Term Paper on "Raisin in the Sun"

Term Paper 5 pages (2331 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Raisin in the Sun was written by Lorraine Hansberry, an African-American writer, basing on the experience of her family of migration to Chicago suburbs. (a Raisin in the Sun: WebQuest) the author discloses a hard-working, honest African-American family harassed to make their dreams come true. (the Human Experience of a Dream Deferred) the primary attributes are concerned with several social concerns that supplements to the dejection as they attempts to fulfill their dreams. (a Raisin in the Sun: WebQuest) the presentation of the story mainly concerns with the changes that are emerging within the Younger family being set sometimes between World War II and released in 1961. (the EFC Review: A Raisin in the Sun) Each of the characters of 'A Raisin in the Sun' was having a dream for attainment of which they sacrificed whole of their happiness and livelihood. (the Human Experience of a Dream Deferred) Lena Younger who is the mother is the widow and a successor of five generations of slaves and sharecroppers in the nation. The deceased father of the family left behind a ten thousand dollar insurance policy. Such money results in a conflict in the changing morals for Lena Younger and her two grown up children, namely Walter and Beneatha. (the EFC Review: A Raisin in the Sun) in this paper, we shall deal with the character of Beneatha Younger.

The portrayal of Beneatha Younger represents the best-educated member of the Younger family. (the EFC Review: A Raisin in the Sun) Beneatha Younger entails the 'Raisin' with a significant circumstance. (Raisin stands test of time, remarkable as ever) Beneath is a college going student and sometimes tells of finding out her cultural identity. (Movie details: A Raisin in the Sun) Beneatha made her hair dressed in a natural Afro style and is involved in dating a rich boy from Nigeria, who could open her mind to an extensive African heritage. (Theater Review: Raisin in the Sun) the twenty-year-old educated beneath portrays a prospect of freethinking and independent black American women. She is not bothered about her marriage with anybody. Dressed with newly cropped up hair and trousers, she strongly emphasizes not to be an assimilationist. In contrast to the domestic background of family politics, the character of Beneatha Younger fixes up the extensive social rivalry along with assimilation and ghettoisation. She does not want to assimilate, but want to lead a peaceful and steady life. (a Raisin in the Sun: Lyric Hammersmith) the struggle of Beneatha for her identity and independence is better illustrated in her interactions with her suitors- the rich, phony George Muchison and the suave Joseph Asagai. (Raisin stands test of time, remarkable as ever)

The modern thoughts of Beneatha are occasionally on a crash course with that of her traditional mother. Beneatha was of the opinion that her mother should tend to understand people deep beyond their grounds. (Theater Review: Raisin in the Sun) the matter crops out in scene I when Beneatha tells her Christian Mama that she does not have faith in God and disappoints her. She is aggressive, screechy and fresh, and Lena slaps her in a rage when she reveals there is no God. (a Raisin in the Sun: A Vivid Saga of Black Life in the 50's: Broadway Revival Evokes a Chicago Family's Dreams) Beneatha feels since she is educated and is learning about new ideas that are shaping in her world during that time and that she understands better than her family, who is living in a varied generation. Mama puts her in place, when she reveals there are some ideas that she is not going to have in this house, so long as she is not the head of that family. The characteristic variations of Beneatha and Mama are quite evident in their portrayal. Beneatha tells with an educated English dialogue where as her mama tells with a slurred, broken English dialect. (Analysis of Raisin in the Sun)

Beneatha fixes high goals to be a doctor, and does not feel she requires to settle down so rapidly, where as her Mama at her age had not scope for dreaming so higher or to wait to settle down. Mama, but seems to be better off since she has learned to make due with what little she had and appreciates materials more than her daughter, who has her rope at the cleaners and an expensive riding habit which she does not use anymore, just hanging in her closet. Beneatha is immature and has been blemished and therefore, she is not yet aware of the true significance in life and she does not appreciate what her family is doing for her. If she did, then she would have engaged herself in a part time job assisting her family to confront the financial situation. From this angle, the character of Beneatha is said to have been criticized. (Analysis of Raisin in the Sun)

Beneatha aims of becoming a doctor cropped up from the remote experience of childhood where a playmate insured himself while sledding, but only a doctor could save him, leaving only a small scare as a mark of their accident. This left Beneatha with the firm determination to go for medicine. (the Human Experience of a Dream Deferred) Beneatha necessitates at the minimum some of the money to fulfill her coveted dream of becoming the first professional in the family. (the EFC Review: A Raisin in the Sun) Beneatha's mother instructs Walter, her brother, to keep apart some money for medical education of Beneatha out of the ten thousand dollar insurance policy received and the rest into a checking account for himself. Walter, however, desperately dreaming of becoming rich on foolish means parts the money for investment by his friend on a liquor store. Walter Lee thinks of the money to be the passport of extricating out of the lower middle class existence to which the family is stuck into for such a long period of time. Walter thinks of utilizing some of the money so as to provide a better living for his family. (the American Dream)

There is a strong argument between Walter and Beneatha about the utilization of money. (Analysis of Raisin in the Sun) There are much tension and misunderstandings between Walter and Beneatha and cannot understand why she need to a doctor and advises her to be a nurse, which is the usual practice of women in those days. He thus has a traditional mindset whereas his sister wants to progress in life. This is where the clash begins between them. Walter cannot confirm to the idea that girls need to have better higher education like men and they also need to get ahead in life. (a Raisin in the Sun: A Vivid Saga of Black Life in the 50's: Broadway Revival Evokes a Chicago Family's Dreams) Walter quarrels with Beneatha since she acts like she does not bother if her mama provides her some money for schooling; however, she is confident of getting that as she has received everything that she asked for earlier. Beneatha is not bothered as much as her brother is about the money and acts all just revealing that money belongs to Mama and it is up to her to decide as to the way she desires to utilize it. It is understood that Mama, of course, puts some money away for Beneatha, but is not sure if she should assist the fulfillment of the dream of her son since it is associated with liquor and Mama does not want to have to answer to God when she dies. (Analysis of Raisin in the Sun)

The impediments of Beneatha differed extensively from that of both Walter and Lena. Firstly, Beneatha is only twenty years of age and pretty. Women like Beneatha were anticipated to marry and rear children and not to be a doctor or pursue any education beyond the High School. Secondly, the acute innocence of Beneatha towards the environment around her influences her perceptions of her family and Asagai actions and words. When Beneatha becomes aware of the loss of the money by Walter, she is in a dilemma whether she will ever be a doctor. Mama confirms her that she will, if God is willing. Beneatha reacts by atheistic attitude. The postponement of her dream leads her faith to aggravate like a sting and then vanish. The faith of Beneatha had not wavered before, but presently that all she has ever desirous of was insecurely lynching in the balance. She mockingly refers to the grave errors committed by her brother and questions if God exists and it may be man who performs miracles. Beneath feels that what she has coveted for since her childhood has been stolen from her. Such burden of doubt droops like a heavy load. However, Joseph Asagai brings out a solution of taking her to Nigeria and becoming a doctor there, that fulfils both her dreams of realizing her African heritage and becoming a physician. (the Human… READ MORE

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