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Sexism theme in a raisin in the sun
Analysis of a raisin in the sun
Analysis of a raisin in the sun
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In the first scene of Lorraine Hansberry’s play, Walter attempts to become “the man” he wants, not the one his family needs. Walter emphasizes his masculinity, through his words, by repeatedly demanding people wake up early. “Now what is that boy…he just going to have to get up earlier. I can’t be late on the account of him” (Hansberry 1783). However, this attempt backfires as his Ruth confidently stands up against him and assertively defends their son from Walter’s accusations. “Oh no he ain’t going to be getting up no earlier…it’s not his fault he can’t get to bed [it’s you and your friends fault] (Hansberry 1783). Walter is left feeling emasculated by his wife, so he redirects his demands to a seemingly easier target –his sister. But instead
How is Racism in A Raisin in the Sun. In the book there is a lot of racism that made them people separate from each other. Their was nothing that made the people be together but work. This was a big problem and still is because people treat others by their race. Racism will always exist wile people think in different ways it may change in one of the days if people change their minds. Racism isn’t only about black people but even people from different continents or with different religions. In the book A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry’s the Youngers suffered from many thing. The thing that will be mentioned are how are black people treated what things did they suffer from and how was their society like.
Beloved by Toni Morrison and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry tackle issues of masculinity. On pages 125 to 138 and 147 to 149, Morrison illustrations in Beloved how white power structures and the sexual fetishism of the black man’s body, which were established by American slavery, emasculates the black man. On pages 143 to 144 in A Raisin in the Sun, which takes place between World War II and the present, portrays a peculiar mindset of a black man, and his fight to define his masculinity within a matriarchal family structure, a product of American slavery. The language in Beloved and A Raisin in the Sun, underlines the products of the societal structures of slavery effect on black masculinity.
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry suggests that women’s role in society is essential because they fight for change, they aspire to help those around them, and are are willing to take risks.
It is ironic that even in his dream, Walter casts himself as the master, perpetuating a system that has been the cause of his unhappiness. Hansberry shows us the painful reality that prejudice can be so deep-seeded in our culture that even the people, who are hurt by it, like Walter, can’t see past the dangerous practices that shackle many people. It is not until later that Walter learns that money isn’t everything and equality is. He then finds the courage to confront racism and his dream to help his family is transformed so that it does not “… dry up like a raisin in the sun…” Only at the end of the play does Walter escape the fate that Langston Hughes warned about in his famous poem.
For my second analyses of a script, we were to read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. I read a printed edition that I had ordered off of Amazon, which was the 2004 edition created by Vintage. The title of this play write is significant because of the poem Harlem, it is relating to Walter Younger’s dream for his family. He wants to give them a better life, but all of his strategies to get rich instantaneously but they “dry up” the same way as if you left a raisin in the sun. His dream just keeps getting postponed. The Raisin relates to a dream, such as it the poem by Langston Hughes. After looking at this poem and thoroughly reading the story, this seems to be the significance I can pull from this title.
Men are told many things as they mature their way through life. “Be a man,” “suck it up,” and “don’t cry” are only a few ego-damaging phrases children and men have to hear in their lives. The world writes this off as normal rather than damaging. Today’s society acts much like Nurse Ratched in Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The nurse uses emasculating terms and tactics throughout the book to rip away the men’s manliness and freedom to be who they truly are. When the nurse had found out Billy had done something she did not approve of, she manipulates him into thinking bad of what he was proud of just minutes before, "What worries me, Billy," she said—I could hear the change in her voice—"is how your poor mother is going to take this." She got the response she was after. Billy flinched and put his hand to his cheek like he'd been burned with acid,”(Kesey). Men and
From the beginning of the human race the gender roles of man and woman appeared to be straightforward. Women, being able to procreate, were sought to as nurturers, while men were to protect and provide for their family. Throughout all cultures, practices and beliefs of individuals toward masculinity significantly vary. Masculinity or manliness associates with characteristics such as strength, bravery, handsomeness, and physique in a male. With the ongoing changes in human history, the term masculinity has greatly evolved. Our western views’ paint a clear image of how children should be raised according to their gender role, which leads to more and more of them falling victim to the stigma of societal pressures and stereotypes. For example,
Language and Masculinity The art of communication was always dominated by the innovations happened in the art of language. The human race has always been communicating among itself and formed various societies, developed relationships, brought new ideas etc. Language was utilized to define the sexuality, the culture, the social aspect and it all happened in terms of gender. The dominance of the masculine gender through the utilization of the language was always known to the mankind. The male population receives power by dictating certain social norms. The masculinity is a part of the male gender and in terms of linguistics it conveys masculinity with great power and force. According to some philosophers the males unjustly and deliberately construct such a society which is male-centered and it caters to the supremacy of the masculinity described above. It will be interesting to find the relation among language, masculinity and gender. If we discuss it any further we will find out that throughout the history it was the human race which has brought innovation to the language. Language was used to gain power with the use of male power. As a result the language was also used to dictate social norms. They also became successful in gaining the women’s cooperation by using the power of masculine language. Some of the scholars assume that language is visible and it exists in this form without any doubt. They also further assume that language can be compared with other forms of visual phenomenon. In this regard the linguistic analysis is in fact a kind of perception of visual way. In other way one can see the language and in particular in its treatment of grammar. “In "Language and Masculinity," Victor Seidler writes, "Oppressed peopl...
