Literary Analysis: A Raisin in the Sun Premiering March 11, 1959, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun made history as the first Broadway play written by an African American woman. Despite being risky and controversial in the thick of the American Civil Rights Movement, the production, boasting a black director and almost exclusively black cast, garnered both critical acclaim and box office success. Most recently, it was revived this month at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. Centered on the Youngers, a multigenerational African American family living in a tenement in Chicago “sometime between World War II and” (22) when the play was written, Hansberry offered a realistic glimpse into the everyday struggles of an ordinary black family. As the characters interact with one another, we learn about their individual dreams and delve into the ways they intersect with other issues, such as race, gender, and poverty. Hansberry, through the hopes and dreams of realistic, multifaceted characters, presents an unfiltered look at several complex social struggles in a manner that remains relevant today.
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Like Walter, she is dissatisfied with the level of progress toward racial equality; however rather than stagnate in resentment, she is determined to conquer her disadvantages by becoming a doctor. Her desire seems less rooted in financial gains and more about helping people and particularly making an impact on society. The most intellectual of the family, she often comes off as arrogant and self-centered, especially considering how dependent she is on their help. In that vein, we can really see the generational gap between her and Mama and although I tended to agree with most of what she said, I often cringed at the way she said it. However, I found that very believable for a young, idealistic woman, especially in a world on the cusp of great
Like Walter, she is dissatisfied with the level of progress toward racial equality; however rather than stagnate in resentment, she is determined to conquer her disadvantages by becoming a doctor. Her desire seems less rooted in financial gains and more about helping people and particularly making an impact on society. The most intellectual of the family, she often comes off as arrogant and self-centered, especially considering how dependent she is on their help. In that vein, we can really see the generational gap between her and Mama and although I tended to agree with most of what she said, I often cringed at the way she said it. However, I found that very believable for a young, idealistic woman, especially in a world on the cusp of great