Can I Get Some Advice On My Book Report

“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?”

- Langston Hughe

Lorraine Hansberry made an incredible impact on today’s society. Despite her short life, she was an author and a well-known playwright. She created a total of 16 books including well-known plays. A Raisin In The Sun was the turning point that made her the first black woman to have created a broadway show. The beautiful play that brings segregation to those who don’t see racism in the world, is A Raisin In The Sun. This is one of the strengths of the story, it brings the plight of poverty, racism, and the mistreatment of women into the national spotlight. Why? Life is not always fair and the more we know about it, the better we can advance as a society.

During the exposition, we learn about the Younger family. In the big city of Chicago, they face the reality of racism and hopeless dreams. We are first introduced to Walter and his wife, Ruth, who is frying eggs. Walter, a man of dreams, awaits a check of 10,000’s dollars given from the death of his father. Walter hopes to use the money as an investment and finally get the life and money he and his family deserve. Yet, the money isn’t his, the money goes to Lena ( a.k.a Mama ), who is the mother of Walter and his younger sister Beneatha. On the complete opposite, Mama is content with the money. The decision about the money belongs to Mama, who is the matriarch of the family and Walter does not like this because he wants to be in charge. Have you ever seen a family argue about money?

In the rising action, everyone is eager for the money to arrive. Walter especially, asks and ponders for this check as he hopes it will clear all his worries. As if to implore his mother for the money. “Check coming today?” “They said Saturday and this is just Friday and I hope to God you ain’t going to get up here first thing this morning and start talking to me ‘bout no money - ‘cause I ‘bout don’t want to hear it.” However, others feel differently. Ruth finds that the check will bring goodness like moving and living more comfortably. Benteatha insists the money is Mama’s, but she is also excited about the future of the money. Travis, Walter and Ruth’s son, runs in waving the check in his hands. Walter, out at work, Travis, Ruth, and Beneatha watch with excitement as Mama frees the check from the envelope. In what would be the most exciting part of the story, Mama sighs in disbelief at the 10,000 dollars and then puts the money away. Does money solve ALL problems or does it bring more conflict?

This leads us to the climax or high point of the story. What is the climax? It was when the actions of the plot lead to a moment of decision. During the climax, Mama makes a life-changing decision that will affect the whole Younger family; she purchases a house in Clybourne Park, an all-white neighborhood. The family is excited, thrilled even to finally move into a real house. Walter, however, is indifferent about the purchase. He still tries to convince Mama of investing in the plan, but Mama finally takes off her role in the house and places it on Walter. She gives him the instructions to place the money in an account and to save some for Beneatha for her medical schooling. This is seen as a given chance to Walter. His mind is so focused on money and dreams, he’s paid no focus to the events surrounding him. His wife, who is now pregnant, plans to kill their child, his sister, in the midst of two love lives, his own mother, in the heart of trusting her son. Walter takes the money and promises to fulfill her wishes, but he doesn't. Walter takes the money and puts it into the investment plan with his friends contributing to it. A liquor business, popular and profitable, this was going to be the start of something new he would imagine. It isn’t long before a few days later and Bobo, a friend of Walter participating in the investment, brings the bad news that the money is gone. Willy Harris, the other contributor, ran away with all the money.

“I trusted you. Man, I put my life in your hands. That money is made out of my father’s flesh.” “I had my life staked on this deal, too.” “Son, is it gone? Beneatha’s money too? I saw your father grow thin and old working like somebody’s old horse….killing himself….and you give it all away in a day.”

In the falling action part of the story the Younger family finds out about the loss of the money. All dreams and desires seem to dissipate and moving to the new house no longer seem possible. What was a story of dreams and hopes diminished into sadness and doubt? Karl Linder, a representative of Clybourne park, interrupts the dull and gloomy house of the Youngers. He offers to negotiate with the Younger family as they are no longer in a strong financial position. Linder offers to give them more money than what they paid for originally for the house in Clybourne park. Walter considers it, with his mother only getting older, his wife expecting, and his son’s own personal needs, the offer is tempting. It isn’t until Linder returns a few days later that optimism arrives.

“He finally come into his manhood today, didn’t he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain.”

Suddenly there is a change of heart in Walter. Some will argue this is the moment when Walter becomes a “man.” When Linder arrives, ready to complete the negotiation, Walter is ready to make his final decision.

“We come from people who had a lot of pride,” and he (Walter) concludes, “we have decided to move into our house because my father—my father—he earned it for us brick by brick.”

Despite the risks and what could be/could happen, the Younger family decides to continue the move again.

In the resolution, the Younger family moves into their new home. The story itself was like a storm, in my opinion, sometimes it would pour, sometimes it would sprinkle, and sometimes it would just be a little cloudy. Only at the very end did the clouds separate and the sun shone. I wouldn’t call the ending happy or sad, but peaceful. There was no longer any conflict, it was genuine jubilance. I think that is the best ending a story could ever have, a solid and satisfying ending.

In the story, Walter, Bobo, and Willy originally were going to invest in a liquor store, but the plan goes to an immediate stop when Willy runs with the money, which I believe was a huge turning point in the story. Say Willy stayed and they raised enough money for the liquor store. The Younger family would most likely still have moved regardless, but even if the liquor store was a success or not, it would have affected the rest of the family. Beneatha still could have the chance of not getting her money for medical school and for quite some time they would still be in a financial struggle. The liquor store in some intenses could have led to even more struggles.

In my opinion, the theme of A Raisin in the Sun is Fight, Flight, Freeze or Face the conflict. In A Raisin in the Sun, there are many scenarios where it can seem tempting to “flight” or “freeze” from the situation, or at times even fight because of the stress if a situation is precarious or because of the impact it has on a character. For example, when Ruth planned to get an abortion, she was hesitant and tentative and “flew” from the abortion. However, in the same situation, Ruth “faced” the situation in the belief that by moving she could support the baby. Another theme that I found to be most spoken about was Dream V.S. Dream. In the story, every character has a dream. Beneatha wishes to find her identity and justice, Walter wants to be a wealthy man and not worry to support his family, Mama wants to do the best and right thing for her children, etc. There are many points in the story where some of their dreams no longer seem possible. For example, when Walter lost the insurance money, Beneatha no longer thought it was possible to be a doctor, that it wasn’t enough, it wasn’t “Godly” enough. She no longer cared to pursue her dreams and it wasn’t until Joseph Asagai, a Nigerian man and Beneatha’s later partner convinces her otherwise.

In conclusion, A Raisin in the Sun was a remarkable story that gave the message to never give up but at the same to never expect. Dreams to in fact come true, just not always in the sense of how we want it. It is important to remember that no matter what happens, no matter how tough something may be, always get back and always believe. Because what is worse than never trying if you are so fearful of failing? I found A Raisin in the Sun to be an amazing story and I hope to remember it for a long time.