The Play a Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Darrell Gant

THD 154

Dr. Leslie Orr

September 10, 2015

Reaction Paper #2

        The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry has several themes represent each character. One of the major themes, which is female gender identity effects three generations of women in this play. Throughout the play we see circumstances past, present, and future that shape these women and their identities. What was the role of an African American woman of the 1950s? This essay will explain what causes the women to be so strong, what forms their identities, and how it relates to the theme.

        Starting with the traditional woman and the matriarch of the family, Lena Younger., regularly called Mama throughout the play, is a caring, God-fearing, family oriented woman that has been through many obstacles in her life. One of these obstacles includes the passing of her husband, Walter in which she frequently reminisces about throughout the play.  However, these obstacles do not hinder her process to provide her family with the American Dream. Upon her husband’s death, Mama is entitled to ten thousand dollars provided by her husband’s life insurance. Her dream is to purchase a home for her family while simultaneously having the dream of her own which is to have a garden in the back yard of the house. In act one scene one the reader sees mama talking to Ruth about the past when her and her husband were going to buy a house and have a little garden in the back: “we had even picked out the house…you should know all the dreams I had ‘bout buying that house and fixing it up and making me a little garden in the back” (act 1 scene 1). Obviously this dream does not happen in which Mama is sad about, but Mama is set on having a better life for her family with a house in a decent neighborhood. This, her husband’s death and the circumstances of where she lives has caused Mama to become strong-willed which reflects her identity. Her religious value also characterizes who she is and we see this in the scene with Beneatha denouncing God in front of Mama: “Now you say after me, in my mother’s house there is still God” (act 1 scene 1). The reader can tell that from Mama’s perspective, God is still present in her life let alone her home. She has faith that God will provide for her, like she does for her family. All of these things form Mama’s unique identity.

        Next there is Beneatha, Lena’s daughter who has radical views and beliefs that make up her identity and sets her apart. Beneatha is not the traditional woman because of her views at that point in time. Instead of being family oriented like mama, Beneatha is self-oriented. Beneatha is strong-willed and independent in her own way as she states that she can and will succeed in her career path without the help of a man: “I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet, if I ever get married” (act 1 scene 1). There is no question that Beneatha’s education forms her identity and that she prides herself on being independent, but she also struggles to figure out who she is throughout the play. One of the significant factors that lead Beneatha to her true identity are the men she encounters throughout the play. Beneatha had more of an interest in Joseph Asagai who persuades Beneatha to get back to her African roots, than George Murchison who tries to get Beneatha to assimilate without hesitation into “white-America”. These people influence heavily Beneatha. Although it took some time Beneatha continued to have the dream of becoming a doctor along with a new outlook on life and a new identity.

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