Raisin in the sun book characters

Character analysis for walter lee from the book raisin in the. Characters beneatha beneatha is an attractive college student who provides a young, independent, feminist perspective, and her desire to become a doctor demonstrates her great ambition. Walter younger can be really hard to get along with. A raisin in the sun, the play by lorraine hansberry, was produced in new york city in 1959. Character and object descriptions provide descriptions of the significant characters as well as objects and places in a raisin in the sun. Americas complicated history of racial tension between black americans and white americans is ingrained into the youngers everyday lives. Characters walter as mamas only son, ruths defiant husband, traviss caring father, and beneathas belligerent brother, walter serves as both protagonist and antagonist of the play. The lindner character, although basically a flat character, is still developed by hansberry as a human being and not simply a stereotype of a bigot. The plot revolves around him and the actions that he takes, and his character evolves the most during the course of the play.

Who is the main character in the play, a raisin in the sun. A raisin in the sun discussion questions enable students to approach the essential questions on money, dreams, identity, racism, society, and values. Unlike the stereotypical 1950s housewives, though, she also goes out into. They are given an opportunity to do so when the grandfathers inheritance is the sent in the mail. Very lowkey, ruth reveals her strongest emotions only when she learns of the possibility of their moving to a better neighborhood. Ruth younger character analysis in a raisin in the sun. A list of all the characters in a raisin in the sun.

Need help on characters in lorraine hansberrys a raisin in the sun. A raisin in the sun characters conflicts study guides and. Conflict over how lenas insurance money is going to be spent by walter. Because of her religious convictions against liquor drinking, mama. The main characters in a raisin in the sun are lena younger, walter younger, beneatha younger, ruth younger, and travis younger. Although this book and death of a salesman have some similar themes, what makes a raisin in the sun much better is its dynamic dialogue and the conflicting desires of its characters. Character analysis in a raisin in the sun introduction in the course of writing literature, it is often ubiquitous for playwrights, novelists and other kinds of authors to showcase themes and styles through characters. The a raisin in the sun quotes below are all either spoken by walter lee younger or refer to walter lee younger. Parents need to know that a raisin in the sun eloquently portrays the life struggles of an africanamerican family living on chicagos south side in the 1950s. Throughout the play, she searches for her identity. A raisin in the sun characters from litcharts the creators. Assimilationism means that one race conforms to another in an effort to.

A raisin in the sun summary set in the aftermath of world war ii, the younger family is facing its own war against racism in the chicago slums. A raisin in the sun characters lorraine hansberry this study guide consists of approximately 55 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a raisin in the sun. The main characters of this plays, classics story are. Compare and contrast the characters of walter and beneatha in a raisin in the sun. A raisin in the sun as mama s only son, ruth s defiant husband, travis s caring father, and beneatha s belligerent brother, walter serves as both protagonist and antagonist of the play. There were few differences between the movie and the book raisin in the sun.

The characters in a raisin in the sun each had different goals, specifically walter lee younger had ideas and strategies to make him and his family live better lives. A raisin in the sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the youngers, an africanamerican family living on the south side of chicago in the 1950s. The events of every passing year add resonance to a raisin in the sun. As well as many other young individuals in america, the fellow is full of passion and ambitions to follow his dreams. Walter works as a chauffeur and drinks a bit too much at times. Walter lee is the only protagonist and antagonist at the same time in a raising in the sun. He is polite and mannerly even though everything he says is. Essay on a raisin in the sun character analysis 712. Pdf a raisin in the sun book by lorraine hansberry free. About a raisin in the sun never before, the entire history of the american theater, has so much of the truth of black peoples lives been seen on the stage, observed james baldwin shortly before a raisin in the sun opened on broadway in 1959. Free download or read online a raisin in the sun pdf epub book.

Read our extended character analysis of walter lee younger. The character has the same name in both the play and the movie. When he comes to walters apartment to deliver the bad news about the insurance money, he is so mannerly and polite to the women in the younger household that he. Read a plot overview of the entire play or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. As the play progresses the unity of the family is often questioned. Lindner arrives at the younger household, he is extremely shy and timid, not threatening or abrasive or loud. If people can be divided into three groups those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened apply each of these to the three characters in raisin who respectively prove that this is so.

