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Analysis Of A Raisin In The Sun

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A Raisin in the Sun, became the first drama written and produced by an African- American to be played on Broadway, reflecting the issues that not only blacks faced but the American people. Lorraine Hansberry, precisely projects the struggle of the Youngers, a poor African American family living on the South Side of Chicago. They live in a one-bedroom apartment where the building is run down, battered, and roach infested. An opportunity to escape from poverty comes from a life insurance check that Lena Younger (Mama) receives upon her husband’s death. This tragedy raises hope for a family that has a lot of ideas and dreams for the future. Lena's children Walter and Beneatha each have their own plans for the money. The oldest son Walter wants to invest in a liquor store. The younger sister Beneatha, currently a college student, wants to use the money for medical school. However, Mama has plans to buy a house for the family and finance Beneatha's medical school. The Younger family goes through several conflicts involving the money, but the scene closes with the family finally moving out of the apartment to a better, primarily white neighborhood, where despite negative reactions from their soon to be neighbors, they will hopefully start a better life. A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, portrays the reality of housing segregation in the play's plot, authorial time as well as in modern time. Commotion immediately occurred when Mama makes the decision to move into this house in Clybourne Park, an entirely white neighborhood. Ruth (Walters wife) mentions to Mama " Clybourne Park? Mama, there aint no colored people living in Clybourne Park"(Hansberry, 980). This statement indicates the separation of racial group in the play. When the Youngers’ future neighbors find out that the Youngers are moving in, they send Mr. Lindner, from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association, to offer the Youngers money if they agree to not move in this area. Mama's reasoning of moving into Clybourne Park wasn’t because it was a white area but because of the cost and quality of the house. Mama mentioned, “Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other

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