white neighbourhood

* Went to a mainly all white school, which inspired her to write A Raisin in the Sun

* Parents were activists

* Worked on “Freedom” magazine

* Middle class family and deeply involved in the black community

* A lot of leading black figures passed through their house.

* The family forced resistance. They faced bricks being thrown, court order of eviction, ect.

* Play debuted in 1959.

Historical information:

* 1950’s

* There was a lot of racism

* Just after WWII

* Neighbourhoods were segregated as well as many other things (movie theatres, buses, ect.)

Characteristics of the Genre:

* Deep setting

* Typical beginning, middle, end. * Rise in action, climax, fall in action, conclusion.

* Conflicting characters

* Serious and humorous moments.

Plot Summary:

* A lower class 50’s black family gains a substantial amount of money.

* Walter and Beneatha want the money for their own reasons.

* Mama buys a house and gives the remaining money to Walter.

* Walter who was supposed to put some money away for Beneatha’s educations spent all of it on a liquor store.

* The money was stolen by a shady businessman in deal gone wrong.

* A man from the white community that Mama buys a house in tries to pay them money to not move in their neighbourhood.

* They move in anyways.

Quotes:

“…yes, I want to hang some real pearls ‘round my wife’s neck. Ain’t you supposed to wear no pearls? Somebody tell me- tell me, who decides which women are supposed to wear pearls in this world.” –Walter (pg. 143)

This shows that Walter doesn’t want the money for only himself, he wants it to support this family and feel like he is a better person, one who can put food on the table. He also wants to be treated equally to white men, he doesn’t want to be held down by discrimination.

“…isn’t there something wrong in a house- in a world- where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?” –Asagai (pg. 135)

The family feels as if they could only do the things the wanted to when they got the insurance money, they became too dependant on the cheque from the insurance policy.

“…well- well- son I’m waiting to hear you say something… I’m waiting to hear how you be your fathers son. Be the man he was…” -Mama (pg. 75) Mama wants Walter to be a man like his father, big Walter, was. She wants him to grow up and be responsible enough to be the man of the house.

Symbols or Motifs

* Mama’s plant represents both her care and her dream for her family. She cares almost as much about the plant as she does about her family, and does all she can for both of them. Mama’s dream for her family is to get them out of the apartment they live in and move to a house with the garden she always wanted. The plant also represents hope that one day Mama’s dream will come true.

* Beneatha’s starts out in the play with her hair straightened. After Asagai calls her an assimilationist, she cuts off her hair and styles it more naturally. This symbolizes her desire to prove her identity, which she tries to do with many other things like learning guitar, and also her desire to learn about her African roots with Asagai.

* The cheque symbolized the late Walter Younger, and also the family’s hopes and dreams to finally get out of their apartment. When Walter Lee lost the cheque, it was like losing his father and his hopes and dreams all at once.

A Raisin in the Sun Characters

Walter Lee

Role In Story

* Main Character

* Father of Travis Younger

* Son of Mama Younger and the late Walter Younger

* Husband of Ruth Younger

* Brother of Beneatha Younger

Significance

* Wants the cheque for business purposes

* Provides conflict within his family and friends

Adjectives * Money Hungry

* Greedy

* Selfish

* Strong Willed

* Determined

* Misunderstood

* Proud

Mama Younger

Role In Story

* Mother of Beneatha Younger and Walter Lee Younger

* Wife of the late Walter Younger

* Family Rock

Significance

* Receiving the cheque

* Tries to keep the peace in her family

* Buys the new house with the cheque

Adjectives

* Religious

* Caring

* Loving

* Passionate

* Family Oriented

Travis Younger Role In Story

* Son of Ruth and Walter Lee Younger

* Youngest mind in the story

Significance

* The baby of the family

* Cared about by all members of the family

* Caught up in the money issue in his family

Adjectives

* Young

* Pleasant

* Innocent

Beneatha Younger

Role In Story

* Sister of Walter Lee Younger

* Daughter of Mama Younger and the late Walter Younger

* Family Scholar

Significance

* Wants to use the cheque money to pay for medical school

* Caught up in dating different boys

* Often disagrees with her brother (Walter Lee)

Adjectives

* Intelligent

* Stubborn * Determined

* Intellectual

Ruth Younger

Role In Story

* Mother of Travis Younger

* Wife of Walter Lee Younger

* Does domestic work for a living

Significance

* Tries to settle disputes and conflict within the family

* Disagrees with Walter Lee

* Realizes they don’t have a lot of money

* Gets pregnant

Adjectives

* Bitter

* Stable

* Smart

Joseph Asagai

Role In Story

* One of the men that Beneatha’s interested in

* From Africa

Significance

* Teaches Beneatha about African culture

* Loyal to Beneatha * Strong Feelings for Beneatha

* Offers Beneatha to move away with him to Africa

Adjectives

* Sensible

* Intelligent

* African

* Intellectual

* Loyal

* Reasonable

George Murchison

Role In Story

* Interested in Beneatha

* Goes on dates with Beneatha

Significance

* Walter Lee envies George’s wealth and intelligence

* He has what the Younger family wants

* Opposite of Joseph Asagai

Adjectives

* Rich

* Conceited

* Smart

* Snobby

* Manipulative Karl Lindner

Role In Story

* Coordinator of Clyborne Park

Significance

* Wants to prevent the Younger family from moving to Clyborne Park

* Wants to keep Clyborne Park an all-white neighbourhood

Adjectives

* Manipulative

* Prejudice

* Sneaky

Setting: 1950’s in Chicago, Illinois in the United States.

Significance of Opening Scene: The family is debating about the bathroom that they share with everyone else who lives in the apartment building, there’s quite a bit of morning commotion going on as the family is trying to get ready and leave for the day. This scene really shows the lack of wealth that the Younger family has and how much they could benefit from the cheque, which is what the base of the play is about.

Significance of Closing Scene: Mama takes her plant, which was symbolic throughout the entire play of not giving up and continuing on and the fact that she takes the plant shows how much that process means to her and how something to simple can mean so much to her that she feels the need to bring it with her to her new beginning of life.