Africa My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Mama's unending devotion to her small houseplant signifies her read analysis of Mama's Plant. George says, "Goodnight, Prometheus!" An opportunity for the family to escape the poverty comes when the family receive an 10,000 insurance check. Mrs. Johnson says white folks in Chicago are acting like the ones in Mississippi. Although Walter's frustrations of establishing his own business appear to devour his hopes, his obsession with his dream restores his hope. He says that he feels depressed, despondent, and useless as the man of the family. $24.99 Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? A Raisin in the Sun Study Guide Literary Elements: Be ready to identify examples that fit with the following terms. Motivate students to complete assigned readings with A Raisin in the Sun quizzes. directions she is said to look more like Recommends a raisin in the sun for its lighthearted view of a very serious situation. as salt" Beneatha counters with a Their concern foreshadows, among other developments, the arrival of Mr. Lindner, who reveals that the white people of Clybourne Park are just as wary of the Youngers as the Youngers are of white people. Act II Scene 1, Next Teachers and parents! How does Walter lose the insurance money? Thirty pieces and a not a coin less!: of especially in the South, directed against Complete your free account to request a guide. Mama returns unexpectedly and announces to Travis especially and also to Walter and Ruth that she has put a hefty down payment on a house in an all-white neighborhood. Walter then employs the phrase to illustrate how women keep men from achieving their goalsevery time a man gets excited about something, This symbol signifies Beneatha's anti-assimilationist beliefs as well as her desire to shape her identity by looking back to her roots in Africa., Mama decides to . She dances around the apartment, claiming to be performing a tribal dance while shouting OCOMOGOSIAY and singing. Beneatha and George come in from their date and after a brief disagreement, George leaves, puzzled. Additionally, at this point Ruth is unable or unwilling to combat her husbands irresponsibility with the familys financial security, leaving the room after she hears enough of his drunken ramblings. on 50-99 accounts. George wants to kiss Beneatha, but she does not want to kiss. She compares, for example, the overt racism of the south at that time with the covert racism found in the north. He sees Beneatha all dressed up and acts out some made-up tribal rituals with her, at one point standing on a table and pronouncing himself Flaming Spear. Ruth looks on wearily. And after a little bit of reading in my own Bible, since I don't know enough about it to just assume, I found out what those allusions meant. George uses his social standing to elevate himself above what he sees as the stigma of his racial identity (and acts like a stuck-up jerk in doing so). If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. of the Chicago Tribune newspaper; Scarlett is a shrewd, He goes quickly to his bedroom, and Mama remains sitting and worrying. Mama is not moving to Clybourne Park because she wants to integrate a neighborhood; instead, she simply wants the best deal for her money. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Garbo: legendary actress of 1930s; Purchasing A Raisin in the Sun is an allusion in the fact that it is a reference to a line in a poem called "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes. It means that George thinks Walter Lee is trying to take money from the rich, superior people to share it with the poor, inferior ones. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Free trial is available to new customers only. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Instant PDF downloads. Alludes to Moses, who led his people out of the wilderness to the Promised Land. never been 'fraid of no crackers After Mama has announced her plans to buy a house in an all-white neighborhood, Ruth at first expresses fear. Last updated by Aslan on 9/14/2014 2:37 PM . Why should you consider care needs be fore buying a garment? PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Taking a defensive stance, Walter describes himself as a volcano in an attempt to fortify his male identity. And when Mrs. Johnson goes on to say that Washington "was one of our great men," Mama counters, almost angrily, with, "Who said so?" She believes, as did many in the postWorld War II consumer culture, that, to some degree at least, ownership can provide happiness. Sadly, the people of Benin began to involve themselves in the lucrative Atlantic slave-trade selling captured rival prisoners to Europeans and Americans. Beneatha believes in education as a means to understanding and self-fulfillment, while George sees education as a means to get a good job. She predicts that the Youngers will also be scared out of the all-white neighborhood once they move in and insults much of the family by calling them a proud-acting bunch of colored folks. She then quotes Booker T. Washington, a famous Black thinker and assimilationist. Allusions In A Raisin In The Sun. As a result, people within the black community often had negative perceptions about those who adopted this style. The inexcusable complicity of the Africans in the heinous slave trade, however miniscule it might have been, is often exaggerated perhaps in an attempt to assuage guilt over the grand scale involvement in the violation of human rights by all those connected with the Atlantic slave trade. Complete your free account to request a guide. Renews March 10, 2023 Hansberry, herself, speaks through Mama, who dismisses Washington as a "fool." George and Beneatha situate themselves on opposing sides of the argument surrounding African-American assimilation. Stowe's book; black man who accepts the Meanwhile, Ruth falls in the middle of this debate, possessing neither Georges social standing nor Beneathas fierce dedication to a largely foreign cultural identity. Hansberry does not mention the slave trading aspect of West African history in this play; possibly she believed that this fact would be intentionally misinterpreted. George Murchison arrives to pick up Beneatha. A Raisin in the Sun. Mrs. Johnson's intent is clearly to belittle the importance of the Youngers' getting away from the horrid conditions of their cramped apartment. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Struggling with distance learning? 41 Comments Please sign inor registerto post comments. For Mama, the earlier events of the day, with the talk of abortion, signaled a low point for her family. