essay topics for raisin in the sun

A Raisin in the Sun

By lorraine hansberry, a raisin in the sun essay questions.

The American dream means something different to each character in A Raisin in the Sun . Discuss these differences and how they conflict with one another.

Lorraine Hansberry is often viewed as a visionary because of her ability to predict many of the relevant issues to the African-American community today. Identify some of these issues and explain how they are the same or different from how Hansberry portrayed them.

Within the Younger household, there are three generations of women. Compare and contrast how the characters each form their unique identities.

Critical reception to A Raisin in the Sun was not all positive when the play first came out. One of the major points of contention was that the play was pro-integration. Some segments of the African-American community felt that integration actually was not the end-all answer to America's race problem. Discuss the ways in which the idea of integration is presented throughout the play. Is Hansberry's presentation one-sided, or does she raise issues relevant to both viewpoints?

Although Travis does not have many lines, his character is significant. Discuss Travis' importance to some of the prominent themes throughout the play.

Discuss how the Youngers' environment impacts their life.

In 1959, abortion was a taboo topic. Discuss how the issue is presented in the play, and how the audience might have reacted.

How do you think Lorraine Hansberry's own life influenced A Raisin in the Sun ?

Many critics assert that the art of Hansberry's play is that it is less about race than about humanity. Do you think the play would be equally compelling if the actors were white, or some other minority group? Explain why or why not.

Even though Walter Sr. never appears in the play, he is an important character. Discuss his significance.

A Raisin in the Sun Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for A Raisin in the Sun is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

I'm sorry, what passage are you referring to? Please include all information in your posts.

Mama tells Walter that something is eating him up, Something that has to do with more than just money. What do you think it is?

Although Walter has a family, wife, and a job, he continues to live with his mother. As a result, he feels emasculated. Walter believes that nobody listens to his dreams or wants to give him a chance at being a "man".

Walter says that pride is old-time stuff what would Walter consider modern day thinking?

Walter believes that only doing things you can be proud of is old-fashioned. In his eyes, pride has nothing to do with accomplishment, and you do whatever it takes to reach your goal.

Study Guide for A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun study guide contains a biography of Lorraine Hansberry, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About A Raisin in the Sun
• A Raisin in the Sun Summary
• Character List

Essays for A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry.

• The Aspirations of Women in A Raisin in the Sun
• Viewing the World from Different Angles: Generation Gaps in Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun
• Women, Black and Proud
• The Struggle of Finding a Home in African-American Literature
• A Dream Deferred: An Analysis of "A Raisin in the Sun"

Lesson Plan for A Raisin in the Sun

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to A Raisin in the Sun
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• A Raisin in the Sun Bibliography

A Raisin in the Sun

76 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Act Summaries & Analyses

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Since A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway in 1959, it has been revived numerous times all over the world. The play has been adapted into multiple films, translations, and even a Tony Award–winning 1973 Broadway musical. The play concerns a very specific demographic during a particular moment in American history. Why do you think the text speaks to so many different types of audiences? What about the play can be universalized?

Consider the Langston Hughes poem “Harlem,” from which Lorraine Hansberry takes the name of the play. How does the play illustrate the ideas in the poem? What is the message of the poem? How does this translate in the play? Who or what is the “raisin in the sun”?

The end of the play leaves the future of the characters open. For instance, the audience never learns whether Beneatha goes to Africa. Two playwrights, Bruce Norris—with his 2010 play Clybourne Park —and Kwame Kwei-Armah—with the 2013 play Beneatha’s Place —wrote works that speculated upon what may have happened next for the characters. How would you continue their stories? What do you think happens next?

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A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis Essay

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Introduction

Characters of the story, the final freedom.

Lorraine Hansberry’s story is heavily steeped in racism. It does well to portray the social features of strong segregation and racial discrimination that prevailed during the 1950s in the United States, a time when the story’s younger family lived in Chicago’s South Side ghetto, as well as the struggles of the African-Americans to resist against the unfair treatment being meted out to them. Racial discrimination leads to the city being carved into two distinct parts – the first housing whites only, and the other housing blacks. Not only did blacks occupy a marginalized sector of society, but even within that margin, black women had to combat racial and gender prejudice. A majority of blacks did not accept the idea of assimilating into the dominant white culture because by doing so they would fit into white perceptions about their behavior and actions and thereby would be demeaning themselves. Blacks were searching for separate self-identities based on a celebration of their culture and heritage. They wanted to be treated as equally (like whites) contributing members of society, in pursuit of the American Dream (in those days it was to be a happy family that owned a house and a car).

