‘A Raisin in the Sun’ on the outset is about the Younger family, an African American family who struggle against racism and poverty to get out of the ghetto they live in and move into a white suburb. However Hansberry’s play is also filled with other themes such as pride, family, dreams and full of characters who dare to dream beyond their current life. The beauty of the play lies in the fact that it not only focuses on racism but also on poverty. The poverty in their lives affects every member of the Younger family albeit in different ways. Lena and Ruth Younger nourish the others in spite of the poverty, Beneatha dreams big, and Walter tries to get out of it to provide more for his family. Throughout their struggles for lack of money and racial issues, the Younger family sticks together. Poverty does not beat them down but rather makes them strong. Poverty does not afflict the African Americans alone. It affects everyone alike. The treatment of poverty in her work makes it a social critique as well as a timeless work. Thus, while Hansberry’s play explores Racism in America in the 1950’s, she is ultimately more concerned with the struggle against poverty of the Younger family.
The Younger family is headed by Lena Younger, a single mother and grandmother. She had two kids-Beneatha and Walter. Walter is married to Ruth and they have a kid. All five of them live in a two bedroom house in the ghettos of South Chicago. Lena, Beneatha and Walter all dream of moving out of this current space they occupy. The family is poor and they do not want to continue living the same way. Walter has dreams of starting a liquor store so he can more for his family, Lena wants to buy a house so they can move into a better neighborhood and Beneatha dreams of becoming a doctor. Their dreams are however difficult to achieve because of their socioeconomic and racial status. In a sense, the Younger family is not only constrained by physical space but also the position they occupy in society due to the color of their skin and lack of money. Poverty affects the characters in different ways. Walter is the worst affected as he sees himself as the provider for the family. When his son asks money for class and Ruth tells him there is no money, Walter says, “In fact, here’s another fifty centsBuy yourself some fruit today – or take a taxicab to school or something ( Hansberry 1.1.59).” Even though the family is poor and money is tight around the house, Walter does not want his son to feel by it. He wants his son to have everything he needs and everything that Walter never could have. Walter dreams on day of being able to provide more for his family and does not want his son to be constrained by the lack of money. His wife Ruth however has a different attitude to money and poverty. When her son asks her for fifty cents for class, she says, “Well, I ain’t got no fifty cents this morningI don’t care what teacher say. I ain’t got it. Eat your breakfast, Travis ( Hansberry 1.1.28).” Although she loves her son as much as Walter does, she is more practical in nature. Even though she cannot afford the fifty cents, she insists that Travis eats his breakfast. Unlike Walter who is constantly worried about money and wants to change his situation, Ruth is content with what she has and tries to make ends meet with what is given to her. She wants her family to be happy and does not dream big. Poverty has made her resilient. Contrary to the stereotyping of black women, the women in the play are all strong, hardworking and try to do everything that is good for the family. Even though Walter is not kind to Ruth all the time and at times is downright rude to her, she not only puts up with him but supports him in whatever he does.
Lena Younger too is affected by the poverty around her. Although like Ruth she is practical, she too decided to get out of their poverty once the money comes. She goes ahead with it by buying a house in a more affluent suburb. Moving out of their current home is not only about the change in a physical location for her but also about a change in their socio-economic status. She no longer wants her family to be at the bottom rung of the social class. She wants them to move out and wants her children to have a better life than the one that she had. Lena has a plant that grows in spite of the lack of sunlight. She tends it with care. The plant is a symbol of her life and the care she gives her children. Just as the plant has little sunlight to grow her children have little money to realize their dream. But Lena does not let lack of money come in their way. She nourishes them as well as their dreams. She too does not want poverty to stand in their way. When Lena learns about the money coming in she immediately plans for a better future for Walter as well as Beneatha. When Walter loses the money in a liquor scam she gets angry like any mother would. She hits him but later on, the family stands united. Lack of money again does not come in between them. Beneatha seems to be the least affected by the poverty in her house. She is dreamy and flits between making choices in life. She tries horse riding, photography, play acting and also wants to become a doctor. Her family however find it hard to support her. In her progressiveness she seems to have forgotten the realities of her poverty stricken life. Her various interests cost her family money but she is determined to follow her heart and decides to do what she wants. Even when Walter asks her to do nursing, she is determined to become a doctor. For a while it seems that Beneatha tries to be something that she isn’t. She sees a guy who is rich and also tries to assimilate into the white world by doing her hair like them and dressing up like them. It is only towards the end that Beneatha goes through a transformation. She finds her true identity and becomes more responsible. She understands that her family is willing to struggle again if it means getting out of the place they were in earlier.
Since the family has had to suffer for so long with very little money, it is easy to imagine them collapsing when Walter loses his money in the liquor store scam. They come to a situation where Beneatha has no money for her college and they need to sell the house to have money. But even amidst their poverty and the disappointment of losing money, they maintain their dignity. They do not collapse as individuals or as a family. They stay together, decide to move into the new house and face life head on. The poverty in their lives in just about the lack of finances and not a poverty of spirit or the willingness to fight and face challenges.
The play showcases the reality of racism in the lives of the Younger family. Their problems aren’t over even after buying a house. But aside from the racism, Hansberry in her play also talks about the effects of poverty on a family. Together with race, it is also a lack of money that affects these characters deeply. Their dreams are different versions of trying to get out of their poverty. Hansberry’s play however has a positive note as the main characters do not let poverty get the better of them. Lena and Ruth are the ‘fighting women’ who are practical and work hard to nourish their family in spite of the poverty that surrounds them. Walter is a dreamer and also a hard worker who wants his family to have a better life. And finally Beneatha who has never let poverty come in between her and her dreams. Even while dealing with universal themes of racism and poverty, Hansberry also talks about a family and its struggle in the face of poverty.
Works Cited
Hansberry, Lorraine. “A Raisin in the Sun”. taghawaii.net. n.d Web. 31 Mar 2016.
