Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

1269 Words3 Pages

Angie Ho (A0113915L)
EN1101E/GEK1000
Rebecca Raglon (W11)
07/11/2014
Q: How “feminist” does Raisin appear to you?

Equality VS Equity

When Lorraine Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun in 1959, the idea of feminism was not as recognised as it is today. Since the 19th century, feminism is focused on many different aspects, such as the equality in politics and workplace, and eliminating gender roles and stereotypes. Today, although feminism is much more emphasised, a large number of people still have misconceptions of the definition of feminism. Some think that feminism is the support of the oppression of men, which is entirely incorrect. Instead, feminism is generally defined as the advocacy of the rights of women to be equal to the men’s – this interpretation is also known as Gender Feminism. However, feminism has evolved and is differentiated into many types; another kind of feminism that is …show more content…

Due to the fact that the women in the household are self-sufficient and assertive, Walter finds difficulty in ‘finding peace’ in the household as no one is willing to listen to him. He seems desperate and exasperated as he exclaims: “WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO ME TODAY!” (Act 1, Scene 2, Page 50). Both genders in the family should be given enough power in the household to make each of them feel validated and important. By being unwilling to lend Walter a listening ear and excluding him in decision-makings, it is no wonder Walter feels neglected and insignificant in the family. The inequity of treatment within the family is not a good portrayal of equity feminism, and thus, I feel that this aspect of the play is not ‘feminist’.

The extent of feminism can also be determined through instances of sexism or gender stereotypes present in Raisin. Surprisingly, Lena, a domineering woman who appears to symbolise feminism, has also revealed a tendency to favour gender

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
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Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun