Some of the primary reasons that I chose “A Raisin in the Sun” for my curriculum unit are the diversity and richness of characterization and family issues that it provides. Also, it is in many ways the story that comes closest to mirroring the family situations of my students.
“A Raisin in the Sun” is a story about a poor black family in Chicago. It provides a wonderful description of a grandmother, her two adult children, her daughter-in-law, and her grandson.
The following is a brief description of the main characters of the play.
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Lena: matriarch of the family; represents traditional views of the family
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Walter: son of Lena, Father of Travis; experiencing deep problems in and around his leadership role within the family
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Ruth: wife of Walter, mother of Travis; supportive of family, but worn down by life’s disappointments
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Beneatha: daughter of Lena; search for identity; desires to break cultural/gender norms and become a doctor
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Travis: son of Walter and Ruth; youngest member of the Younger family; through innocence, youth, and potential represents the hopes and expectations of the entire family
The reading level of this story is suitable for grades 6-8. The story plot is simple and direct. The characters are realistic and interesting enough to hold the interest of most students. However, some of the vocabulary may be difficult to understand.
A Synopsis of “A Raisin in the Sun”
The setting indicates that the family lives in am impoverished physical environment. They struggle together to maintain a decent lifestyle. Within these circumstances they have not given up their hopes and dreams. The true beauty and strength of the Younger family is the unwillingness to accept poverty and prejudice. They have their “eyes on the prize” and they are individually at first, and then collectively going to attain it.
The main protagonist in the story, Mama, is the true soul and the backbone of the family. She gives the family an inner strength and radiance that inspires each member to maintain attributes unique to the formation of the individual identity within each member of the family.
Walter Lee, Mama’s son, is the most frustrated with the family’s financial situation. He wants to be able to support his wife Ruth and their ten year old son Travis on his own. Walter reflects back on his life and feels nothing but a lack of accomplishment. However, he is given an opportunity to make an investment that he feels will give him the self-respect he so desperately desires.
Even though his mother Lena wants Walter to take pride in his life accomplishments, she does not show support for Walter’s dream of investing in a liquor store. Lena believes that such an investment would be against her moral values.
During the story, Mama receives a ten thousand dollar check from her late husband’s insurance policy. Walter feels that this money is somehow owed to him so that he could be successful in the eyes of his family. Mama desires to use the money to put a down payment on a house that they could call their own. She no longer wants to pay rent on the two bedroom ghetto apartment that is infested with insects. She wants a yard so that she could plant the garden she has always wanted. Most of all, she wants her grandson to be able to grow up in better living conditions. He presently sleeps in the living room on the couch. She wants him to have the comfort and security of a home he could call his own. In addition, Mama would like her daughter Beneatha to follow her dream of going to medical school. She is a little confused about some of her daughter’s goals and aspirations. However, she plans to support her daughter’s decisions in search of her identity.
The entire family is anxious about how the money will be dispersed. Ruth finds out that she is pregnant. She considers an abortion due to the family’s already struggling circumstances. She is unable to approach Walter about her confusion because of his emotional state of mind. Walter has begun to drink heavily and constantly verbalizes his unhappiness.
When Walter realizes that Mama has decided to use the money to buy a house in an all white neighborhood, he feels betrayed. Mama feels the intensity of his frustration and decides to give him a portion of the remaining money. She also trusts him to deposit Beneatha’s college money. He takes all of the money and invests it in the liquor store. Unfortunately, his friend disappears and cons Walter out of all of his money.
The family is devastated by the news. They feel that all of their dreams have been crushed. Walter calls the representative from the neighborhood where they have purchases the house. He has made an offer to buy the house back due to the prejudice of the surrounding neighbors. Walter considers redeeming the offer due to the financial loss he has suffered. Mama allows Walter to make the ultimate decision. Even though Walter decides to turn the offer down. He earns the respect of the family for his powerful and courageous decision. The line from a Langston Hughes poem “What happens to a dream deferred? . . . (Hansberry viii) fortunately does not now have to be answered in the negative. This family had the courage to act upon their dream and now it is a “dream realized”, an affirmation.
I would approach the reading of this play using one, 45 minute period per day, three times a week. The play would be completed over the course of about six weeks, with some time spent acting out selections from various scenes. Most of these “acting out” scenes will follow the same format as used with “The Oxcart” and “And A Soul Shall Dance”; walk throughs without the benefit of scenery and memorization. However, I will select several brief scenes in which I will encourage the students to memorize their lines. In addition, some props and scenery will be used in a mini production.
