Amanda Panzica
Professor Barbara Green
WRT 102-12137
5 December 2016
Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry had many different elements that influenced the way she wrote all her works, from A Raisin in the Sun to Les Blanc, however, the most important thing that has swayed her writing has been her personal home life and upbringing. Hansberry grew up in South Chicago to two very well educated parents, Carl and Nannie Hansberry (Adler, p1). When Lorraine was eight, her family moved into a middle class white community which led to the conflicts of racial inequality and segregation (Biography p2). As per Lyonette Louis-Jacques at D 'Angelo Law, Lorraine Hansberry had met many civil rights activists when she was young and later …show more content…
The setting of this play mainly took place in the small apartment of South Chicago. Hansberry used this apartment to depict the struggles the Younger family faced when it came to finances as well as social class among white people. The family of five had three of its members, working in order to pay the rent for their apartment, Mama, Ruth and Walter. During her youth, Hansberry’s mother was a school teacher, while her father worked in the real estate business (Louis- Jacques, p2). Both of Lorraine’s parents had to work in order for them to meet the needs of their family. The apartment in A Raisin in the Sun only had two rooms so both Ruth and Walter shared a room, as well as Mama and Beneatha. Travis’ room was the couch in the living room. Hansberry and her family lived in an apartment that was also on the south side of Chicago but later bought a home in a middle class, all white neighborhood which is where Hansberry’s personal life comes in to play in terms of influencing her writing (Adler, …show more content…
Not only were African Americans not allowed to live in certain communities but they were also divided in schools, restrooms and even hospitals. The major conflict that is faced in A Raisin in the Sun is the Younger family has bought a home in a predominantly white neighborhood and the community members do not want them to join their community because they are African American. The neighbors fear that bringing colored folks into their neighborhood will also bring in more crime. The judgement passed on the Younger family is based solely on the color of their skin and not what type of people they are character wise. Hansberry’s use of this conflict and resolution plot is important to the play in order to further comprehend the severity of the segregation even during a time when the civil rights movement was going
Professor Barbara Green
WRT 102-12137
5 December 2016
Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry had many different elements that influenced the way she wrote all her works, from A Raisin in the Sun to Les Blanc, however, the most important thing that has swayed her writing has been her personal home life and upbringing. Hansberry grew up in South Chicago to two very well educated parents, Carl and Nannie Hansberry (Adler, p1). When Lorraine was eight, her family moved into a middle class white community which led to the conflicts of racial inequality and segregation (Biography p2). As per Lyonette Louis-Jacques at D 'Angelo Law, Lorraine Hansberry had met many civil rights activists when she was young and later …show more content…
The setting of this play mainly took place in the small apartment of South Chicago. Hansberry used this apartment to depict the struggles the Younger family faced when it came to finances as well as social class among white people. The family of five had three of its members, working in order to pay the rent for their apartment, Mama, Ruth and Walter. During her youth, Hansberry’s mother was a school teacher, while her father worked in the real estate business (Louis- Jacques, p2). Both of Lorraine’s parents had to work in order for them to meet the needs of their family. The apartment in A Raisin in the Sun only had two rooms so both Ruth and Walter shared a room, as well as Mama and Beneatha. Travis’ room was the couch in the living room. Hansberry and her family lived in an apartment that was also on the south side of Chicago but later bought a home in a middle class, all white neighborhood which is where Hansberry’s personal life comes in to play in terms of influencing her writing (Adler, …show more content…
Not only were African Americans not allowed to live in certain communities but they were also divided in schools, restrooms and even hospitals. The major conflict that is faced in A Raisin in the Sun is the Younger family has bought a home in a predominantly white neighborhood and the community members do not want them to join their community because they are African American. The neighbors fear that bringing colored folks into their neighborhood will also bring in more crime. The judgement passed on the Younger family is based solely on the color of their skin and not what type of people they are character wise. Hansberry’s use of this conflict and resolution plot is important to the play in order to further comprehend the severity of the segregation even during a time when the civil rights movement was going