Raisin In The Sun Movie And Book Comparison

Teachers have a rather difficult job. Before beginning a lesson, a teacher must take into account the comprehension levels and learning styles of students, as well as the amount of time he or she has to cover the material. When it comes to literature units, such as the drama A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, there are often movies to go along with the readings; in this case, the book was made into a movie, directed by Kenny Leon. Teachers must decide whether showing the movie will enhance or impede a student’s understanding of the play. In both the book and movie versions of A Raisin in the Sun, an impoverished African American family is living in Southside Chicago in the 1950’s. Teachers must utilize both the original play and the …show more content…
One similarity is the use of symbolism. In the book a plant, a window, and light are used as symbols throughout the story to represent various ideas such as dreams, opportunities, and hope, respectively. In the movie, the same symbols are used to embody the same concepts. The movie allows watchers to gain a visual understanding of the importance of the symbols based on expressions and the mood of the play at a given time. Dreams are another similarity between the book and movie. In both versions, the Younger family dreams of having a better life -- one in which they live in a nice home in a good neighborhood, rather than their small apartment. The individual dreams of each character, such as Walter’s dream to open a liquor store, are also consistent with both the play and movie. In addition, the storyline is basically the same between both versions of the story. In the book and the movie, the penniless Younger family is living in Southside Chicago in the 1950’s. They aspire to a better life, and when they receive a life insurance check in the mail, they feel as though they are finally getting their chance. Each character’s emotions when the check arrives are easier to understand with the visual representation given in the movie. As one can see, the similarities between the book and movie versions of A Raisin in the Sun are mainly surface items, and do not greatly impact one’s understanding …show more content…
One difference is the intention of each version. The book was written simply because the author wanted to; the purpose of it is more to entertain than anything else. The movie is unlike this because it was made for Black History Month, and therefore shows more racial issues in order to demonstrate the treatment of African Americans at this time in history (Leon). One example of this would be when Travis asks for money to take to school; when his mother asks him what he needs it for, he does not give an answer in the book (Hansberry 1.1, 31); however, in the movie, he says he needs it for “the poor Negroes in history” (Leon). The characters are another difference between the play and movie. In the book, Mama is more of the main character; she is involved in almost every scene and is portrayed as the main protagonist. In the movie, though, Walter seems to be more in the main character role, because his daily proceedings seem to be followed more throughout the story. This can be seen when Walter leaves the house after a fight with Ruth, and he is shown a little later at the Green Hat, a bar he is often found in (Leon). The character traits tend to stay the same, but the significance of some characters seems to shift some between the book and movie, such as Willie Harris. He is much more present in Walter’s life the movie, making it all the more shocking when he runs off with the money