Claudia McNeil is commendable as Lena’s (‘Mama”) Younger. She constantly dreams about her family and herself being considered equal to whites in society. She does not allow racism to come in the way of her dream of creating a new life and future for her family that involves moving into a dominantly white neighborhood.

Sidney Poitier’s phenomenal role as Walter Younger captures the central meaning of an African American’s intense desire for the American Dream. The power of his dream is to be financially well-off, educate his son Travis (Stephen Perry), and provide for his future. His endless preoccupation with finding quick riches and dominating his household makes him engage in arguments with his mother, wife, and sister; he turns wayward by resorting to constantly drinking.

Diana Sands as Beneatha (“Bennie”) attends college and is better educated than anyone else in the family. However, she is hampered by her dependence on the insurance amount to pay for her education: an effective stereotype of a black woman in those days who was racially discriminated by white society as well as by her own culture as not being worthy of higher education and its related status in life.

Ruby Dee as Ruth Younger portrays a pragmatic pessimist continually battling poverty and household problems. She dreams about getting away from their present slovenly locality, moving into a respectable house, and attaining a status equal to whites in society.

Joseph Asagai (Ivan Dixon) is a forceful Nigerian character who takes fierce pride in his African heritage. George Murchison (Louis Gossett Jr.) believes the only way to overcome racist deficiencies, riches, and admiration of others is by assimilating into white society. John Fiedler as Karl Lindner portrays the typical “white Aryan”, arrogantly secure in the power of his race and its belief that blacks are not fit to live in the same neighborhood as them. An opposition successfully portrayed in the story is white/black opposition representing Karl Lindner and other white racist Americans against the Younger family representing African Americans seeking a just and fair foothold in society.

The play “A Raisin in the Sun” officially opened in 1959, much before the black liberation movement revolutionized the lifestyle of African Americans in the United States. The movement, famously highlighted by Martin Luther’s speech “I Have a Dream” on August 28, 1963, signaled the start of a successful struggle that was responsible for elevating the status of African Americans in the United States in a series of gradual developments ultimately culminating into total freedom and total recognition as equal contributors to American society as their white counterparts. Although Lorraine Hansberry did not live to see the final freedom achieved by African Americans (she died an untimely death in 1965 at the age of thirty-four), she would surely have greatly gladdened to witness the “I Have a Dream” speech and realize that racial discrimination against African Americans would soon be an unhappy memory of the past.

Cocola, Jim & Douthat, Ross. “SparkNote on ‘A Raisin in the Sun’”. 2007. Web.

Petrie, Daniel. “A Raisin in the Sun” (video). 1961. Web.

• Generations in "A Raisin in the Sun" by Hansberry
• The Play "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry
• The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Drama
• Social Construction of Race and Racism
• Enforcement of Racial and Ethnic Inequalities: Opinions
• Black People: Social Status, Education and Jobs Issues
• Thomas Sugrue’s “Origins of the Urban Crisis” Summary
• Blood Done Sign My Name by: Timothy B. Tyson
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, September 19). A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-raisin-in-the-sun-by-lorraine-hansberry-essay/

"A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis." IvyPanda , 19 Sept. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/a-raisin-in-the-sun-by-lorraine-hansberry-essay/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis'. 19 September.

IvyPanda . 2021. "A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis." September 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-raisin-in-the-sun-by-lorraine-hansberry-essay/.

1. IvyPanda . "A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis." September 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-raisin-in-the-sun-by-lorraine-hansberry-essay/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: Play Analysis." September 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-raisin-in-the-sun-by-lorraine-hansberry-essay/.

46 A Raisin in the Sun Essay Topics for Students

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Plays are not just fun and full of drama but also engaging. A Raisin in the Sun Essay Topics from Hansberry’s presentation will assist you before writing your essay.

If you’re a fan of thrilling plays, then you’ve probably come across “A Raisin in The Sun.” One of the best masterpieces ever written by Lorraine Hansberry.

In 1959, Langston Hughes published a play about the struggles of the segments of the African-American community families in South Chicago.

The protagonist’s father was killed in an accident while walking to his job. This left the protagonist without a primary provider after their mother passed away from cancer.

