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A raisin in the sun

A Raisin in the Sun: Summary, Themes, and Characters

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A Raisin in the Sun: Summary, Themes, and Characters
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wasser

@wasserflasche

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A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a powerful drama exploring the dreams and struggles of an African-American family in 1950s Chicago. The play examines themes of racial discrimination, family conflict, and the pursuit of a better life.

Key points:

  • Written between 1950-1958 during the Civil Rights era
  • Set in a Chicago ghetto apartment
  • Follows the Younger family as they await a life-changing insurance check
  • Explores conflicts over how to use the money to improve their lives
  • Deals with issues of racial segregation, African identity, and generational differences
  • Title comes from Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" about deferred dreams

7.12.2022

8327

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry was a groundbreaking African-American playwright and civil rights activist.

Key facts:

  • Born May 19, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois
  • First Black playwright and youngest American to win New York Critics Circle Award
  • Actively involved in civil rights movement
  • Died January 12, 1965 in New York

Highlight: Hansberry's work in A Raisin in the Sun was pioneering, as she was the first Black woman to have a play produced on Broadway.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Historical Context

The play is set against the backdrop of significant social and cultural changes in post-World War II America.

Key aspects of the era:

  • 1950s America as global economic and political power
  • Deep social divisions and racial injustice despite national prosperity
  • Dominant cultural forces: capitalism, mass production, consumerism, materialism
  • Growing civil rights movement for African-American equality

Example: The play critiques American materialism through Beneatha's rejection of George's shallowness and emphasis on material wealth.

Highlight: A Raisin in the Sun reflects the growing questioning of American society that would lead to the civil rights movement.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Harlem Renaissance

The play is influenced by the cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance.

Key points:

  • Also called 'New Negro Movement' or 'Black Renaissance'
  • Social, cultural, and artistic movement of African-American writers and artists (1920-1930)
  • Emphasized African heritage of Black Americans
  • Fostered collective approach to creative endeavors

Definition: The Harlem Renaissance was a period of cultural revival and artistic expression among African-Americans centered in Harlem, New York.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Society and Politics

The play reflects the social and political realities of mid-20th century America.

Key issues:

  • Racial segregation in housing, education, and public spaces
  • Segregated ethnic neighborhoods
  • Great Migration of African-Americans from South to North

Vocabulary: Great Migration - The movement of millions of African-Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West during the 20th century.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Pan-Africanism: African-Americans and Africa

The play explores the complex relationship between African-Americans and their African heritage.

Key points:

  • Pan-Africanism as a movement to unite people of African descent
  • Varied and complex relationships towards Africa among characters
  • Represented through contrasting views of George, Asagai, Beneatha, Mama, and Walter Lee

Definition: Pan-Africanism is an ideology and movement promoting unity among people of African descent worldwide.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

About the Title

The title "A Raisin in the Sun" is derived from Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem."

Key points:

  • Poem explores the fate of deferred dreams
  • Title metaphor: a dream deferred may dry up "like a raisin in the sun"
  • Reflects the play's themes of frustrated hopes and aspirations

Quote: "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / Like a raisin in the sun?" - Langston Hughes, "Harlem"

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Structure

The play follows a classic dramatic structure:

  1. Setup: Act I, Scene I
  2. Plot Point 1: Act I, Scene II & Act II, Scene I
  3. Midpoint: Act II, Scene II
  4. Plot Point 2: Act II, Scene III
  5. Climax: Act III
  6. Resolution: Act III

Highlight: This structure allows for a gradual build-up of tension and conflict throughout the play.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Act I, Scene 1 Summary

The play opens on a Friday morning as the Younger family awaits an insurance check following the death of Lena's husband.

Key events:

  • Ruth and Walter argue about his plan to invest in a liquor store
  • Walter and Beneatha clash over her medical school ambitions and money
  • Family debates Beneatha's self-expression and rejection of traditional values

Highlight: This scene establishes the central conflicts and dreams of each character that will drive the plot forward.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Act I, Scene 2 Summary

Set on Saturday morning, this scene deepens the family's conflicts and introduces new complications.

Key events:

  • Ruth discovers she is pregnant and considers abortion
  • Asagai visits, bringing Nigerian culture into the household
  • The insurance check arrives, sparking conflict over how to use the money
  • Lena refuses to invest in Walter's liquor store plan
  • Ruth confirms her intention to have an abortion

Quote: "Money is life." - Walter Lee Younger

Highlight: This scene intensifies the conflict between Walter's materialistic dreams and Lena's more traditional values.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Öffnen

Act II, Scene 1 Summary

This scene introduces new characters and reveals Lena's decision about the insurance money.

Key events:

  • George Murchison visits the family
  • Walter and George argue, highlighting their different values
  • Mama reveals she has bought a house in a white neighborhood

Highlight: Lena's decision to buy a house in a white neighborhood sets the stage for future conflicts and explores themes of racial integration.

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A raisin in the sun

A Raisin in the Sun: Summary, Themes, and Characters

user profile picture

wasser

@wasserflasche

·

272 Follower

Follow

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a powerful drama exploring the dreams and struggles of an African-American family in 1950s Chicago. The play examines themes of racial discrimination, family conflict, and the pursuit of a better life.

Key points:

  • Written between 1950-1958 during the Civil Rights era
  • Set in a Chicago ghetto apartment
  • Follows the Younger family as they await a life-changing insurance check
  • Explores conflicts over how to use the money to improve their lives
  • Deals with issues of racial segregation, African identity, and generational differences
  • Title comes from Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" about deferred dreams

7.12.2022

8327

 

10/11

 

Englisch

292

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry was a groundbreaking African-American playwright and civil rights activist.