A 35yearold chauffeur who has a young son, travis, with his wife, ruth. The younger family lives in a cramped, furniture crowded apartment that is clearly too small for its five occupants in one of the poorer sections of southside chicago. Character analysis a raisin in the sun is a play written by lorraine hansberry about the life of an african american family during the era of segregation. A college student, beneatha aspires to be a doctor, and she relies on her fathers life insurance money for her medical school tuition. He says all kinds of mean things to ruth, his wife, and is even short with his longsuffering mother, lena. The matriarch of the younger family, lena, commonly referred to as mama, is walter lee and beneathas mother and travis grandmother. Walter gave travis his last fifty cents, forcing him to ask ruth for money to go to work. I felt that the movie just gave you a visual to understand and relate to the characters more. Shows dreams of every character beneatha medical school, lena garden, ruth provide for travis, walter liquor store and how money would help in achieving those goals. A raisin in the sun, a play by lorraine hansberry, is the story of a lowerclass african american family living on the southside of chicago during the 1950s. Raisin in the sun compare and contrast a raisin in the sun is a play about the youngers family who lived in the south side of chicago during the 1950s.

The main characters in a raisin in the sun are lena younger, walter lee younger, beneatha younger, ruth younger, and travis younger lena younger is the elderly. A raisin in the sun character analysis course hero. Very lowkey, ruth reveals her strongest emotions only when she learns of the. The one major difference between the two was the sequence of events from the movie to the book. Lena is a fullbodied and strong woman in her early sixties with a read full character analysis mamas oldest child and beneathas brother. The movement lorraine hansberry american literature. Beneatha, also called benny, is the youngest adult member of the younger family.

The insurance payment quotes in a raisin in the sun the a raisin in the sun quotes below all refer to the symbol of the insurance payment. Character analysis ruth younger a raisin in the sun. A raisin in the sun was the first play written by a black woman to be produced on broadway, as well as the first with a black director, mr. When mama reminisces about her life with big walter, she speaks of him with admiration, although the audience might question mamas tolerance of some of his past behavior. Character analysis ruth younger lorraine hansberry ruths close relationship with her motherinlaw and with her new family is comparable to the biblical ruth, who tells her motherinlaw, naomi, that she will travel with her wherever she goes and that your people shall be my people. Get free homework help on lorraine hansberrys a raisin in the sun. Get an answer for compare and contrast walter and beneatha from a raisin in the sun. For most of the first act, hes nasty to just about every other character in the play. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. As the play opens, walter comes out conspicuously due to his ideologies concerning the money the youngers are about to receive from an insurance firm as life insurance policy for the deceased mr. Raisin in the sun compare and contrast freebooksummary. A raisin in the sun essay undergoing the obstructions of pursuing a desired dream mentally and emotionally transforms the person within. Shes a downtoearth, hardworking black woman who doesnt suffer. She makes breakfast, cleans the house, supports her husband, and keeps her own desires to herself.

While not perfectly threedimensional, each family member in the story had an idea a raisin in the sun details the story of a workingclass family struggling to. The conflict of assimilationism intensifies and provides the central theme throughout the play. In spite of his manipulative nature, however, travis is a likeable child because, although he might be mischievous at times, he is always mannerly. Study help essay questions a raisin in the sun book. Compare and contrast walter and beneatha from a raisin in the. Hansberry creates the story of the youngers, a struggling africanamerican family whose members deal with poverty, racism, and painful conflict among themselves as they reach for a better life.

Mapping a raisin in the sun characters storyboard that. Characters work at subservient jobs walter is a chauffeur, and his mother and sister clean houses, grapple with the impact this has on their selfesteem, and face racial prejudice. The only white character to appear onstage during the play, karl lindner is a. Walter lee younger in his middle thirties, he is the husband of ruth, father of travis, brother of beneatha, and son of lena mama younger. She is a flat caricature of the nosy, jealous neighbor. Bobo is, as his name suggests, somewhat dimwitted, but he is basically honest and appears to be a loyal friend. Johnson character in order to point out the explosive realities that await the youngers for being the first blacks to move into clybourne park. Ruth is in some ways like a typical housewife of the 1950s. A raisin in the sun by lorraine hansberry goodreads.

In both the play and the film, family unity is often forgotten by the characters. Character analysis karl lindner a raisin in the sun. The insurance payment symbol in a raisin in the sun. Walter lee younger, beneatha younger bennie, lena younger mama, ruth younger, travis younger, joseph asagai, george murchison, mr. Rather, hansberry chooses to focus equally on the four main characters. Character analysis of a raisin of the sun essay 845 words 4 pages.