This play was rated as the best play ever written by the Association of Theatre Critics. They then named it as their top pick for a show to see this year.

We’ve compiled a slew of topics from Hansberry’s art, which will help your paper stand out from the rest of the rest and earn you higher marks:

Best A Raisin in the Sun Essay Topics

• An Analysis of Hidden Tensions in A Raisin in the Sun, a Play by Lorraine Hansberry
• Parent-Child Conflict in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun
• Male and Female Relationships in the play
• The Effects of Racial Segregation in the Play
• The Constant Struggle of the African American Family in a White Man’s World in A Raisin in the Sun
• The Important Life Lessons in a Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• The Idea of Black Feminism in A Raisin in the Sun, a Play by Lorraine Hansberry
• Concepts of Love and Wealth in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• A Raisin in the Sun and African-American Stereotypes
• The Suffering of African-Americans in The Colored Museum and A Raisin in the Sun

Simple & Easy A Raisin in the Sun Essay Titles

• Resolving Conflicts in the play
• An Analysis of Family Values and Morals in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• Materialism and Manhood in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun
• A Raisin in the Sun: African-American Personal and Collective Identity
• An Analysis of Shattered Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• The Ordinary View of the Mid-Twentieth Century African-American Male in A Raisin in the Sun
• The Circumscribed and Tragic Hero: Lena’s role in A Raisin in the Sun
• The Pursuit Of Happiness in A Raisin in the Sun
• Discuss how minor characters such as George Murchison, Willy Harris, and Mr. Lindner represent the point of views and ideas against which the main characters react.
• Where did the title of the play ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ come from? How did it relate to each of the characters’ dreams?

Most Interesting A Raisin in the Sun Topics to Write about

• An Analysis of Negro Family That is Struggling for Survival in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• Literary Values in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun
• Major and minor characters Representing Major Ideas and Themes In A Raisin in the Sun
• The Effects of Dreams and Desires in a Raisin in the Sun Essay
• Walter Lee’s Women and His Successes in A Raisin in the Sun
• Story of a Black Family Struggling to Survive in Chicago in a Raisin in the Sun
• Use Of Imagery In A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry
• The Theme of Money is not Everything in the Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun
• Money and Its Effects on People’s Lives in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• A Young Family’s Predicaments in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun Topics for High School

• How Family Affects Oneself in the Bean Trees and a Raisin in the Sun
• The Depiction of Manhood in A Raisin in the Sun
• The Struggles of the Racial Minority Groups in A Raisin in the Sun, a Novel by Lorraine Hansberry
• Fighting Charges of Assimilation in Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun
• The Changing Roles Of Women In A Raisin In The Sun
• Difficulties in the Play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• Prejudice and Racism – Home Ownership in A Raisin in the Sun and in America
• Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun: The American Dream
• An Analysis of the Themes in the Novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• Motherhood in The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun Essay

A Raisin in the Sun Topics for College

• Negative Effects Of The American Dream In A Raisin In The Sun
• An Analysis of How the American Dream Affects One’s Dignity in the Film A Raisin in the Sun
• Compare and contrast George Murchison and Joseph Asagai, Beneatha’s two boyfriends, in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.
• A literary comparison of ‘A Raisin in the Sun,’ ‘Death of a Salesman,’ and ‘A Rose for Emily
• Is the insurance money the family expects to receive a blessing or a curse, in the play?
• Describe Walter’s family lives in their small apartment in the South Side of Chicago.  

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Essays on A Raisin in The Sun

A Raisin in The Sun essay is written to commemorate a play by Lorraine Hansberry, which premiered in 1959. A Raisin in The Sun essays follow a story of an American family which, having received a large sum as insurance for father’s death, decides to spend the money on a house in the white neighborhood. Essays depict how family faces challenges of racial discrimination bravely and with pride. Part of the money was also spent by a son of the deceased, who, dreaming of his own business, invested with the wrong people. This portrays the collapse of the “American Dream” of wealth and prosperity. Essays on A Raisin in The Sun mention such main themes: family, dreams, discrimination, poverty, and pride. View A Raisin in The Sun essay samples you can read – below we listed a variety of good essay samples for you.

The Struggle for Social Justice in the American Civil Rights Movement The struggle for social justice that took place during the 1950s characterized the American civil rights movement. The movement called for equal rights for the African Americans who lived in the United States. The American Civil Right Movement sought to...

