I always thought it was the one concrete thing in the world that a human being could do. When she realizes this dependence, she gains a new perspective on her dream and a new energy to attain it in her own way. I wanted to cure. A Raisin in the Sun and The life of Fredrick Douglass have many similarities in regards to their dream. The way the content is organized. Lenas daughter Beneatha, hoping to become a doctor, is torn between two suitors, a rich fellow student who has assimilated into American white society and a native Nigerian who wants Beneatha to embrace her African heritage. Consciousness vs unconscious) Attention to language (esp. It used to be so important to me. August 7, 2022. An opportunity to escape from poverty comes in the form of a $10,000 life insurance check that the matriarch of the family (Lena Younger or Mama) receives upon her husband's death. Beneatha's unacceptance of God angers her religious mother, but Beneatha argues that God never intervenes to help the family. Does he pay tuition?" Well then, you aint through learning because that aint the time at all. (P. Becoming a doctor would mean she would help people by healing them. The plot centers around Mama receiving a life insurance payout of $10,000 following the death of her husband. 'A Raisin in the Sun' by Lorraine Hansberry. Beneatha is shocked and confused. Vaguely threatening, he says he wishes to avoid tensions over the introduction of Black people into the neighborhood, which to the three women's horror Walter bitterly prepares to accept as a solution to their financial setback. A twenty-year-old college student with dreams of becoming a doctor, Beneatha is "as slim and intense as her brother," with an "intellectual face." Beneatha holds modern views on gender and shows great interest in her African heritage. Please wait while we process your payment. Purchasing Removing #book# She struggles to keep hope in her dreams of becoming a doctor when her brother loses the money for her to attend medical school, and she wanted to become a doctor because she cares about people and wants to heal them. Mama is deeply touched by the gift from Walter, Ruth, and, Walter falls to the floor and sobs, pounding the ground with his fists. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Waiting for the curtain to rise on opening night, Hansberry and producer Rose did not expect the play to be a success, for it had already received mixed reviews from a preview audience the night before. Beneatha doesnt ask for Mama to pay for her tuition but rather pressures Mama to do so by expressing the importance of being a doctor and women in the workforce. Beneatha Younger, Mrs. Johnson (Mrs. Wilhelmina Othella Johnson). Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. This example has been uploaded by a student. | Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Beneatha cuts her hair close to her head and leaves it unstraightened after Asagai teases Beneatha about the contradiction of her straightening her hair while rejecting assimilation, integration into the dominant culture. Neither man is actively involved in the Youngers' financial ups and downs. Music and lyrics were by Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan. . Disclaimer: Some of the articles on Mighty Actor include affiliate links to sites like Amazon, Skillshare, and others. According to Beneatha, George is handsome and rich and takes her to expensive places, yet she is not interested in marrying him because George does not treat Beneatha like an equal. She is progressive, intellectual, motivated, and strong-willed, but she can also appear argumentative, spoiled, and naive. Though it won popular and critical acclaim, reviewers argued about whether the play was "universal" or particular to Black experience. This phrase appears early in the play, as an instruction from Ruth to Walter to quiet him. What is Mama's greatest dream for her family? Walter: Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? What has He got to do with anything? The play's title is taken from " Harlem ," a poem by Langston Hughes, which examines the question "What happens to a dream deferred?/Does it dry up/like a raisin in the sun?" Asagai: You wear it well . What about the crooks and thieves and just plain idiots who will come into power and steal and plunder the same as before only now they will be black and do it in the name of the new independence WHAT ABOUT THEM? When the play hit New York, Poitier played it with emphasis on the son and found not only his calling but also an audience enthralled.[5]. Let's look at some key quotes said by Beneatha in the play. Mama's conflicts with Beneatha mostly derive from the generation gap between them. The character Mrs. Johnson and a few scenes were cut from the Broadway performance and in reproductions because of time constraints. on 50-99 accounts. She brings politics into the apartment and is constantly talking about issues of civil rights. However, due to the insurance money from . After Walter loses the money intended for Beneatha's education she says, "Asagai, while I was sleeping in that bed there, people went out and took the future right out of my hands! Asagai: Were you born with it like that? Bobo reports the bad news about the money. Social Issues In A Raisin In The Sun Lena was waiting for his life insurance check for ten thousand dollars. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Type above and press Enter to search. She tells a story about sledding down the steps when she was young when a boy, Rufus, split his face open on the sidewalk and bled profusely. To Beneatha, it is important to express oneself, something that Mama has never had the time and ability to do. However, he also mocks her for acting serious about embracing her African culture while assimilating to white culture by straightening her hair. Related Posts. When the play begins, the family is about to receive an insurance check for $10,000 from their deceased fathers life insurance policy. . The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Smiling,, set of gardening tools. The entire play takes place in the Southside apartment of the Younger family. 1914-1945, sometimes described as high modernism) Experimentation (forms, devices, styles) Interest in psychoanalytical theories (esp. