Why You Should Read "A Raisin in the Sun"

I recently read A Raisin in the Sun. A Raisin in the Sun is a 1959 play by Lorainne Hansberry. A Raisin in the Sun centers on the Younger family, a poor black family living in Chicago. The family consists of Walter Younger, Walter’s wife Ruth, Walter’s sister Benetha, Walter’s son Travis, and Walter’s mom Mama. The play begins with news of the death of Walter’s father, Big Walter, the family patriarch. Although everyone grieves after Big Walter’s death, there is also hope surrounding the tragedy, as the family will receive a $10,000 insurance check. With the huge sum of money, the family hopes they can utilize it and create a better future for themselves.

One of the things I found very interesting while reading this play is how Lorainne Hansberry explores the topic of black identity, particularly through Beneatha. In the play, Beneatha is urged by her family to marry the rich man George Murchinson. With how brutal their condition is at the moment, they believe that Beneatha marrying a wealthy suitor would help them a lot. However, another suitor named Joseph Asagai presents himself. Joseph Asagai is a Nigerian man at college in Chicago who Beneatha meets and connects to much more than George Murchinson. Asagai is vital for Beneatha’s character development. Beneatha comes to label George Murchinson and others like him as “assimilationist” and begins to connect more with her African roots. She begins to wear Nigerian clothing that Asagai gifts her, and begins to wear her hair naturally without straightening it, which was very daring for the time period. Similarly, this play was controversial at the time for even daring to portray a black woman who had not straightened her hair. Beneatha eventually falls for Joseph, and becomes more connected to her African heritage, deciding that she may eventually want to work in Africa.

In the play, Hansberry presents the fact that dreams may not always work out, but one must still hold on to them and strive to achieve them in their lives. The title of the play, “A Raisin in the Sun” comes from the Langston Hughes poem “Harlem” which asks: “What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?” This poem expresses the idea that if dreams aren’t pursued they’ll eventually die out, and people will be left wondering what could’ve happened if they pursued them. With the insurance check, Beneatha, Walter, and Mama all have different aspirations they hope to achieve. Beneatha hopes to receive money for medical school to fulfill her hopes of becoming a doctor. Walter hopes to start up a liquor store with his buddies so they can get rich, and Mama hopes to move the family into a home where all of them can live comfortably. Spoiler: Eventually, Walter pursues the dream, but ends up getting conned by his friend who runs off with the money he gave him and is nowhere to be seen. Although Walter’s dream ended horribly, he still had to pursue it.

Overall, I would recommend this play. It’s a very short read but is packed with a great plot, great dialogue, and themes that will keep you interested.