A Raisin in the Sun (3)

#11 Most people define loneliness as being alone, but a person might experience loneliness even when surrounded by other people.  A person can be lonely if his/her ideas, feelings, or circumstances are different from those around them.  Discuss a character from Raisin who experiences loneliness because of the differences in his/her ideas, feelings, or circumstances.

"How did I manage to get on everybody's wrong side by just walking into a room?" -Beneatha (pg.46)

I think Beneatha feels loneliness even though she is surrounded by others.  She is a feminist and her ideas do not coincide with Mama's ideas.  The quote above is example of how Beneathe feels loneliness. She wants to become a doctor and has completely different ideas about life than the rest of her family, so sometimes she feels like they are all against her.  Beneathe and her mother have different views on marriage and God.  Beneatha does not want to marry George Murchison even thought he is rich because she does not love him.  Mama and Ruth, however, cannot understand her reasoning because George's financial stability could provide her a better life.  Therefore, Beneatha feels lonely because she has completely different views from her family.

A Raisin in the Sun (2)

#4  Often, pressure from other people or from outside forces might compel a person to take an action that he or she might not have taken ordinarily.  Discuss a character from Raisin who was pressured into taking an action that he or she might not have taken on his or her own.

"It's-it's a nice house too... Three bedrooms-nive big one for you and Ruth.... Me and Beneatha wtill have to share our room, but travis have one of his own-and (with difficulty) I figure if the-new baby-is a boy, we could get one of them double-decker outfits..." -Mama (pg. 92)

I think Mama felt a little pressure to buy a house.  She wanted to buy a house with her husband when they were raising their children, but they never did.  When she got the insurance check, Mama talked to Ruth about buying a house, but she was not too sure about it.  I think that at that time it was just a nice idea and she did not have any real intention of buying a house.  However, when she found out Ruth was pregnant, the news pressured Mama into buying a house.  Ruth was considering an abortion because there was no room for another child and she did not want to raise it in poverty.  Mama did not want Ruth to get rid of her baby, so it helped her make the decision to buy a house.

A Raisin in the Sun (1)

#1 In literature, as in life, a character may search for a better way of life.  Show how two characters from A Raisin in the Sun are searching for a better way of life.  Explain what each character is hoping to gain through this search and discuss the ways in which each character attempts to bring about a change in his or her life.

"Yeah.  You see, this little liquor store we got in mind cost seventy-five thousand and we figured the initial investment on the place be 'bout thirty thousand..." -Walter (pg. 33)

Walter was searching for a better life for his family.  He wanted to open up the liquor store so he could provide more for his wife and son.  He did not like his job as a chauffeur at all and wanted to do something more fulfilling.  He was ashamed that his son had to sleep in the living room and wanted to make a better life for his son.

"Ain't many girls who decide-" "-'to be a doctor.'" -Walter and Beneatha (pg. 36)

Beneatha was also searching for a better life.  She was pursing a better life for herself by becoming a doctor.  It was not very common for women to become doctors at that time so it was difficult for her.  However, she did not let anything hold her back and she was determined to become a doctor so she could have a better life.