A Raisin in the Sun: Opinion/Glass Menagerie

"Man say to his woman: I got me a dream. His woman say: Eat your eggs. Man say: I got to take hold of this here world, baby! And a woman will say: Eat your eggs and go to work." (Walter, 33)

I really enjoyed A Raisin in the Sun because of its realistic nature. The Glass Menagerie was also realistic in the characters, but not in the effects on the stage. That said, I liked ARITS because it is so much like TGM and even more realistic- to me, better.

First off, the characters are basically the same in each play. Mama and Ruth are relatable to Amanda, whileWalter is extremely like Tom. First off, in the scene including this quote, a key point of the plot is introduced. In this scene, Walter is trying to tell Ruth about his business idea about opening a liquor store with Willy Harris. Meanwhile, Ruth is ignoring him and telling him to just "eat your eggs." I can see how this would be extremely frustrating-being ignored when you have something exciting to share. That's probably why this story between Walter and Ruth is easy to grasp. Anyways, Walter's motivation is that he wants to escape from his mundane, ordinary lifestyle (hmm, sounds familiar) and make something of himself by going into business. And Ruth, ignoring his dreams (still familiar...) tries to convince him that his dreams are pointless, to give them up, and to come back to reality. Unfortunately, just like the other play, this conflict of interest just creates tension and hostility within a relationship, driving it between the two, resulting in Walter's habit of going out to drink, come home drunk, and start dancing and shouting in African. At least Tom got out while he still had his dignity....

                         OWIMOWEH!

A Raisin in the Sun: Generation Gap (#5)

"Once upon a time freedom used to be life-now it's money. I guess the world really do change..." (Mama, 74)

The question addressed here is: show how Raisin deals with the generation gap- the problems that the older generation has in dealing with the younger generation and vice versa. The first example is the difference in religious beliefs of Mama and Beneatha. While Mama is faithful, Beneatha doesn't believe in God. Although to members of the same generation, this dispute might seem trivial, the discrepancy between mother and daughter is a much bigger deal. Beneatha's disbelief in God comes off as ignorant or selfish to Mama, who is a fervent believer.

The next example is the fact that Beneatha wants to become a doctor. Her mother, Mama, is a maid for others, and her brother, Walter, is a chauffeur. This shows her family is not wealthy, and does not really have extraordinary ambitions to do something with their lives. Bennie breaks this stereotype of Mama's ordinary and mundane lifestyle and is determined to make something of herself. This difference in life goals sets Bennie apart from the other family members.

The last example, from the quote above, is a huge conflicting point of view for Mama and Walter. Mama states that growing up and raising a family, her focus was on freedom, and being set in the 1960's, the play comes in just as Civil Rights are being discussed. Walter, on the other hand, seemingly cares only about money. Even though he just wants to make something out of his life by going into business with Willy for a liquor store, Walter's blunt urgency to have money creates a great gap between Walter's and Mama's views on important things in life.

A Raisin in the Sun: Pressure (#4)

"I-I just seen my family falling apart today... just falling to pieces in front of my eyes... We couldn't of gone on like we was today....When it gets like that in life- you just got to do something different, psh on out and do something bigger..." (Mama, 94)

This blog addresses question #4, asking which characters were pressured into taking an action they wouldn't normally take because of other people or outside forces. There are countless examples of characters who do things because of pressure from surroundings or others. The first example is when Beneatha cuts her hair. She was satisfied doing up her hair until Asagai, her on-again-off-again boyfriend, criticizes her for not being natural enough, and being an "assimilationist." She then cuts her hair in an effort to break her stereotype and please Asagai.

The next example is Ruth's consideration of an abortion. Because Ruth and Walter Lee have a son, Travis, it is clear that Ruth isn't emotionally opposed to having children. The problem is the family's economic situation. Given that the couple lives in a run-down house with three other people, sharing basic necessities, the family cannot afford another mouth to feed. Because Ruth is in a tough spot financally, she considers having an abortion and even making a down payment on the procedure.

My last example is the one from the quote, and a key part in the play's plot: Mama's decision to buy a new, better house. Because of the detrimentality of the house, Mama realizes that the harmful atmosphere is only hurting the inhabitants. Reacting to this hostile and chaotic lifestyle, Mama uses her check to invest in a new, hopefully more promising home.