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Read Walters important speech to Travis. Using garment catalogs, compare sizing charts. lynching prominent Chicago resident, Hereros of Southwest Africa: the Hereros Meanwhile, Walter is noticeably upset because he wants to put all the money into the liquor store venture. Contained in an early sixties song, subtitled "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," the word was made popular by Pete Seeger and the Weavers. Clearly, we can see by the way Walter talks about them that he appreciates their music very much. Le petit Prince Chapitre 7 et 8 questions and answers, TeacherS Guide and Answer KEY for WheelockS Latin, I. Walter believes that the insurance money Mama gives him can provide him with financial success and educational resources for his son, a priority he values more highly than his sisters goal of becoming a doctor. Read more about Beneathas hair as a symbol. A Raisin in the Sun Analysis. Mama, still smarting over Walter's previous accusation that she "butchered" his dream, decides to entrust Walter with the responsibility for the remaining money, stipulating that he first deposit $3,000 for Beneatha's education. . on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. can't say her opinion, then she's nothing. missionary work Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! the back of his hand, and straddling a chair back-. Although it is documented that as early as the first century B.C. Walters boss calls, telling Ruth that Walter has not been to work in three days. read analysis of The Insurance Payment, Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs knowledge of the Bible by quoting a peckerwoods no-count riff-raff; poor, shiftless, racially prejudiced whites. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% LitCharts Teacher Editions. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Alludes to Greek mythology when Prometheus took fire from the gods and shared it with people. Ethiopia References to Ethiopia can be found in the Bible and in the writings of Herodotus and Homer. It means that Beneatha has no faith in Walter Lee's Leadership, Lena says she saw a cockroach like Napoleon. He knows who he is because he is African. Bantu The Bantu language is the tongue common to the peoples of Africa who live below the equator. 9), Ethics and Social Responsibility (PHIL 1404), Biology 2 for Health Studies Majors (BIOL 1122), Elements of Intercultural Communication (COM-263), Organizational Theory and Behavior (BUS5113), Mathematical Concepts and Applications (MAT112), Professional Application in Service Learning I (LDR-461), Advanced Anatomy & Physiology for Health Professions (NUR 4904), Principles Of Environmental Science (ENV 100), Operating Systems 2 (proctored course) (CS 3307), Comparative Programming Languages (CS 4402), Business Core Capstone: An Integrated Application (D083), 315-HW6 sol - fall 2015 homework 6 solutions, Ch. Mrs. Johnson's implication is that it is easier to survive the blatant racism of a 1959 southern town than it is to be prepared for the hidden, and therefore more dangerous, racism of the urban ghettos. | Note that Asagai calmly accepts whatever his fate might be and even becomes an inadvertent peacemaker when he diffuses Beneatha's vitriolic reaction to Walter's loss of the family's money. Ruth and Walters concern about moving into a predominantly white neighborhood reflects the great tension that existed between raceseven in the Northern states. Beneatha goes to change for the theater, and Walter talks to George about business plans. Period 5 1844 - 1877 Amsco Note Taking Guide (Ch. Scarlet OHara: The heroine of the book Prometheus As noted later in the character analysis of Walter Lee Younger, George Murchison's reference to Prometheus fits Walter's fiery personality, along with several other parallels. Read an analysis of Beneathas quote on assimilation. In Timbuktu, men and boys (only) studied at its great university, utilizing to great advantage its many active libraries and books on history, medicine, astronomy, and poetry. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. The scene opens a few weeks later, on a Friday night; packing crates fill the Younger apartment in preparation for the move. The Ashanti, originally a part of present-day Ghana, were people within the Ghana Empire whose ascendancy was based on the iron and gold found within this wealthy country. Walter is no longer with Beneatha. The lion is waking This phrase refers to all of the African countries that were beginning to demand their independence of colonial rule. Beneathas statement that equates Mrs. Johnson and the KKK show the extent to which she believes assimilationist ideology is a scourge on the African-American community. Mamas feeble plant represents her familys deferred dreams for a better future, which have struggled to survive under the strain of life in Chicagos South Side. 8), B. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, With her costume and music choice, Beneatha embraces her African heritage. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, especially in the South, directed against, Business Law: Text and Cases (Kenneth W. Clarkson; Roger LeRoy Miller; Frank B. Both Beneatha and George Murchison seem to be pedants, showing off their learning, but George is offensive when he flaunts his knowledge in order to insult and degrade others. She feels she needs to buy the house to hold the family together. Historical Context Essay: A Raisin in the Sun on the Brink of the 1960s, Literary Context Essay: Hansberry, Langston Hughes, & the Harlem Renaissance. Du Bois, who believed in the importance of artistic endeavors (which Washington believed to be a frivolous activity). It means that George thinks Walter Lee is trying to take money from the rich, superior people to share it with the poor, inferior ones. Steel Act 2, Scene 2 He needs the dream to be his ownhe needs to be the one providing. the best little combo in the world This phrase refers to the band of musicians that Walter admires in the Green Hat. However, after the death of Askia, the Songhai Empire weakened and was finally conquered by neighboring enemies. This scene clearly reveals Walter Lee's lack of formal education because Walter assumes that George has simply invented the name "Prometheus" to annoy him. Walter wants to own his own business. In the play A Raisin in the Sun written by the playwright Lorraine Hansberry the reader witnesses various acts of betrayal from family members and friends throughout the selection based on a black family living in the South Side of Chicago during the 1950s. To this day, the name Shaka Zulu garners high praise in military circles and commands great respect.