A Raisin in the Sun - Essay Example

College: A Raisin in the Sun Introduction and Play Overview ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ is a play telling a story of Younger’s (a black family’s) lower-class struggles in its efforts of acquiring a middle-class acceptance. The play opens with Mama, the 60-year old family mother, waiting for a 10,000 dollars check from an insurance firm as compensation after her husband’s death and the drama focus on the way in which this money should be spent. Walter Lee Younger, the son, is desperate of becoming a better family provider and wants to invest this whole package into a liquor store together with his two other friends.

Walter believes that this investment will wipe away the financial problems of the family forever. However, Mama objects this for ethical reasons and some minor conflicts emerge over their disagreements. Ruth, Walter’s wife, supports Mama but hopes that they (Walter and her) could provide their son, Travis, with more space and opportunity. Finally, Beneatha, Mama’s daughter and Walter’s sister, wants the money to be directed towards her medical education fees. She also objects the wish of her family members to join the white world.

Mama decides on using some of their money for a white neighborhood’ house down payment and this escalates conflict with her son hence causing her untold anguish. For reconciliation purposes, she entrusts Walter with the remainder of the money. Walter invests the money into his liquor store plan secretly with the hope that his initial investment would quadruple. However, one of his prospective business partners runs off with all the money and this loss tests the psychological and spiritual mettle of every family member.

The Younger’s, after much vacillating and wavering, decide to embark on their plans of moving regardless of their current financial reversals as well as the issuance of a warning that blacks were unwelcome in the white neighborhood. Impact of the Movie during the 1960s on a Particular Audience The movie had impacts on conflicting family members as the end of the play shows that families prevail if their ties are strong and love can conquer all. Mama refuses abandoning her dream of owning a house and the family continues moving regardless of the problems they face, especially from their white neighborhood.

The play has illustrated some incredible sacrifices being made for the sake of the family with some family members being more willing to make sacrifices than others are though this leads to conflict (Shmoop 13). The play thus impacted the 1960s families by encouraging them to make sacrifices for the sake of their families. The play enhances family values, the courage emanating from defending the right issues, and clearly portrays the power in forgiveness (Parra 92). This unity in the Younger’s family helps in their acquisition of a family house in a white neighborhood, which could otherwise have been impossible if the family was not united.

This impact was more on the black families as they always suffered some forms of discrimination from their white counterparts and family unity was the only channel of moving out of such mistreatment. The play also had impacts on the selfish and greedy individuals. As this movie opens, Walter seems quite dissatisfied with his current place in life and desperately dreams of achieving greater things with clear frustration for not owning such. His father has passed away and both Walter and his mother are anxiously waiting for 10,000 dollars compensation from life insurance funds.

Due to his greed, Walter turns his family’s life upside down and leaves it miserable by causing a great heartache after spending and/or losing 6,500 dollars to a shady pal in his endeavor of opening a bad business enterprise. Due to his selfishness and greed, Beneatha, his sister, may drop out of the medical school due to this misappropriation of family funds. Actually, the words of Walter when he says, “No—it was always money, Mama. We just didn’t know about it.” (A Raisin in the Sun) shows that he has learnt his lesson and thus people should not be carried away by money.

Lesson for New Readers/Viewers from a Theme presented in the Play On of the key lessons for new readers and viewers is that love and courage are essential in making a family. Throughout the play, the Younger’s struggle both economically and socially but they unite towards the end of the play and realize their “house-buying” dream. Mama believes so strongly in the significance of the family and tries teaching her family this value as she struggles keeping them united and functioning. Beneath and Walter learn their lesson concerning their family’s importance towards the play’s end when Walter Lee is denied by Beneatha as a brother and have to deal with loss of the family’s stolen money.

In their reconciliation, Beneatha says, “well- I do- all right? –thank everybody! And forgive me for ever wanting to be anything at all!” (A Raisin in the Sun) Although facing such trauma, these family members still join hands in rejecting the racist overtures advanced by Mr. Lindner. They are now strong individuals who function together as an essential part of their family. When they start putting their family as well as its wishes ahead of their own, these family members merge their dreams with the overarching family dream.

Readers and viewers learn that family strength prevails and love conquers all. Despite the fact that Walter lost $6,500, the Younger’s family are still united and live as a single entity in the end. In conclusion, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ is an effective play, which illustrates some deep themes affecting families across the world. The play’s impacts were not only felt in the 1960s but are equally applicable in the present day whereby families must come together to overcome their common enemies and challenges.

Works Cited Top of Form A Raisin in the Sun. Dir. Daniel Petrie. Perf. Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee, Roy Glenn, Diana Sands, and Louis Gossett. Columbia Pictures, 1961. 12 April 2012 Parra, Angelo. Playwriting for Dummies. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2011. Print. Shmoop. A Raisin in the Sun: Schmoop Literature Guide. Shmoop: Shmoop University Inc., 2010. Print. Bottom of Form