Words: 1207

Lorraine Hansberry's drama A Raisin in the Sun and Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie Includes two key characters who share many similarities but are also very distinct. Walter Lee Hansberry and Tom Williams are two sons raised by single mothers. They live in poverty, and the two protagonists are unhappy...

Words: 1780

Why is Hansberry's play still significant today, several years after it was written? This drama, performed by an African American cast, premiered in a racially segregated United States in 1959. The Younger family is central to the plot. Beneatha Younger is curious about her African ancestors. Walter Younger is an...

Words: 1757

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A variety of recent plays and literature are a stronghold in the movement to combat inequality and bigotry myths in today s culture vis- -vis prejudice vices such as ethnicity, color, and religion, among others. Similarly, Lorraine Hansberry s play A Raising in the Sun portrays racial injustice against younger...

Words: 1463

Lorraine Hansberry wrote the play A Raisin in the Light. The play is about a lower-class black family attempting to achieve middle-class recognition. The play begins with one of the actors, Mama, a sixty-year-old mother of the family who is about to collect a $10,000 insurance payout after the death...

Words: 1425

The play A Raisin in the Sun The play A Raisin in the Sun, talks about two key characters Walter and Beneathaboth from the same family who have alike traits. Beneatha, Walter's younger sister, is a college student who plans to go to medical school. She appears to the most intellectual...

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Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Plays / A Raisin in The Sun

A Raisin in the Sun Essay Examples

Symbolism in a raisin in the sun.

The American dream is the opportunity for all Americans to seek and reach their dreams. However, Langston Hughes wrote a poem called “Harlem” which talks about dreams, and what happens to them when they don’t come true. In the poem, Hughes writes, “What happens to...

American Dream by Raisin in the Sun 

Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that details the experiences of an African American family that lives in Chicago’s south side. The family receives a check following the death of Mr. Younger. The family members have conflicting ideas on how to...

Walter Lee Younger Character Analysis

To start with, this is Walter Lee Younger character analysis essay where we will analyse how Walter changes throughout the entire story. Walter Lee Younger went from a selfish, self-centered, and immature person with an inability to make crucial decisions to a well mannered, selfless,...

Finding Out What is Beneatha's Dream in "A Raisin in the Sun"

In her play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry masterfully creates a seemingly paradoxical character, Beneatha. Benethea dreams of being a doctor but is rarely taken seriously. This stems from her gender-defying aspirations, a multitude of extracurricular activities, and her history of relationships. Beneatha’s...

Defining Gender Roles in the Novel "A Raisin in the Sun"

Notions of gender roles are all throughout A Raisin in the Sun, a play written by Lorraine Hansberry. The play portrays a couple of weeks in the lives of a poor african american family named the Youngers. The story takes place in the 1950s in...

Symbols in a Raisin in the Sun

Dreams and aspirations differ depending on the person – one might aspire to become a dancer; another might want to own his or her own business one day. These dreams act as goals for us to reach for and to work towards, but they are...

Social Issues- a Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” includes many social issues that were very clearly represented by the actions of the characters and the surrounding individuals. This play revolving around Walter Lee Younger, his wife, Ruth, sister, Beneatha, son, Travis, and Mama (Lena Younger), takes...

Hamlet and a Raisin in the Sun

Both «A Raisin in the Sun» and «Hamlet» share one aspect of their plays in common: main protagonists with dead fathers and being in a conflicted relationship with their mothers. Without this particular part, the entire story will not make a sense to the main...

Values in a Raisin in the Sun 

Plays always have important values. These values are critical throughout the play. Furthermore, these values can create conflicts between characters. Therefore, there are major values in A Raisin in the Sun. These crucial values in A Raisin in the Sun are family, God, and money....

Reflection on a Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

“A Raisin in the Sun” is a playwright wrote by Lorraine Hansberry, an African American woman, in 1959. The film takes place in Hanberry’s birthplace, Chicago. The cast includes Claudia McNeil as Lena Younger, the mother of Beneatha Younger (Diana Sands) and Walter Younger (Sidney...

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About A Raisin in the Sun

March 11, 1959

Lorraine Hansberry

Domestic drama

A Raisin in the Sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, a Black family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. At the beginning of the play, the Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10, 000 from the deceased father life insurance policy and each of the adult members of the family has an idea as to what they would like to do with this money. The story full of important topics as housing discrimination, family relations, racism, materialism and others.

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