"A Raisin in the Sun" is a classic movie that explores themes of family, race, and the American Dream. The film is based on a play of the same name by Lorraine Hansberry, and follows the story of the Youngers, an African American family living in the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. The movie centers around the family's efforts to use an insurance payout to improve their living situation and achieve their dreams.
At the start of the movie, the Youngers are living in a small, cramped apartment, and are struggling to make ends meet. The family is made up of Mama, the matriarch of the family; Walter Lee, her son; Beneatha, her daughter; and Ruth, Walter's wife. Mama is the only one in the family who has a steady income, as she works as a domestic servant for a wealthy white family.
The movie begins with the news that the family has received a $10,000 insurance payout following the death of Mama's husband. This payout represents a chance for the Youngers to improve their living situation and pursue their dreams. Each member of the family has a different idea of how to use the money, and this leads to conflicts and tensions within the family.
Walter Lee, who works as a chauffeur, dreams of using the money to start his own business. He sees the payout as a chance to escape the cycle of poverty and become financially successful. Beneatha, meanwhile, wants to use the money to pay for medical school and become a doctor. Mama, however, has a different vision for the money. She wants to use it to buy a house in a better neighborhood, where the family can have more space and a better quality of life.
As the family debates how to use the money, they are also faced with the issue of race. Mama and Beneatha are proud of their African American heritage, and they want to use the money to invest in their community. Walter Lee, on the other hand, feels that he has been held back by his race, and he wants to use the money to escape it. This tension between pride in one's heritage and the desire to assimilate into mainstream society is a central theme of the movie.
Ultimately, the Youngers decide to use the money to buy a house in a white neighborhood. This decision is met with resistance from the community, who do not want African Americans moving into their neighborhood. The Youngers are faced with the choice of either backing down or standing up for their rights. In the end, they decide to stand their ground and buy the house, even though it means facing discrimination and hardship.
"A Raisin in the Sun" is a powerful and moving movie that tackles important themes of family, race, and the American Dream. The film is a poignant reminder of the struggles that African Americans have faced, and the resilience and determination they have shown in the face of adversity. It is a must-see for anyone interested in these themes, and a valuable addition to any film library.
Quiz & Worksheet
Some people felt physically threatened when they moved into a neighborhood where they were unwelcome. And his woman say … Your eggs is getting cold! What difference does it make if my ancestors came from Japan or Ghana or Sweden or wherever? How does she accomplish this? Step 1: Specific EXAMPLES of Racism: What does racism look, sound, or feel like? It used to be so important to me. What is the legacy long term result of this concept? Why do you think dialects of the same language exist? I am indebted to them all. Resource Download: A Raisin in the Sun Unit and Materials Get all the lesson plans, slideshows, activity handouts, project pages, and assessments in one package. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio and television broadcasting, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved.
A Raisin in the Sun: Play, Themes & Summary
He was joined at the last by another newcomer, David Cogan, but even with the money in hand, not a single theater owner on the Great White Way would rent to the new production! Johnson and, at times, Walter Lee repulse most people. All this, presumably, because, true to character, she speaks and thinks in the language of her generation, shares their dream of a better life and, like millions of her counterparts, takes her Christianity to heart. Or does it explode? Man say to his woman: I got me a dream. Scene Two: The following morning. RUTH Just hush, I said. See the progress your students make while they are reading! Challenge students to sympathize as Walter Lee struggles with his expectations of life. I mean, after all in the past 25 years, the United States of America has seen an African-American presence.
A raisin in the sun worksheets
WALTER Sighing and looking at his watch Oh, me. One person may perceive prejudice in a particular behavior while another may not. It can be seen in the American Playhouse production, and is included here in any case, because it speaks to fundamental issues of the play, makes plain the reality that waits the Youngers at the curtain, and, above all, makes clear what, in the eyes of the author, Lena Younger—in her typicality within the black experience—does and does not represent. He opens the door and signals for his father to make the bathroom in a hurry TRAVIS Watching the bathroom Daddy, come on! For example, two kids argue over the last piece of cake. An African-American family struggles with poverty, racism, and inner conflict as they strive for a better way of life. The second part of the statement encourages students to dig deeper. Money is one of the most important aspects of life, and you can never have too much.
A raisin in the sun movie worksheet
I wanted to cure. A play is like a novel in that it is a narrative with characters, conflicts, themes, and the rest. One of the Best! Thanks for checking out A Raisin in the Sun Pre-reading Activities! But that scene will, I expect, be restored in the videocassette version of the picture, which should be available shortly. Why do people in England, The United States, Australia, and so on, speak differently? The Youngers knew what they were getting into. It is thus an excellent version for study.
