“A Raisin in the Sun” is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry. It tells the story of a 1950’s African-American family, the Youngers, living on the South Side of Chicago. As the play begins, many themes could arguably be considered the most important. Each one speaks to an important part of sociology, and even American history. Dreams are coming to fruition for many members of the play, and the characters show how important it can be, throughout their discourse, to follow those dreams. The importance of family is also evident throughout Hansberry’s play, as we see Walter Younger struggle between his personal dreams of being wealthy and being a decent provider for his immediate and extended family. Deeper than these themes, however, is the evident need for the Youngers to use their circumstances to fight against racial discrimination.
As Beneatha Younger dreams of going to medical school to become a doctor, the new patriarch of the Younger household, Walter, contemplates how he will feed his family while wallowing in squalor. During the 1950’s, especially in overly populated urban areas such as Chicago’s south side, survival was a common issue for African-American families . Walter’s mother, having received the life insurance money for her recently deceased husband, attempts to decide how she will spend the money, eventually deciding to buy a house as her late husband had always dreamed. Mama, the matriarch of the Younger home, demands that every member of the family take pride in him or herself and foster their dreams. She encourages Beneatha to indulge in her African heritage, but also follow her dreams to be a medical student. Her son Walter, however, disappoints her as a patriarch when he requests to use the life insurance money in order to open a liquor store. Mama recognizes this is not Walter’s dream, but rather a get-rich-quick-scheme and continuously attempts to show him that the fight against racial discrimination, even though the struggle of poverty, is more important than being rich .
Despite what each Younger would rather use the life insurance money toward, i.e. school and a liquor store, Mama decides to buy a permanent residence in a predominantly white neighborhood. During the time of the Civil Rights Movement, or the 1950’s it was common for Caucasians do uncouthly reject these notions . True to form, the chosen neighborhood’s Clybourne Park Improvement Association decide Mr. Lindner should visit the Youngers, persuading them into moving somewhere besides the all-white neighborhood they have chosen. Mr. Lindner and the Clybourne residents show that the majority of this time was only able to see the Younger’s skin. His later offer to bribe them not only threatens to break apart the family, but also the values for which Mama has attempted to instill in her children, daughter-in-law, and grandson. Bribes and other rude attempts to deter “undesirable” neighbors from moving into certain neighborhoods were common for this time . The reader sees at this point in the play how, though they are being judged harshly for being black, they are a family of morals and values that are threatened due to societal constraints based upon their race. Essentially, the only way the Youngers would remain a solid family unit would be to fight the racial discrimination so blatantly proposed by Mr. Lindner and the Clybourne neighborhood.
Fortunately, for the Younger family, Mama has instilled excellent morals in Walter. He rises to the forefront of the family as a strong and willful patriarch, allowing the family to move together as a unit. The family then meets the proposed discrimination with equal defiance. Walter rejects opening a liquor store, following through with moving his African American family into the all why neighborhood of Clybourne, much to the chagrin of his neighbors. Thanks to this action, Walter and his family demonstrate that the only efficient way to deal with racial discrimination, and to gain respect from those who believe they own you is to face the discrimination head on, rather than let them pass unnoticed or unpunished.
I sum, though there are many themes throughout this play that are very important, the most important, and the strongest, is the theme that speaks against racial discrimination. The family’s matriarch encourages them all to follow their dreams and be who they want to be, or do what they want to do with their lives. However, after living a life of poverty, she is forced to make a difficult decision concerning her son Walter when he attempts to convince her that his dream is to open a liquor store with the money she has. Fortunately, Mama is able to see that Walter is just desperate to act as a successful patriarch for the Younger family, and she denies him the money, choosing to buy a house in a safe, all-white neighborhood. Unfortunately, for the Younger family, the neighborhood does not willing accept them, sending Mr. Lindner to persuade them to move somewhere else. Walter is met with a decision; he can be a weak or a strong patriarch in this moment. He chooses to be strong, and to be like his father. He chooses a life of struggle and poverty in order to honor his mother’s wishes but, more importantly, to show Mr. Lindner and the other white people in Clybourne neighborhood racial discrimination is unacceptable. They are an African American family, but should be judged by the color of their skin; they should be judged by their morals and willingness to stand up for what is right in the face of the majority.
References
A Raisin in the Sun. By Lorraine Hansberry. 11 March 1959. Play.
Baldwin, James. "If Black English Isn't a Language, Tell Me What Is?" The New York Times 29 July 1979: 1-3. Article.
Davis, Angela Y. Women, Race, and Class. New York City: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2011.
Johnson, Valerie C. Black Power in the Suburbs: The Myth or Reality of African American Suburban Political Incorporation. New York: SUNY Press, 2012. Book.
