Every individual symbol has its own unique and distinct traits that have its resemblance to different aspects of life. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin In The Sun, many symbols and themes were introduced which held a significant meaning and value to the play. One key symbol that was significant in this play was Beneatha’s hair, which represented many aspects of the Youngers day to day life, especially of Beneatha’s whose character trait and personality developed alongside this symbol throughout the play. One way Beneatha’s hair represents Beneatha in this play is how it contains aspects such as assimilation and change, which correspond to Beneatha’s personality in the beginning of the book very well. The scene that represents this begins with the Youngers cleaning their apartment and doing …show more content…
Mama is shocked and doesn’t want anyone to enter their apartment when it was such a mess, but Beneatha reassures her and just says it’s her African Friend. Asagai then enters, a very traditional and idealistic person, and hands her a few gifts. They have many very meaningful conversations and soon lead up to Beneatha's hair and how she has it straightened because she thinks it’s a mess, Asagai then says, “And so to accommodate that – you mutiate it every week?(I.ii.62). Asagai here tries to convey his message of being comfortable with what you have and not have the urge to assimilate, something Beneatha does to fit in with society better. Her hair can represent this lack of self esteem Beneatha carries and shows her desire of wanting to be like everyone else, during the beginning of the play. This is an important building block for the plot of the play and will eventually show changes in the significance of Beneatha’s hair. However further into the play we see a change in the meaning of Beneatha’s hair and see it hold a significance of being proud about our background and heritage, further showing Hansberry’s motive of showing
The texture and appearance of her hair reflects her white father and grandfather. Janie’s hair represents her independence and power, because when Joe Starks forced her to keep her hair in a rag, it constrained her feminist and hides her true identity, like she wants to be accepted by the community for who she is and her husband’s commands are constricting her from that, her hair represents her relationships and attraction, because she is known for her long and beautify hair, as the porch can easily identify her for her long and beautiful
In conclusion, Jin’s new hair influenced her desire to be more white, reflecting themes of self-discovery and personal
Through keeping the hair in her drawer, it symbolizes a reminder of her old way of life and how she can now tell her stories to her
The play by Lorraine Hansberry , A Raisin In The Sun, utilizes the use of allusions in order to supply the reader with historical background. Allusions create emphasis in the play, this allows the reader to understand and appreciate the text. Within the small details of the play, the use of allusions deepen the contextual support of the text. While reading A Raisin In The Sun, various allusions appear throughout the play. These allusions reference the outside world, but also give emphasis on the importance of the piece of the text references.
This indicates that Jody is jealous and believes he should be the only one allowed to see her hair. Janie’s hair is a big symbol to this story not only to symbolize her beauty but it also shows how women are treated unfairly compared to a man in this society. Janie should be allowed to wear her hair however she wishes, but because of Jody’s jealousy and insecurity over her, she is forced to tie it up and hide her true figure. After Jody’s death, the barriers brought
In addition, Janie’s hair is a symbol of her beauty and overall identity, but Joe forces her to tie it up in a rag because he is afraid that other men will be attracted to her beauty. This further oppresses Janie as it conceals the way Janie expresses her identity
From tough relationships, to difficult decisions, and significant lessons, Janie has a fair share of difficult experiences throughout the novel. In the novel Janie’s hair serves as an illusive metaphor. Hair is an important symbol in black identity and culture. For generations it has been used to express pride and resistance against racial beauty stereotypes formed against black women. Black women were told to straighten or chemically “tame” their hair to fit in with Euro-centric ideologies.
There are many symbols in A Raisin in the Sun worth describing, but one that particularly stands out is Mama’s plant. It is old and barely a substantial piece of nature, yet it makes many vital appearances in the play. The small plant seems to personify Mama’s stubborn nature in its intent on survival despite its close to death appearance. It also represents Mama’s dream that seems close to being crushed, yet never dies. As a whole, the plant is an extension of Mama’s character and an important symbol in the play.
In Act 1, Beneatha’s quest to find her personal identity is seen in the way she expresses herself, her ambitions, her roots and the way she deviates from what is acceptable in her family. She tries to find ways to express herself such as trying different hobbies. In the past, Beneatha has been a part of a play-acting group, horseback-riding club, and in Act 1 starts guitar lessons (47). She also has the ambition to become a doctor which is looked down upon by her brother, Walter Lee (38). Additionally, her African roots are important to her search for identity.
Hansberry makes the characters have a tough life so when they achieve what they want, it’s a greater reward than someone who had an easy life. The main reason Beneatha changed so much during this play because of how people treated her. Beneath goes through major changes in the play. One of the main reason she does is because of Asagia. Asagia is a friend of Beneatha and is from Nigeria.
Beneatha dreams to be a doctor, which is a male-dominated profession. She says, “I am going to be a doctor and everybody around here better understand that!” (Hansberry 33). This shows her feminist attitude in the play when Beneatha takes a largely optimistic stance when facing troubles of entering a male-dominated profession, implying that she is a ‘non-conformist’. Additionally, Beneatha refuses to “just get married and be quiet” (Hansberry 22), as her chauvinistic brother, Walter Lee, expects her to be.
George’s negative outlook is something that he received from his upbringing. When George puts down Beneatha’s interests and tells her that thinking is not required of her, he simultaneously shows that he is unhealthy in his relationship with Beneatha and that his unhealthiness comes from his upbringing. The unhealthiness comes from his upbringing because George, taught as a higher class, learned that it wasn’t necessary for his happiness, therefore he thinks that Beneatha does not need it
A Raisin in the Sun is a play, which consists of three acts for a total of six scenes. From the very beginning, the plot line begins with the Younger family waking up, going about their morning as they normally do. The family living in the small apartment consists of Mama, Beneatha, her daughter, Walter, her son, Ruth, Walter’s wife, and Travis, Walter and Ruth’s son. The apartment that accommodates this family consists of a small kitchen, containing one small window, a living room, which also serves as Travis’ room, and two bedrooms, one for Walter and Ruth, the other shared by Mama and Beneatha. In the kitchen window lays a potted plant, second to only family in Mama’s most prized possessions.
“Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.” Symbols can add a deeper meaning than just an object itself that the author is trying to make. Symbols can also foreshadow what is yet to come. The audience can interpret a symbol in many ways it depends on their experience. In Southside Chicago the Younger family is struggling to have hope as they are always facing society.
Reader Response: 3 “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, is a play about a black families experience in 1950s South Side Chicago. The story revolves around what happens to the family when Lena Younger, the matriarch of the family, receives a ten thousand dollar life insurance check upon the death of her husband. Everyone from the family has different plans for what they want to do with the money. Lena Younger serves as the head of the family. She is Walter and Beneatha’s caring mother so they and Ruth call her Mama.