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Free trial is available to new customers only. When Beneatha becomes distraught at the loss of the money, she is scolded by Joseph for her materialism. Nicole McCarty, as Ruth Younger, argues about finances with her husband, Walter Lee Younger (played by Tyrell Morris) in this scene from "A Raisin in the Sun" at the . In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry demonstrates a family like no other. I feel like its a lifeline. A Raisin in the Sun: Metaphor Analysis Insurance money The play opens with references to when the check for this insurance will come and is a central motif. The other man in Beneatha's life is Joseph Asagai, a Nigerian man she met in college. There is a quote that says When you take things for granted, the things you are granted get taken and in the play A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, Beneatha takes things for granted but she also is successful. Press Esc to cancel. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. There are two men in Beneatha's life. Teachers and parents! TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Asagai promotes Beneatha's interest in her heritage by bringing her clothing and music from Nigeria. Beneatha: My hair whats wrong with my hair? Beneatha Younger, an ambitious, childish, educated young woman in her twenties. If you so crazy bout messing round with sick people then go be a nurse like other women or just get married and be quiet . Of course there are variations and extensions of this idea. When the play begins, the family is about to receive an insurance check for $10,000 from their deceased father's life insurance policy. Ultimately, Beneatha is a kind and generous person, who seeks to become a doctor out of a desire to help people. She is a college student who dreams of becoming a doctor and leaving behind the poverty and racism that ties her family down. This is obvious in the way that she seems to sometimes look down on her family for not being as educated as she is. Fredrick and Walter both find their American Dream through different situations, but have meaning to them. What happens to a dream deferred? He informs Walter that his other friend, Willy Harris, ran off with all of the money Mama gave Walter, including Beneatha's. . "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Beneatha's college education has helped to make her progressive, independent, and a total feminist. As Lindner sits and begins to explain the purpose of the Clybourne Park Improvement Association, but we are trying to do something about it. This seemingly open-minded statement piques. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. While the Youngers are preparing to move, a white man named Mr. Lindner from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association visits. The following quotes by Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun help to further characterize her. She says, "[I never got over] that that was what one person could do for another, fix him upsew up the problem, make him all right again. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Students who find it difficult to write detailed essays. mutilated hair and all. Becoming a doctor would mean she would help people by healing them. She dates two very different men: Joseph Asagai and George Murchison. Asagai explains that the way she wears her hair is not natural; she straightens it each week. Stop wasting your time searching for samples! and any corresponding bookmarks? You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. A Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959. It used to matter. Walter gives all of the money to Willy, who takes it and flees, depriving Walter and Beneatha of their dreams, though not the Youngers of their new home. succeed. The way the content is organized. This was truly being God.". Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Motivate students to complete assigned readings with A Raisin in the Sun quizzes. The first act takes place just before the events of A Raisin in the Sun, involving the selling of the house to the Black family; the second act takes place 50 years later. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. She wants to accomplish things all by herself causes Beneatha to criticize God for taking the credit. He tells them that the Younger family will not be welcomed into their community because they are Black. . Youve successfully purchased a group discount. The show continues March 3-5. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. You might even describe her as being a bit of a snob when it comes to her family. Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. The following Saturday morning Beneatha and Mama clean the apartment thoroughly, a regular occurrence in the Younger household. Hansberry has borrowed the title from a popular poem by Langston Hughes, " Harlem ." In the play, it seems as if Beneatha changes the most in the shortest amount of time, and it doesn't take her long to realize what fits her. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Throughout the whole play she tries out a handful of hobbies that she takes up during the play. A Raisin in the Sun continues at the Shakespeare Theater through April 15. In 1961, a film version of A Raisin in the Sun was released featuring its original Broadway cast of Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Ivan Dixon, Louis Gossett Jr. and John Fiedler. His wife Ruth, wanting to provide more space and better opportunities for their son Travis, agrees with Lena. I always thought it was the one concrete thing in the world a human being could do. Looking at, Ruth tries to make small talk with George while, ants! Walter expresses his frustration that not even my own mother supports his dreams, but, On a Friday night a few weeks later, George and. Dont worry I dont expect you to understand. The play closes with the family leaving for their new home but uncertain future. Asagai is teasing Beneatha about the irony of her passion for her African heritage and rejection of assimilation, integrating into the dominant culture. Underneath her tough shell, Beneatha really does care about helping people, which is why she ultimately wants to become a doctor. (This case was heard prior to the passage of the Fair Housing ActTitle VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968which prohibited discrimination in housing). Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Travis is an innocent young boy who plays walters son. I mean about people and how their bodies hurt. Each reading quiz contains ten multiple choice questions; they are quick to administer and score.A Raisin in the Sun Quizzes schedule:Reading 1: Act IReading 2: Act IIReading 3: Act IIIA list of questions by scene is also included. Beneatha: No . Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. She's even able to participate in expensive hobbies such as acting lessons, guitar lessons, and horseback riding, despite the fact that her family could use the money for more important things, such as getting a bigger place. In this scene, Beneatha is being sarcastic by apologizing to her brother for having dreams of becoming a doctor because Walter Lee doesn't realistically think it can happen. Ace your assignments with our guide to A Raisin in the Sun! 'A Raisin In The Sun' is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that first appeared on Broadway in 1959. How does Walter lose the insurance money? A monologue from the play by Lorraine Hansberry This play focuses on the Youngers, an African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." In the story "A Raisin in the sun" the author Lorraine Hansberry shows how a family is changed by the lust of money. 3 chapters | The monologue comes shortly after Beneatha learns that her brother has lost the money that was set aside for her to go to medical school. Well, as a Black woman from a poor neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago in the 1950s, this dream is anything but normal. She tells him to put $3,000 in a savings account for. Her husband, James Burke, later sold a house to Carl Hansberry (Lorraine's father), when he changed his mind about the validity of the covenant. Beneatha and her dialogue comes across as somewhat ungrateful and self-centered What do you want from me, Brother- that I quit school or just drop dead, which? With pride and excitement , Beneatha wears the robe from Asagai, plays African music, tries to imitate a tribal dance, and become conscious of her natural hair. She tries out horse riding and then she wants to learn to play the guitar. reserved. There was disagreement with how it should be played, with the focus on the mother or on the son. Beneatha replies, "Bad? Beneatha is angry with Walter for losing the money and ruining her dream, so she responds sarcastically to Ruth for insinuating that Walter does not deserve to receive the brunt of Beneatha's anger. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs A Raisin In The Sun Essay . Walter forces the man to leave without accepting the offer. Beneatha: Me! the theme of interracial marriage between Beneatha and Joseph Asagai in A Raisin in the Sun can be viewed as a testimony of self-assertion, new freedom and a positive step towards black identity" (Berrain152-59). She is at her happiest with Asagai, her Nigerian boyfriend, who has nicknamed her Alaiyo, which means One for Whom BreadFoodIs Not Enough. She is at her most depressed and angry with George, her pompous, affluentboyfriend. A musical version of the play, Raisin, ran on Broadway from October 18, 1973, to December 7, 1975. What is Mamas greatest dream for her family? Asagai explains that the money was never Beneatha's in the first place, and it is wrong that her dream depended on her father's death. Historical Context - information about the period, the place, and the events that. insurance payment to Walter. Nonetheless, he will try because that is how progress has always been made. A revival ran on Broadway at the Royale Theatre from April 26, 2004, to July 11, 2004[14] with the following cast: The director was Kenny Leon, and David Binder and Vivek Tiwary were producers. (including. The story tells of a black family's experiences in south Chicago, as they attempt to improve their financial circumstances with an insurance payout following the death of the father, and deals with matters of housing discrimination, racism, and assimilation. Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun is set in a one-bedroom apartment shared by three generations of the Younger family: Walter and Ruth, their son Travis, Walter's sister Beneatha, and their mother Lena. Walter and Ruth Younger, their son Travis, along with Walter's mother Lena (Mama) and Walter's younger sister Beneatha, live in poverty in a run-down two-bedroom apartment on Chicago's South Side. Beneatha is an intellectual who attends college and intends on going to medical school to become a doctor. Beneatha and her brother share this common trait of putting money above other things, although Beneatha does this much more secretly, she takes Mama for granted because of all the money they got and when she finds out what Walter did with the money she gave up on her dreams. Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun stands apart from the rest of the family. LitCharts Teacher Editions. While she earlier blames him for his shoddy investing and questions his manhood, she eventually recognizes his strength, a sign that she has become able to appreciate him. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Later in the morning Beneatha, the younger sister of Walter, initiates a conflict by speaking in an unacceptable manner about God seemingly rejecting values that have . To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. . This movement is known as the Great Migration. 17 Mama (Lena), is the main role model for this theme. She feels hopeless and powerless to improve the situation and feels Walter Lee's bad decision has ripped away her dreams. We learn that she "flits" from one expensive hobby to another as her mood dictates, even though it often seems that the family could use the money spent on Beneatha's horseback riding, her camera equipment, her acting lessons, and her guitar lessons for other, more financially relevant things. Mama, Walter, and Beneatha in the 1959 production of the play. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Home | A RAISIN IN THE SUN Monologue (Beneatha). . . After World War II and the creation of the suburbs outside major metropolitan areas, the idea of the . Walter redeems himself and black pride at the end by changing his mind and not accepting the buyout offer, stating that the family is proud of who they are and will try to be good neighbors. This version restores the character of Mrs Johnson and a number of scenes that were cut from the Broadway production and subsequent film, with the following cast:[22], The play opened on April 6, 2017, at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., directed by Tazewell Thompson, with the following cast:[23], The 2010 Bruce Norris play Clybourne Park depicts the white family that sold the house to the Youngers. Beneatha is a twenty year-old college student with dreams of going to medical school and becoming a doctor. (P. 82) Me and Beneatha still have to share our room (P. 85) Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses.