Raisin In The Sun Essay

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Raisin In The Sun—The Continually Compelling Drama Raisin In The Sun—a play written by Lorraine Hansberry—appeared nearly 50 years ago on Broadway. Raisin In The Sun confronts, racism, grief, power struggle, gender discrimination and the thirst for money all within a two-hour play. The themes discussed previously are still very prevalent in today’s society, as they were to the characters in the play; which makes Raisin In The sun a continually compelling drama today. Throughout Hansberry’s play, Walter Lee (the son of the soon-to-be-rich Mama), struggles with his thirst for success and money. Walter Lee is very dramatic and is constantly bringing down everyone else in his family which includes Mama, his sister Beneatha, and his wife Ruth. The readers of the play can get a sense that Walter is fed up with his place in society. He has dreams to be wealthy and live like a king with Ruth and his son Travis. Unfortunately he is stuck working as a driver, and he is clearly miserable working there. Walter Lee wants to use the insurance money Mama got from Walter Younger (her husband, and father to Beneatha and Walter Lee) to buy a liquor store so he can begin living his life lavishly. Mama is stubbornly opposed to this idea, which drives Walter Lee mad. Beautiful Beneatha is working hard to be a doctor, because she wants to make something of her life. In the beginning of the play we meet the man who Beneatha is currently dating, whose name is George. George is extremely sexist, never wanting Beneatha to discuss anything intellectual or interesting.

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