When brave workers volunteered to undergo extreme radiation exposure to minimize the Chernobyl disaster, they were celebrated as heroes for their selfless deeds. Although examples of clearly beneficial sacrifice are common, less obvious cases are prevalent throughout everyday life. In a Raisin in the Sun and Clybourne Park, the ideas of sacrifice and loss are explored extensively. Although Walter lost his dream of a Liquor store, through sacrifice, he became a man and reconnected with his family. Mama, who represents family values, is rewarded for staying true to her principles, but fails to prevent Walter’s unrealistic dreams overtake what would be best for him. The sacrifice of Kenneth, on the other hand, is far more tragic and represents
…show more content…
When Ruth brings up Walter’s desire to open a liquor store, Mama is not pleased. Beside the moral dilemma, she notes, We ain't no business people, Ruth. We just plain working folks” (Lorraine, 16). Rather than wanting to crush her son’s ambition, Mama realizes that her son has no experience in running stores and that it would be best for her not to give Walter the money. When Mama learns about the money, her immediate reaction is to use it for the family rather than herself. While drinking Coffee with Ruth, she proclaims, “Been thinking that we maybe could meet the notes on a little old two-story somewhere, with a yard where Travis could play in the summertime, if we use part of the insurance for a down payment and everybody kind of pitch in. I could maybe take on a little day work again, few days a week—” (Lorraine, 17). From the beginning it is clear that Mama’s interests lie in the family above all. Her sacrifice is seen as benevolent by nearly every reader as well as the author. Eventually Walter’s depression convinces Mama that she must give him some money. She gives him 6500$ and instructs him to put $3000 in a savings account for Beneatha and “The rest [3500$] you put in a checking account—with your name on it” (Lorraine, 60). The author uses this scene to show a bad …show more content…
While Clybourne Park tells a chilling tale of when society abandons the individual, a Raisin in the Sun presents an inspiring scenario in which a series of sacrificial moments binds a family together againsts external and internal pressure. Kenneth’s treatment, like racism, segregated him from the general public and despite the work he and his parents put in, he still felt like an outcast. Leading up to the events of Clybourne Park, Russ was humiliated and motivated by the community treatment of his son. While Walter aimed for manhood through financial means, it was ultimately through sacrificing and fighting for pride that he became the man he wanted to become. Although Mama’s faith in the family was tested and betrayed, her resilience and sacrifice panned out in the end as the family fought back against racism and de facto segregation. What makes both of these plays so powerful is how the sacrifices are set up and play out throughout them. Both Norris and Lorraine realize that the entertainment field is oversaturated with perfect tales of sacrifice without consequence. Contradicting this traditional narrative, a Raisin in the Sun ends with hope and happiness, but leaves lingering questions of longevity and difficulty in the characters’ situations just like the real
When Ruth brings up Walter’s desire to open a liquor store, Mama is not pleased. Beside the moral dilemma, she notes, We ain't no business people, Ruth. We just plain working folks” (Lorraine, 16). Rather than wanting to crush her son’s ambition, Mama realizes that her son has no experience in running stores and that it would be best for her not to give Walter the money. When Mama learns about the money, her immediate reaction is to use it for the family rather than herself. While drinking Coffee with Ruth, she proclaims, “Been thinking that we maybe could meet the notes on a little old two-story somewhere, with a yard where Travis could play in the summertime, if we use part of the insurance for a down payment and everybody kind of pitch in. I could maybe take on a little day work again, few days a week—” (Lorraine, 17). From the beginning it is clear that Mama’s interests lie in the family above all. Her sacrifice is seen as benevolent by nearly every reader as well as the author. Eventually Walter’s depression convinces Mama that she must give him some money. She gives him 6500$ and instructs him to put $3000 in a savings account for Beneatha and “The rest [3500$] you put in a checking account—with your name on it” (Lorraine, 60). The author uses this scene to show a bad …show more content…
While Clybourne Park tells a chilling tale of when society abandons the individual, a Raisin in the Sun presents an inspiring scenario in which a series of sacrificial moments binds a family together againsts external and internal pressure. Kenneth’s treatment, like racism, segregated him from the general public and despite the work he and his parents put in, he still felt like an outcast. Leading up to the events of Clybourne Park, Russ was humiliated and motivated by the community treatment of his son. While Walter aimed for manhood through financial means, it was ultimately through sacrificing and fighting for pride that he became the man he wanted to become. Although Mama’s faith in the family was tested and betrayed, her resilience and sacrifice panned out in the end as the family fought back against racism and de facto segregation. What makes both of these plays so powerful is how the sacrifices are set up and play out throughout them. Both Norris and Lorraine realize that the entertainment field is oversaturated with perfect tales of sacrifice without consequence. Contradicting this traditional narrative, a Raisin in the Sun ends with hope and happiness, but leaves lingering questions of longevity and difficulty in the characters’ situations just like the real