What is the irony in A Raisin in the Sun?
Skills Practiced
- Reading comprehension - ensure that you have a grasp of the most important information in A Raisin in the Sun
- Defining key concepts - prove that you can define a specific type of irony exemplified in the novel
- Distinguishing differences - compare and contrast the various forms of irony
Why is a Raisin in the Sun called that?
The title comes from the poem “Harlem” (also known as “A Dream Deferred”) by Langston Hughes. People Also Asked, What is the meaning of the title a raisin in the sun? A Raisin in the Sun is essentially about dreams, as the main characters struggle to deal with the oppressive circumstances that rule their lives.
How does A Raisin in the Sun compare to Harlem?
Therefore, the main similarity between “Harlem” and “A Raisin In the Sun”, is the frustration of unfulfilled dreams because they “explode” and never happen or at the very least they get postponed and end up being a fraction of the total …show more content…
How is "a Raisin in the Sun" a tragedy?
A Raisin in the Sun falls under domestic tragedy with the status and circumstances that the poor African American family with the constant struggle versus social roles and white America. Throughout the play, the Younger family has many hardships and difficult decisions come up.
Why is the title A Raisin in the Sun?
Hansberry decided to use “a raisin in the sun” as her title because the characters' dreams were all “raisins” that lost their “taste” because some dreams “exploded,” while others were “syrupy sweet” (Hughes 8).
What was A Raisin in the Sun originally titled?
Originally titled The Crystal Stair (a line from the Langston Hughes poem “Mother to Son”), A Raisin in the Sun centers on the Youngers, a lower-class family who is offered a sum of money to stay away from the white neighborhood where they have purchased their dream home.
WHAT IS A Raisin in the Sun based on?
Lorraine Hansberry drew inspiration from personal experience when she sat down to write a play about a working class family on the South Side of Chicago. See how she worked to find the words to describe their hopes and struggles, and how she pressed on to complete “A Raisin in the Sun.”
What does Raisin in the Sun simile mean?
"He finally come into his manhood today, didn't he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain." Mama said this this to Ruth about Walter; a simile to describe Walter's growth. "Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is."
Why was A Raisin in the Sun banned?
In 1979, the play's circulation was restricted in a Utah school district when it was criticized by an anti-pornography group. In 2005, the play was challenged in an Illinois high school on the objection that it is degrading to African Americans.
Why was A Raisin in the Sun controversial?
Nelson Algren disparaged it as “a good drama about real estate.” Poet and playwright Amiri Baraka originally described the play's subject as “middle class—buying a house and moving into white folks neighborhoods.” But he later said that its themes “are actually reflective of the essence of black people's striving and ...
Was A Raisin in the Sun a true story?
The events of the play, which portrays an African-American family's effort to improve their lives by buying a home in a racially restricted neighborhood, are based on true events to a degree not fully appreciated by many theatergoers (or at least this one).
What does Mama's old plant symbolize?
The most overt symbol in the play, Mama's plant represents both Mama's care and her dream for her family. In her first appearance onstage, she moves directly toward the plant to take care of it.
How many months is Ruth pregnant?
two months pregnantRuth returns from seeing a doctor, who has told her that she is two months pregnant. She reveals this information to Mama and Beneatha.
What does a toothless rat mean?
Jake Esselstyn, a post-doctoral fellow in biology, has discovered a toothless rat on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The rat's diet consists mainly of earth worms, meaning it does not need teeth to gnaw or chew.
What type of figurative language is A Raisin in the Sun?
Metaphor. A reference to biblical theory to when Judas was paid thirty silver coins to betray Jesus before the Last Supper. The plant Mama tends to is a tired feeble plant, but is still carrying on. Even with the lack of sunshine, it still deserves attention.
What does fester like a sore then run mean?
If the dream does not dry up, maybe it will “fester like a sore-/ And then run.” If you have a sore, you want it to dry up so it will heal, but if it festers and runs, that means it is infected and will take longer to heal.
What is the meaning of the raisin in the sun?
The image of "a raisin in the sun," therefore, refers to the first of six possibilities for the fate of the deferred dream. In the play, this dream refers primarily to the $10,000 life insurance check which represents freedom and security for Walter and Beneatha. However, it has a more general application, given the struggle for civil rights which was at its height in 1959, when A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway.
Where did the title of the play A Raisin in the Sun come from?
The title of Lorraine Hansberry 's play, A Raisin in the Sun, comes from a poem by Langston Hughes called "Harlem," sometimes known as "A Dream Deferred," and first published in 1951. The poem is short, and the full text is as follows:
What is a Raisin in the Sun?
A Raisin in the Sun fits the definition of realist drama because the play depicts an ordinary family’s challenges, without resorting to melodrama or stilted, artificial language. Realist drama emerged from a wider movement known as “realism,” which swept the literary world in the nineteenth century. Realism transformed nearly every major element of ...
What is the realist drama in Raisin in the Sun?
For one thing, she portrays the everyday challenges and drudgery of a typical working-class family.