Key facts:

  • Born May 19, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois
  • First Black playwright and youngest American to win New York Critics Circle Award
  • Actively involved in civil rights movement
  • Died January 12, 1965 in New York

Highlight: Hansberry's work in A Raisin in the Sun was pioneering, as she was the first Black woman to have a play produced on Broadway.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Historical Context

The play is set against the backdrop of significant social and cultural changes in post-World War II America.

Key aspects of the era:

  • 1950s America as global economic and political power
  • Deep social divisions and racial injustice despite national prosperity
  • Dominant cultural forces: capitalism, mass production, consumerism, materialism
  • Growing civil rights movement for African-American equality

Example: The play critiques American materialism through Beneatha's rejection of George's shallowness and emphasis on material wealth.

Highlight: A Raisin in the Sun reflects the growing questioning of American society that would lead to the civil rights movement.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Harlem Renaissance

The play is influenced by the cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance.

Key points:

  • Also called 'New Negro Movement' or 'Black Renaissance'
  • Social, cultural, and artistic movement of African-American writers and artists (1920-1930)
  • Emphasized African heritage of Black Americans
  • Fostered collective approach to creative endeavors

Definition: The Harlem Renaissance was a period of cultural revival and artistic expression among African-Americans centered in Harlem, New York.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Society and Politics

The play reflects the social and political realities of mid-20th century America.

Key issues:

  • Racial segregation in housing, education, and public spaces
  • Segregated ethnic neighborhoods
  • Great Migration of African-Americans from South to North

Vocabulary: Great Migration - The movement of millions of African-Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West during the 20th century.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Pan-Africanism: African-Americans and Africa

The play explores the complex relationship between African-Americans and their African heritage.

Key points:

  • Pan-Africanism as a movement to unite people of African descent
  • Varied and complex relationships towards Africa among characters
  • Represented through contrasting views of George, Asagai, Beneatha, Mama, and Walter Lee

Definition: Pan-Africanism is an ideology and movement promoting unity among people of African descent worldwide.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

About the Title

The title "A Raisin in the Sun" is derived from Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem."

Key points:

  • Poem explores the fate of deferred dreams
  • Title metaphor: a dream deferred may dry up "like a raisin in the sun"
  • Reflects the play's themes of frustrated hopes and aspirations

Quote: "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / Like a raisin in the sun?" - Langston Hughes, "Harlem"

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Structure

The play follows a classic dramatic structure:

  1. Setup: Act I, Scene I
  2. Plot Point 1: Act I, Scene II & Act II, Scene I
  3. Midpoint: Act II, Scene II
  4. Plot Point 2: Act II, Scene III
  5. Climax: Act III
  6. Resolution: Act III

Highlight: This structure allows for a gradual build-up of tension and conflict throughout the play.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Act I, Scene 1 Summary

The play opens on a Friday morning as the Younger family awaits an insurance check following the death of Lena's husband.

Key events:

  • Ruth and Walter argue about his plan to invest in a liquor store
  • Walter and Beneatha clash over her medical school ambitions and money
  • Family debates Beneatha's self-expression and rejection of traditional values

Highlight: This scene establishes the central conflicts and dreams of each character that will drive the plot forward.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Act I, Scene 2 Summary

Set on Saturday morning, this scene deepens the family's conflicts and introduces new complications.

Key events:

  • Ruth discovers she is pregnant and considers abortion
  • Asagai visits, bringing Nigerian culture into the household
  • The insurance check arrives, sparking conflict over how to use the money
  • Lena refuses to invest in Walter's liquor store plan
  • Ruth confirms her intention to have an abortion

Quote: "Money is life." - Walter Lee Younger

Highlight: This scene intensifies the conflict between Walter's materialistic dreams and Lena's more traditional values.

A Raisin in the sun #F TABLE OF CONTENTS General informations → Lorraine Hansberry → Historical context About the title → Structure → Summar

Act II, Scene 1 Summary

This scene introduces new characters and reveals Lena's decision about the insurance money.

Key events:

  • George Murchison visits the family
  • Walter and George argue, highlighting their different values
  • Mama reveals she has bought a house in a white neighborhood

Highlight: Lena's decision to buy a house in a white neighborhood sets the stage for future conflicts and explores themes of racial integration.

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Nichts passendes dabei? Erkunde andere Fachbereiche.

Knowunity ist die #1 unter den Bildungs-Apps in fünf europäischen Ländern

Knowunity wurde bei Apple als "Featured Story" ausgezeichnet und hat die App-Store-Charts in der Kategorie Bildung in Deutschland, Italien, Polen, der Schweiz und dem Vereinigten Königreich regelmäßig angeführt. Werde noch heute Mitglied bei Knowunity und hilf Millionen von Schüler:innen auf der ganzen Welt.

Ranked #1 Education App

Laden im

Google Play

Laden im

App Store

Knowunity ist die #1 unter den Bildungs-Apps in fünf europäischen Ländern

4.9+

Durchschnittliche App-Bewertung

15 M

Schüler:innen lieben Knowunity

#1

In Bildungs-App-Charts in 12 Ländern

950 K+

Schüler:innen haben Lernzettel hochgeladen

Immer noch nicht überzeugt? Schau dir an, was andere Schüler:innen sagen...

iOS User

Ich liebe diese App so sehr, ich benutze sie auch täglich. Ich empfehle Knowunity jedem!! Ich bin damit von einer 4 auf eine 1 gekommen :D

Philipp, iOS User

Die App ist sehr einfach und gut gestaltet. Bis jetzt habe ich immer alles gefunden, was ich gesucht habe :D

Lena, iOS Userin

Ich liebe diese App ❤️, ich benutze sie eigentlich immer, wenn ich lerne.