Analysis of the title of the play “A Raisin in the Sun”
Introduction
The title of the play, “A Raisin in the Sun” has in depth meaning based on the literal outlook. First, we can look at the meaning of Raisin. A raisin is a dried grape. So, when we look at dried grapes, when left in the sun, the probability is that they will get worse in such a way that, a person might not admire them. The title thus has a direct connection to the story which is about dreams and realizing them in life. Many times, people often forget about their dreams letting distractions come on their way thus hindering their development and ability to actualize what they want.
The title of the play can be connected to the theme and the overall plot of the play. The author realized the importance of connecting the title to the play to achieve the need for the audience to gain a clue of the play even before viewing it. The title thus plays a vital role in understanding the play and connecting the audience to the themes and the plot (Charles Washington 30).
According to the play, the main themes connect directly to the title thus presenting a clear understanding of the play. When dreams are left unrealized, they get dried up like a raisin in the sun. The main themes of the play that connect directly to the title include;
Value and Purpose of Dreams
In the play, the main characters are struggling to survive in their oppressive circumstances that exist in their lives. During their growth, the characters struggle to achieve their dreams and all they focus on is either failure or success in achieving them. The title of the play can be directly related to the poem by Langston Hughes where he writes in the first three lines “what happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up? Like a raisin in the sun?” which pin points the direct relation of the title to the theme of value and purpose of dreams (Langston Hughes 33).
During the struggle of the youngsters, they finally realize the most important dream that they need. The youngsters realized at the end that, family is the most important thing and to unite the family, there needs to be a house which did not exist. The whole concept of their dream was thus actualized after numerous trials that they made with failure. However, if they did not try to make an attempt to actualize their dreams, they probably would have dried up just like “A Raisin in the Sun.” The title of the play thus brings about a direct relation of the play to the literal meaning and deep meaning that comes from the play (Johnson, Greg, Thomas, and Laurence Perrine 12).
Importance of family
According to the play, the youngsters work hard to ensure that they achieve their utmost dream of buying a home. The importance of family is realized and the need to keep each other together comes to the youngsters. As a result, the play shows that everything that they do is driven towards keeping the family united which is necessary. The title of the play thus connects to the importance of the family theme as it shows that the youngsters struggled economically and socially to achieve their dreams and not let the dreams dry up like “A Raisin in the Sun.”
In the struggles of a person, there is a possibility that there will be existence of numerous obstacles that come on the way. However a person has to find a way to deal with the obstacles to achieve the dreams. The title of the play shows what happens when a person does not deal with obstacles preventing their development. Just like, what would happen if a person does not prevent the raisin from facing the full blaze of the sun. The raisin would dry up and become useless in the long run.
The characters struggle to fight racial discrimination that acts as the main obstacle towards achieving their dreams (Robin Bernstein 34). The youngsters stood up against racial discrimination that threatened to tear apart their family when they were persuaded not to move into the all-white Clybourne Park Neighborhood. The characters resisted the move with defiance thus showing that it is important to stand for what you believe in and never allow anything prevent dreams from coming to reality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the relation of the title of the play and the themes covered is seen to be well connected. The play has worked at illustrating the relation between the title and the themes in such a way that the audience can gain a deep understanding of the play and the characters involved in the play. The title “A Raisin in the Sun” developed from its poetic meaning has brought in connection to the theme of dreams, their value and purpose in life as depicted in the play. The characters of the play have also worked in a well-organized manner to ensure the connection is achieved.
Works Cited;
Washington, J. Charles. "A Raisin in the Sun revisited." Black American Literature Forum. Vol. 22. No. 1. St. Louis University, 1988.
Bernstein, Robin. "Inventing a fishbowl: White Supremacy and the critical reception of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun." Modern Drama 42.1 (1999): 16-27.
Hughes, Langston. "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain.” 1926." The Collected Works of Langston Hughes 9 (1773): 31-36.
Johnson, Greg, Thomas R. Arp, and Laurence Perrine. Ap Edition Perrine's Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry. , 2014. Print.
