Symbol of the Houseplant in Raisin in the Sun

Analyzing Lorraine Hansberry’s \'A Raisin in the Sun\': An Exploration of Themes, Symbolism, Setting, and Narrative Voice (Rough Draft)

Introduction

\"A Raisin in the Sun\" by Lorraine Hansberry, first performed in 1959, is a play that captures the dreams and aspirations of a working-class African-American family, the Youngers, who are grappling with issues of race, class, and identity in a racially segregated Chicago. The play utilizes symbolism, a specific setting, and first-person narrative to convey its themes and deepen its exploration of the human condition.

Thematic Analysis

One of the major themes of \"A Raisin in the Sun\" is the centrality of dreams and aspirations. Each member of the Younger family has their own dream—Walter Lee\'s desire to own a business, Beneatha\'s aspiration to become a doctor, and Mama\'s wish for a house with a yard. These dreams act as a driving force for the characters, pushing them towards their goals, yet they also contribute to the family\'s tensions and conflicts.

Each dream represents different aspects of the African-American experience (Carter). Walter Lee\'s dream of owning a business mirrors the yearning for economic self-determination and upward mobility among African-Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. Beneatha\'s aspiration to become a doctor reflects the quest for educational opportunities and professional recognition often denied to African-Americans due to systemic racism. Finally, Mama\'s dream for a house signifies the pursuit of safe and decent living conditions, a basic human right that was, and still is, frequently denied to racial minorities.

Hansberry\'s title, drawn from Langston Hughes\'s poem \"Harlem,\" poignantly questions what happens to a dream deferred—does it dry up, or does it explode? This query resonates with each character\'s personal dreams. While Beneatha and Mama manage to keep their dreams alive despite obstacles, Walter\'s dream of economic freedom gets deferred, leading to frustration and near ruin for the family. The dream\'s potential to \"explode\" serves as a metaphor for societal unrest caused by racial and economic inequality (Hughes).

The characters\' pursuit of their dreams reflects their struggle for freedom, equality, and dignity. In the end, their dreams don\'t merely symbolize personal aspirations; they represent the collective hopes of African-American people during a tumultuous era.

Symbolism

Symbolism is a recurring device in Hansberry\'s play. One of the prominent symbols in the play is the insurance money from Big Walter\'s death. It symbolizes the Younger family\'s hopes for a better future. Walter Lee sees it as the means to achieve his entrepreneurial dream, while Mama envisions it as the ticket to a better home environment. It encapsulates both the dreams and divisions within the Younger family. However, its potential misuse also presents a threat to family unity, reflecting the vulnerability of dreams in the face of greed and desperation.

Another powerful symbol in the play is the houseplant that Mama lovingly tends to. Mama\'s houseplant symbolizes her dream of owning a house with a garden, representing a desire for growth, life, and stability. The plant struggles to thrive in the small, dimly lit apartment, much like the Younger family\'s dreams and aspirations struggle within their confined circumstances. However, Mama\'s relentless care for the plant indicates her persistent hope and resilience in the face of adversity. Mama says at one point, \"Lord, if this little old plant don\'t get more sun than it\'s been getting, it ain\'t never going to see spring again\" (40). This line reinforces the notion that the whole family, like the plant, needs sun—God’s light—in order to grow the right way.

In a broader context, the plant also serves as a symbol of the African-American experience. Just like the plant, African-Americans have managed to survive and grow despite the harsh conditions of racial discrimination and economic deprivation. It becomes a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity, emblematic of the Youngers\' and, by extension, the broader African-American community\'s resilience.

Through the insurance money and the houseplant, Hansberry uses symbolism to deepen our understanding of the characters\' dreams, hopes, and struggles. The symbols become vehicles through which the playwright explores the play\'s central themes of dreams, family, racial identity, and the quest for a better life.

Setting

The play is set in the South Side of Chicago during the post-World War II era, a period characterized by considerable racial tension and socioeconomic disparities in America. The Youngers\' apartment, where most of the play\'s action takes place, reflects the family\'s cramped living conditions. This setting is crucial in understanding the physical constraints and societal restrictions the Youngers face as African-Americans in a racially segregated society.

Matz, in the book \"Literary Impressionism and Modernist Aesthetics,\" points out that the the dream of substance is connected to “knowledge of our inauthenticity” (208). In other words, authentic lives are riddled with dreams in which better things take shape. This is true for all the characters in the play as their lives are burdened by a setting that does not give them room to reach their potential. Environment plays a stifling role in their lives. The apartment serves as a microcosm of the larger societal issues at play—racial discrimination, economic struggle, and the pursuit of the American Dream. With its worn-out furniture, narrow space, and a window that provides limited natural light, the apartment symbolizes the family\'s confinement due to social and economic barriers. It\'s a physical manifestation of the restrictions that poverty and racism have imposed on the family.

Moreover, the shared bathroom down the hall underscores the family\'s lack of privacy and space, a common circumstance for many African-American families in crowded urban neighborhoods during this era. The scarcity of resources, represented by the shared bathroom, amplifies the family\'s financial struggles and the broader issue of housing discrimination against African-Americans.

The contrasting setting of Clybourne Park, a predominantly white neighborhood where Mama aims to buy a house, highlights the stark racial divide that characterizes the era. This disparity is a poignant reminder of the racially determined socioeconomic boundaries of the time.

By setting \"A Raisin in the Sun\" in the South Side of Chicago and the aspirational Clybourne Park, Hansberry effectively underscores the dichotomy between the reality of the family\'s current living situation and their dreams for a better future.

Narrative Voice

The play is predominantly presented in the first-person perspective, giving each character a distinct voice and providing audiences with a multifaceted understanding of the family’s experiences. This narrative choice allows playwright Lorraine Hansberry to delve into each character\'s thoughts, dreams, and struggles with unparalleled depth, adding a layer of complexity and intimacy to the exploration of the play\'s themes and symbols.

Through the first-person narrative voice, the audience receives a direct insight into the characters\' motivations, fears, and hopes. For instance, Walter Lee\'s passionate speeches about his dreams of owning a business and breaking free from the vicious cycle of poverty reveal not only his personal ambition but also the collective aspiration of many African-Americans during the post-World War II era. His frustrations and, ultimately, his desperation echo the disillusionment that many felt when their dreams were repeatedly deferred.