This passage contains a wide array of literary devices, ranging from syntax to figurative language. These devices all help to describe the situation Jim is in, in this part of the book. He stayed the night at the Cutter’s house instead of Ántonia, which resulted in him being injured and humiliated. From the figurative language and imagery at the start of the passage, such as, “My lip was cut and stood out like a snout. My nose looked like a big blue plum” (161), the sheer damage is shown to its full extent. This connects to the larger motif of the past or childhood that backdrops the entire novel, as it is this kind of very drastic experience that impacts someone. Such an event serves an important role in the development of an adolescent, and the repercussions of this event may be elaborated on later in the book.
“WALTER: “.See, that just goes to show you what women understand about the world. Baby, don’t nothing happen to you in this world ‘less you pay somebody off!”(Hansberry). Walter says that money is a man’s domain, and that Ruth, being a woman, just wouldn’t understand. This sexist remark seems to come from his own lack of self-esteem. Unfortunately, for Walter and those around him, he feels the need to put people down in order to feel more powerful.”
Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises has his male characters struggling with what it means to be a man in the post-war world. With this struggle one the major themes in the novel emits, masculine identity. Many of these “Lost Generation” men returned from that war in dissatisfaction with their life, the main characters of Hemingway’s novel are found among them. His main characters find themselves drifting, roaming around France and Spain, at a loss for something meaningful in their lives. The characters relate to each other in completely shallow ways, often ambiguously saying one thing, while meaning another. The Sun Also Rises first person narration offers few clues to the real meaning of his characters’ interactions with each other. The reader must instead collect evidence from the indirect hints that Hemingway gives through his narrator, Jake Barnes. The theme of masculinity, though prevalent in the novel, is masked in this way. Jake war wound, Jake and Robert Cohn’s relationship, and the bull-fighting scene show the theme of masculinity.
The late 1950s was filled with racial discriminations. There was still sections living as well as public signs of Colored and Whites. Blacks and Whites were not for any change or at least not yet. A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Vivian Hansberry, tells a story of a black family that is struggling to gain a middle class acceptance in Chicago. The family of five, one child and four adults live in a tiny apartment that is located in a very poor area. Dreams of owning a business and having money to accomplish goals is two key parts played out throughout the whole play. Walter Younger is determined to have his own business and he will go to ends met to see that dream come true. Financial bridges are crossed and obstacles arise when Walter makes a bad decision regarding money that could have help the family and not only himself, if he would have thought smarter. His pride and dignity are tested throughout the story and he is forced to setup for his family. The Raisin in the Sun helps readers to understand history of racial discrimination and how racial discrimination has an effect on the people in the late 1950s and early 1960s as well as how that has an effect on the characters within the play.
and Dr. Whitehead, male behaviors and masculinity are not just a simple product of biological predispositions or genetic coding. All societies around the world have the cultural concept of gender, but some of them do not have the idea masculinity. The modern usage of masculinity usually describes the behaviors that result from the type of person someone is. This means that one who is un-masculine would behave differently. For example, “being peaceable rather than violent, conciliatory rather than dominant, hardly able to kick a football, uninterested in sexual conquest, and so forth” (42). The presented concept of masculinity presumes that one has to believe in individual difference and personal agency. So, it is based on the concept of individuality
Sex and gender are attributes to our identity. Sex describes the physical and biological factors we are born with, for example male or female genitalia, as quoted from blackadder “A boy without a winkle is a girl” (Elton and Curtis 1998). Whether we have oestrogen or testosterone hormones also tells us if we are man or woman. Gender however is in relation to stereotypes of masculinity and femininity, and expectations of what characteristics men or women should portray. Anyone given the opportunity to describe men, they would say words like dominant, non emotional, macho, aggressive, and to be the provider and protector of his family. This essay sets out to examine if masculinity is socially constructed and to do this the theories of gender, media, historical societies and even sexuality will be analysed throughout.
Masculinity and femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both the males and the females have responsibilities and duties but these duties differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and the society. Everyone starts making interpretations of the strengths and weaknesses based on one’s gender. These interpretations are not always based on his or her ability but is usually based on his or her gender. Males tend to be judged as extremely strong and unfashionable in terms of appearance. Whereas, females are judged as expensive and very fashionable. Males and females both differ in their abilities and their enjoyments. Fashion, entertainment, and strength are three topics, which are used to define masculinity and femininity in the 21st century.