The matriarch of the younger family, lena, commonly referred to as mama, is walter lee and beneatha s mother and travis grandmother. A raisin in the sun is a play by lorraine hansberry that was first performed in 1959. Beneatha bennie younger is lenas 20yearold daughter. Walter lee younger character analysis in a raisin in the. Ruths character is also highlighted in this moment. Assimilationism in a raisin in the sun the play a raisin in the sun demonstrates the intense opposition that white families in clybourne park displayed in response to the youngers moving in to their primarily white neighborhood. Character analysis of a raisin in the sun the male protagonist of this story is walter lee younger, an african american, who plays the roles of a son, husband, father, and brother. For one, hes ashamed of his poverty and tries to hide it from his son even when its totally impractical to do so. A raisin in the sun is a 1959 awardwinning play by lorraine hansberry, notable for being the first play by an africanamerican woman to appear on broadway.

In lorraine hansberrys a raisin in the sun, conflict arises when an insurance check provides the means to fulfill conflicting dreams for lena younger mama and her children walter lee and beneatha. On page 32, walter expresses how tired he is of living in this beatup hole, and later, on page 34, he realizes a reality about how he and his family are at the bottom. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. The book has been awarded with new york drama critics. Character list ruth younger the thirtyish wife of walter lee younger and the mother of travis, their tenyearold son. The a raisin in the sun characters covered include. Identify the major characters in a raisin in the sun and type their names into the different title boxes choose a character to represent each of the literary characters. Ruth younger the thirtyish wife of walter lee younger and the mother of travis, their tenyearold son. Walter lee younger mamas son is a 35yearold chauffeur, who sometimes drinks too much, and becomes obsessed with using the insurance money on a.

Character analysis of beneatha in a raisin in the sun. Walter younger lena younger mama beneatha younger ruth younger travis younger joseph asagai george murchison karl lindner mrs. Youll also gain insight into the author lorraine vivian hansberry. Jul 02, 2018 a raisin in the sun discussion questions help us reflect on life for an impoverished african american family in 1950s chicago and consider race and opportunity in america generally. Benny attends the local university and loves to experiment with new things such as photography, horseback riding, and playing the guitar. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 160 pages and is available in hardcover format. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. Beneatha is an attractive college student who provides a young, independent, feminist perspective, and her desire to become a doctor demonstrates her great ambition.

The play starts off with the younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from mr. It is as if history is conspiring to make the play a classic. 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. Her two suitors, george murchison and joseph asagai, function as foils, or contrasting characters, for different aspects of beneathas personality and opposing. The play of lorraine hansberry, a raisin in the sun, justified how the members in the younger family change while overcoming the challenges of achieving a goal once believed to be unfathomable. Characters are used to advance specific thematic topics or showcase the proficiency of other characters. Dreams possess great importance in a raisin in the sun, with the plays name coming from a 1951 langston hughes poem titled montage of a dream deferred. The a raisin in the sun quotes below are all either spoken by ruth younger or refer to ruth younger.

Big walter is another character whom we never meet and only learn about through the dialogue of others. In lorraine hansberrys a raisin in the sun, the characters of beneatha and walter younger share the traits of. During the first scene the youngers are waiting for the check from the now dead mr. In the poem, part of which serves as the plays epigraph a quotation at the beginning of a book that elaborates on its major themes the poet asks, what happens to a dream deferred. He seems sheltered and overprotected by the numerous adults in the household, yet he is a street kid, drawn to the life of his ghetto neighborhood. See a complete list of the characters in a raisin in the sun and indepth analyses of walter, mama, beneatha, and asagai. The first edition of the novel was published in 1959, and was written by lorraine hansberry. Discuss the ways in which the setting of raisin has a profound effect upon two of the characters. A raisin in the sun character list walter lee younger. Walter lee younger is the main character of the play a raisin in the sun that is a large and welldeveloped life story of this person that is also known as brother. In the play a raisin in the sun written by lorraine hansberry, family unity appears sometimes as the enemy and at other times, it is the friend. Johnson is insensitive and unkind, asking indelicate, overly nosy questions. Ruth acts as peacemaker in most of the explosive family situations. Character analysis in a raisin in the sun literature book.

Beneatha younger sister beneatha, also called benny, is the youngest adult member of the younger family. Beneatha dreams of becoming a doctor during a time when women were typically nurses. Benny attends the local university and loves to experiment with new things such as photography, horseback riding, and playing the. All pretenses but living itself have long since van ished from the very atmosphere of this room. A raisin in the sun characters from litcharts the creators of.