He's got a conked head A "conked head" refers to a hairstyle adopted by some black men during the forties and early fifties. The poem, called Mother to Son, speaks to the hardships that many African-American families have faced: Well, son, Ill tell you: / Life for me aint been no crystal stair / . Using their new weapons to fight their rulers, they eventually created their own kingdoms in the coastal forests of West Africa, the most powerful of which was that of Benin (present-day Nigeria). Beneatha: No . Nonetheless, while the North did not have laws demanding policies of segregation be followed, discrimination persisted also in the North, leading to segregated housing, education, and employment. Hansberry has the comical character of Mrs. Johnson act as the defender of Booker T. Washington's philosophy, as she says, "I always thinks like Booker T. Washington said that time 'Education has spoiled many a good plow hand.'" alliteration. Copyright 2023 Literary Devices. This A Raisin in the Sun lesson plan asks students to apply their mastery of literary symbolism to unfamiliar poetry. Washington believed strongly that artistic endeavors and intellectual pursuits were not in the best interest of black people trying to emerge from a long period of slavery. Michael Stratford is a National Board-certified and Single Subject Credentialed teacher with a Master of Science in educational rehabilitation (University of Montana, 1995). CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Essays for A Raisin in the Sun (1961 Film) A Raisin in the Sun (1961 Film) essays are academic essays for citation. Mr. Asagai, I am looking for my identity Asagai repeats Beneatha's words to her, poking fun at her desperation to connect with her African heritage. She is the representation of new woman as against the traditional opinion of a female character. "Dry up like a raisin in the sun". In the first scene of the play, we watch him cleverly get what he wants (the fifty cents his teacher has told him to bring to school) from his father after his mother has emphatically stated that they just don't have fifty cents. Mama implies that perhaps her misfortune now is the "due" that her detractors warned her of. Walter's motivation makes all of his dialogue believable and realistic. Full Glossary for A Raisin in the Sun - CliffsNotes She was self-centered at the beginning of the playmaking the family sacrifices their desires to accommodate her expensive hobbies, which keep changing from time to time. And when Mrs. Johnson goes on to say that Washington "was one of our great men," Mama counters, almost angrily, with, "Who said so?" All events that do not relate to the plot are omitted, which distinguishes literary narrative from merely telling a story of events from real life. Whereas Joseph, a Yoruba student teaches Beneatha the rich culture and heritage of her ancestors in Africa and embraces her identity as a black woman. I mean for him: what he been through and what it done to him. Simile. The competing dreams of the Younger family members make them unable to reconcile with each other. The play centers on the Youngers, a working-class family that lives in Chicago's South Side during the mid-twentieth century. Teachers and parents! We aint never been that dead inside. He sees what we cannot, that he is a leader of his people, a great chief, a descendant of Chaka, and that the hour to march has come. Beneatha uses the quote with some pretentiousness to press the point that she knows the Bible from an intellectual point of view but that she does not believe in its religious messages. George wants Beneatha to be more quiet and submissive. It is one of the first plays to portray Black characters, themes, and conflicts in a natural and realistic manner. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Compare and contrast themes from other texts to this theme, The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Race, Discrimination, and Assimilation appears in each scene of. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. During the thirties and forties, the mass exodus of blacks from the south to the northern cities was an attempt to flee segregation injustices, including being forced to ride at the back of buses. In short, Walter is questioning the reasons he cannot live the way his bosses live. asyntedon. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Also, it can't be personification because then it would be describing something that's not a human as one. Poetry Foundation: Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL. The four major groups are the Hausa and Falani people in the north, the Yoruba people in the southwest, and the Ibo people in the southeast. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. (Even in the northern cities, vestiges of segregation were apparent.) Struggling with distance learning? Race, Discrimination, and Assimilation Quotes in A Raisin in the Sun. PLS ANSWER FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 He Remembers Riding An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. She used the dialect of the African American community that is not only distinct but also pure. Don't understand about building their men up and . Its a metaphor! Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? . slubborness Ruth refers to Travis' habits as being "slubborn" when she really means both "sloppy" and "stubborn." not a single penny for no caps A popular children's toy in the fifties, especially for little boys, was the "cap pistol" or "cap gun, "into which "caps" were placed, producing the sound of a miniature firecracker, making the children feel as though they were actually firing a real pistol. But when the British stormed the city, they were so impressed by the Benin bronzes that they took them back with them, giving the British Museum an incomparable collection of rare treasures of African art. Then, as if it were an afterthought, Ruth says that she's "never been 'fraid of no crackers" even though her previous dialogue says otherwise. They need more salvation from the British and the French Beneatha says this to Mama as she attempts to "educate" her mother to what Beneatha feels are political realities. Son I come from five generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers but aint nobody in my family never let nobody pay em no money that was a way of telling us we wasnt fit to walk the earth. This is somewhat of a testament to the racial climate of the country in 1959, when fears of reprisals often had blacks concealing their negative feelings in the code words of slang. A form of hamartia is the term hubris, which means the pride or overconfidence that leads a man to overlook a divine warning or to break a moral law. When they done good and made things easy for everybody? allusion. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. Clearly, Hansherry uses her own family's livelihood as being the livelihood of the rich black family in Raisin. In ''A Raisin in the Sun'' Hansberry utilizes Walter to demonstrate the development of an individual. But youve got to admit that a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have a neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way. Work Smart. Walter arouses our pity when he asks Bobo, "There ain't nothin' wrong, is there?" Does it stink like rotten meat? About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Im telling you to be the head of this family from now on like you supposed to be. "Pig" would become "Igpay"; in order to refer to a white person as a "foe," one would say "ofay.") this person surely does not expect an answer. George proves to be as pedantic as Beneatha, peppering his arguments with literary allusions and oftentimes esoteric references for example, calling Walter "Prometheus." My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Ashanti Beneatha's reference to the Ashanti people, along with George Murchison's references to the Songhay Empire, Benin, and the Bantu language, shows that Hansberry herself had some knowledge of the African continent and its culture. We participate in the Amazon Associate program. The granddaughter of a slave and the niece of a prominent African-American professor, Hansberry grew up with a keen awareness of African-American history and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Walter wants to own his own business. It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." All the family members are dreaming of having a better lifestyle after having this amount, but their dreams ended in smoke when the money seems to have gone as easily as it has come. One requirement of good literature is that a character's motivation that is, the reasons for his actions must be consistent with his moral nature and personality. In Act Two, Walter cries, "The lion is waking," calling not only for independence for Africa but for financial freedom for the Youngers. Because of Ruth's lack of formal education, she is not aware (but the audience is) that this is not a real word. You something new, boy. Even the other characters on stage become aware of the impending doom long before Walter does. But, of all the superior works of art that came out of Africa, the most remarkable were those found in Benin. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Songhai (Songhay) The Sunni dynastry of Songbai conquered Mali after Mali had progressively grown weaker with its line of ineffective kings. Simile. peachy keen, as the ofay kids say This is a reference to the racial differences in language, most especially in the area of slang. All Rights Reserved. Yeah. Once upon a time freedom used to be life now its money. When she is asked if she considered whether these curtains will even fit the windows of the new house, Ruth says, "Oh well, they bound to fit something." However, just as he is readying himself to join the reviewing stand of his parade, he slips in the shower on a bar of soap, falls, and is immediately and accidentally killed. The play contains many autobiographical elements. Essays for A Raisin in the Sun (1961 Film) A Raisin in the Sun (1961 Film) essays are academic essays for citation. More loosely based on the original story, the play Clybourne Park tells the story of the white family that sells its house to the Youngers. She is, to Asagai, a person for whom "bread food is not enough.". He has taught English at the 6-12 level for more than 20 years. navalio A round character is more complex and, therefore, more difficult to describe. When the character makes an innocent remark that refers to this "inside knowledge" that the audience has, the character's words contain dramatic irony For example, as soon as the audience sees Bobo, we are aware that something has gone wrong in Walter's plan. Ruth "affects" or "puts on" atea partyvoice, purposely sounding pretentious in order to make Walter leave her alone. Nigeria The most populated nation in Africa with more than 250 different ethnic groups. Translated then, "Peachy keen, as the ofay kids say" means "That's very good as the white kids would say.". "Who decides," he explodes, "which women should wear pearls in this