A Raisin in the Sun - Women in Courageous Light - Essay Example

?A Raisin in the Sun: Women in Courageous Light The Raisin in the Sun is a play written about a typical African-American family caught in the middle of interplay of problems namely: poverty, racism and tensions between social classes. A lot of issues which plagued the African-American families was shown in this play and opened the eyes of the people on the surmounting problems that racism and class tensions has drawn. The pressures are high in the story wherein five people live in a single apartment, two families share a small space, and the building itself is. The raisin in the sun also focuses on three generations of women of who represent the different types of mindset of women in the world today. Their roles in the play portrayed in a way where they are seen in a different light, especially in the ways in which they survived through trying times. Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun depicts the struggles of three generations of women in the Youngers family. This displays an understanding of the women and the atmosphere in which they live. Their struggles were revealed and enforced upon the characters individually as well as with their united wishes as a family.  Individually, each character overcame the prejudice from their family and associates, while still enduring struggles and hardships.  Together, however, they must overcome the racism incurred by society, while still maintaining their pride and dignity (Domina xii). This story revolves around an ongoing theme in her which is the use of strong black women. Each one is clearly and vividly drawn, having own individuality and strength. The women of the Younger family consisted of Mama, the family matriarch; her daughter Beneatha and son’s wife Ruth. Mama is the family matriarch who kept her family aloft in trying times. She was bequeathed by her husband a cheque in which her family’s life hangs upon. She believes in God and has high hopes and dreams for her family specially that of having their own home as her husband’s one wish when he was still living. Beneatha on the other hand, is a young woman in search of her own identity. She wants to be a doctor, thus going against the society’s eyes wherein a woman should just be silent and take care of others. She has feminist ideas that usually put her in a clash with her brother Walter who has dreams of his own. Another character is Ruth, Walter’s wife who is working day by day to help in providing for her family. She is somehow seen in the play as getting tired of her life. She’s always in a disagreement with her husband. In this play, she found out that she’s pregnant and had to make a choice of committing abortion because she knew that her family cannot afford to support another member of the family. A lot of conflicts were integrated in the film, not only in the family but also individually. The main conflict however it’s in the family’s wish for a better life. An “American dream” as others may call it. Each family member has a different meaning for it but all the same it is the central idea. Each woman in the play has been given a whole new life by the writer. Three different generations are portrayed by the women in the play. Mama, the matriarch of the family has high hopes for her family, wanting a better life for them. She puts her family’s welfare before her own and even willing to forego her own dreams for the happiness of the other members. She doesn’t like the idea of her son’s wanting to build a liquor store but at the end gave in because her son’s dreams where being questioned. Beneatha on the other hand was a feminist. She always gets in an argument with her brother because of his chauvinism even her mind and ideas where more modern than that of her Mama and Ruth. She even wants to works as a doctor which in his brother’s eyes was a job for a man and wants her to be a nurse instead. In addition to this, she leaves her boyfriend because she doesn’t tolerate his unwillingness to hear her thoughts (Domina, 3). Lastly, Ruth, Walter’s wife also voices out her happiness to her husband which causes them to quarrel. But still she helps him by asking “mama” to listen to Walter’s ideas even though she openly quarrels with him. He also shows the woman’s sacrifice for her family when she was willing to do several jobs for them to be able to live their current neighborhood. Racism was also a conflict depicted in the play. The family is entirely dependent on the money: they already have made plans to move, and are in the midst of packing up their things. Devastated from losing their money, Walter seriously considered taking an offer from a representative from the white neighborhood that would pay the Youngers extra not to move into their neighborhood (Domina 5). The option is immoral in the women's eyes, and prioritizes money over human dignity. Other than racism, the tensions between the upper class and the working class of the “black” community were also seen. It also shows that the tension was even greater than that of the racism. In conclusion, all the elements in the play duly represent the struggles endured by women within their home environment as well as in the neighborhood.  The actions of the women and the struggles they faced with issues of racial discrimination and gender differences symbolize the struggles of all women in the society as a whole.  The time represented period of great trials and tribulations for black women overcoming the slavery of their people in America and in this light portrays courageous and revolutionary women who share struggles with each other and also with their men. Throughout the entire play, issues of gender and race show a recurring role. It was discovered that the women of the Youngers family has a lot of pride and strength who even with their struggles and problems whether with each other or in their society, seek hope to better their position in the corruption around them.  Work Cited: Domina, Lynn. Understanding A raisin in the sun: a student casebook to issues,  sources, and historical documents. Westport CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Read More