A Raisin in the Sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, an African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s.

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Year 10: Spring Written Evaluation

   In this essay I am going to discuss the performance of “A Raisin in the Sun”. I saw it on. It was written and is set in the 1950’s in Chicago, America. The section I am going to evaluate is the start, which introduces us to the various tensions, relationships and conflicts in the play.

    A Raisin in the Sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, an African-American  living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. When the play opens, the Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the deceased Mr. Younger’s life insurance policy. Each of the adult members of the family has an idea as to what he or she would like to do with this money. The matriarch of the family, Mama, wants to buy a house to fulfil a dream she shared with her husband. Mama’s son,  Lee, would rather use the money to invest in a liquor store with his friends. He believes that the investment will solve the family’s financial problems forever. Walter’s wife, , agrees with Mama, however, and hopes that she and Walter can provide more space and opportunity for their son, . Finally, , Walter’s sister and Mama’s daughter, wants to use the money for her medical school tuition. She also wishes that her family members were not so interested in joining the white world. Beneatha instead tries to find her identity by looking back to the past and to Africa.

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    As the play progresses, the Youngers clash over their competing . Ruth discovers that she is pregnant but fears that if she has the child, she will put more financial pressure on her family members. When Walter says nothing to Ruth’s admission that she is considering abortion, Mama puts a down payment on a house for the whole family. She believes that a bigger, brighter dwelling will help them all. This house is in Clybourne Park, an entirely white neighbourhood. When the Youngers’ future neighbours find out that the Youngers are moving in, they send , from ...

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