world? Mrs. Miniver An Oscar-winning film (1942) which starred Greer Garson as Mrs. Miniver, an English middle-class housewife who appears in many scenes tending her roses. Walter Lee Younger. Ruth refers to the "slubborn" habits that Travis displays, combining "stubborn" and "sloppy." Even Mama's being in her sixties does not mean that she would not also be referred to as the cleaning "girl" or just "the girl," most especially when the white employers were talking among themselves. Beneatha taunts Lindner with this allusion when he makes his generous offer to keep the Younger family out of the neighborhood. A Raisin in the Sun: Foreshadowing | SparkNotes mistakenly more like Butterfly than any Nigerian This stage direction refers to Beneatha's exuberance after receiving the gift of the Nigerian robes and headdress from Asagai. Travis Younger - CliffsNotes As the economy of Benin grew to depend upon the slave trade, internal strife once again claimed an empire as Benin declined and was eventually overwhelmed by the British. "Stink like rotten meat". The foreshadowing in A Raisin in the Sun functions to develop an atmosphere of uncertainty regarding the fate of the Younger family. In addition, Shaka Zulu revolutionized the existing Zulu weaponry by designing a short-handled stabbing spear, known as the "assegai." bookmarked pages associated with this title. A Raisin in The Sun is a popular play by Lorraine Hansberry. In 1959 much of the United States, including Chicago, remained de facto segregated, meaning that racial segregation persisted in education, employment, and housing even though the Supreme Court had overturned segregation that was established by law as unconstitutional. Du Bois, educated at Fisk, Harvard, and the University of Berlin, was a writer and political activist, activities which Washington perceived as frivolous. You done wrote his epitaph too Mama says this to Beneatha when Beneatha speaks so harshly against Walter Lee upon learnlng that he lost the family's remaining money. line . About thirty years old, Ruth was once "exceptionally" pretty, although an air of "disappointment has already begun to hang in her face.". Eng I Poems 2020 1 .docx - The Eagle Lord Alfred Tennyson Of all the characters, Asagai appears to be the most serene, even when his is contemplating justifiable reasons for anxiety that is, the political turmoil within his homeland and the possibility of his own death in his desire for his country's independence. -Graham S. In the 1920s and 30s the discriminatory Jim Crow laws in the South prompted many African Americans to relocate to Northern cities, a movement called the Great Migration. In 1889, Sahaba Mariem rose to power in Ethiopia, ascended the throne, and changed his name to Menelik II, signifying blood ties to Menelik, Makeda's son. The termpropagandais a sub-division of didactic literature; a work of propaganda undertakes to move the reader to take a position or to take action on a particular moral or political issue of the moment. Ethiopia References to Ethiopia can be found in the Bible and in the writings of Herodotus and Homer. Mrs. Johnson (Mrs. Wilhelmina Othella Johnson). Refine any search. All of this confusion was due to the widespread ignorance of Africa, its traditions, its people and their capabilities, and the great lost civilizations. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Queen Makeda was known by many names: "Bilquis" to the ancient Moslems, "Black Minerva" and "Ethiopian Diana" to the Greeks, "Queen of Sheba" to King Solomon, and to her own people, she was "Makeda, the beautiful." A lecture on the African past! Walter hopes to use the insurance money as an investment in a liquor store, which . Didactic works attempt to teach a lesson. Hansberry has one of her characters call Booker T. Washington a "fool," which is an elitist comment since only the very well read of her audience would even have known of the political rivalry between the two men. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# A RAISIN IN THE SUN Unit Plan: 21 Lessons - TeachNovels.com In Act One, Beneatha, Walter's sister, mentions "salt losing its savor," a reference to Jesus' warning about rebellious natures; Hansberry foreshadows Walter's stealing Mama's money for a disastrous investment. Introduction to A Raisin in The Sun. Mama's generation worked hard so that their children could have a "better life," which, to her, meant a life without segregation. In 1949 the United States Congress passed the National Housing Act to address substandard housing and to provide adequate and more integrated housing options for minorities. Despite the suggestion by Karl Lindner that race prejudice simply doesn't enter into Clybourne Parks offer to buy back the Youngers home, he hints at the very real dangers that accompany the familys decision to relocate to a white neighborhood. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. In addition, the word "ofay" was a slang word used in the black communities at that time to refer to a white person. If the character is real and lifelike, the work is enhanced. Walter Lee's wife and Travis' mother. A Raisin in the Sun Study Guide | Literature Guide | LitCharts Thus began the Benin practice of making bronze-brass castings to memorialize important events. Continue with Recommended Cookies. That is just what is wrong with the colored women in this world . Critical Essays Applying Literary Terms to. . While Walter is asking Bobo to "tell him how things went in Springfield," the audience immediately guesses the outcome. Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in A Raisin in the Sun. a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by 'like' or 'as'. Dont understand about building their men up and making em feel like they somebody. His optimism about the success of his investment has made him gleeful so much so that he hoodwinks the family by giving the money to Willy for the liquor store investment in his hope to reveal it later when he succeeds. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Because her uncle, Leo Hansberry, was a professor of African history at Howard University and, perhaps, because one of his students was Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence, Hansberry's major geographical focus here appears to be on the history of Ghana, known prior to its independence as "The Gold Coast." This was done in an effort to protect the furniture and to hide worn places; the country was just coming out of the Great Depression and great value was placed on one's possessions especially if a family was poor. Play: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry pp. A Raisin in the Sun - Wikipedia In this play, Hansberry attempted, in her own small way, to educate the world about Africa through her drama about a poor black family living on Chicago's Southside. Ruth Younger Character Analysis. An interesting aspect of this particular "Jim Crow" law was that a black person might be permitted to sit in the front of the bus if there were no white person on the bus who needed that seat. Each one of them has an idea. The curtains, she brags, have "hand-turned hems," which would, of course, make them more valuable than machine-made curtains. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. When he asks why his wife cannot wear pearls, he is asking why he has to resign himself to poverty, being ever grateful that he no longer has to ride at the back of a bus. Thirty pieces and not a coin less Thirty pieces of silver was the standard price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were the three greatest of the many empires that flourished in West Africa, yet all that remains of these advanced civilizations of past great wealth and strength are relics of ruins and the tales of ancient travelers. The theme of racial injustice is prevalent in both "A . To this day, the name Shaka Zulu garners high praise in military circles and commands great respect. In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses an allusion to compare Walter Lee to the mythical Prometheus. Illustrate conflicts in the cells, using characters from the story. The character may remain the same or the character may go through a complete metamorphosis, but no character should ever break off from the personality we expect of him and suddenly act in a manner that is not a part of his temperament. Lets face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts! Thematic Structure of A Raisin In The Sun. Like her name, everyone is beneath her. When Mr. Lindner offers to buy Mama's house, Beneatha demands "30 pieces, not a coin less," the cost of both a Mosaic slave and of Judas' betrayal of Jesus; the price becomes both a biblical allusion and a metaphor for the family's betrayal. Du Bois (1868-1963), was a man who dramatically espoused the opposite of Washington's philosophy. If what happens in the drama goes against the expectations of the audience, it is known as surprise. the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A Raisin in the Sun (1961 Film), directed by Daniel Petrie. Lorraine Hansberry. The phrase used by Beneatha is taken from three places in the Bible: Matthew 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted? As a result, people within the black community often had negative perceptions about those who adopted this style. . Hansberry's "furniture-dark" apartment reminds us of Plato's cave; the absent sun symbolizes life, advancement and self-knowledge, all of which the Younger family lacks. Prometheus As noted later in the character analysis of Walter Lee Younger, George Murchison's reference to Prometheus fits Walter's fiery personality, along with several other parallels. LitCharts Teacher Editions. never been 'fraid of no crackers After Mama has announced her plans to buy a house in an all-white neighborhood, Ruth at first expresses fear. Racial Injustice in A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry and Sonny's Blues, by James Baldwin. He hopes someday that injustice, the view that African Americans are inferior will go away, and they will be treated equally like a full human being. Analyzes how lorraine hansberry wrote a raisin in the sun to reflect the current events of the 1950s, but these events also relate to the century before. A dresser, in contrast, is a short piece of bedroom furniture that has drawer space, a large mirror, and a small stool or chair where one might sit in order to put on makeup. On our Great West African Heritage! Metaphors pepper the text. Is there any irony in A Raisin in the Sun? - eNotes.com Set in de facto segregated Chicago, Hansberrys play draws on stories from the authors own life, such as her familys experience with housing discrimination in 1930s Chicago. Its when hes at his lowest and cant believe in hisself cause the world done whipped him so! My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. . a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions. I could've died for love. Traditionally, "crackers" refers to bigoted whites, especially those living in Georgia; here, Ruth is using the term to derogatorily refer to all white racists.