Hansberry's United Chicago
Family
A
Raisin in the Sun, released in 1959, is a story of a family
standing in the face of racial segregation in Chicago's south side.
The main character, Walter Lee Younger is a money hungry man
desperate to take control of his family but nothing seems to go his
way. Mama Lena gets a $10,000 insurance check for her husbands death
and makes the decision to move the family from their apartment to a
nice 3 bedroom on Clybourne street as Walter's wife, Ruth, finds out
she is pregnant. Unexpectedly, they are unwelcome from the
predominantly white neighborhood and offered a settlement to not move
in – also referred to as a buyout. Lorraine Hansberry, the author
of Raisin in the Sun, encountered a similar encounter as a
child growing up in Chicago. Although race is a significant factor in
A Raisin in the Sun, the theme of family unity seems to be
stressed more.
Hansberry's
family history plays a huge part in the writing of her play.
Hansberry grew up with her family on the south side of Chicago. Her
father took it upon himself to push the limits of segregation at the
time and buy a house in a primarily white neighborhood. When living
there, “a mob gathered outside their home, and a brick, thrown
through a window, barely missed her before embedding itself in a
wall,” (Lederer 1). Later, he appealed to the Supreme Court. From
an early age, Hansberry saw the racial discrimination issues around
her and the issues, seemingly, were embedded in her head going
forward. Comparably, her story of A Raisin in the Sun is about
a black family trying to better their lives by moving into a nicer
home in a white neighborhood and are unwelcome. In the story, the
Younger's joke that Lindner's visit to pay them off is the “welcoming
committee,” (Hansberry 1337). She based the story off her own
experiences. Beneatha, Walter's sister, is supposedly her imitation
of herself. When her father passed away, it has been said that
Hansberry was further motivated to carry out his dreams of equality
within society amongst blacks and whites. Hansberry, then, had plenty
of inspiration and background to use in her story depicting racial
segregation.
Hansberry
father hugely influenced her as far as being politically active and
he also played a huge role in her writing of the play. Drawing from
her own life, the Younger family set themselves to move to Clybourne
Street. “Her first play, A Raisin in the Sun, directly engages
segregation struggles in Chicago as a penultimate symbol of black
oppression and resistance. In doing so, she brought local, individual
struggles of African Americans – against segregation,
ghettoization, and capitalist exploitation – to the national
stage,” (Gordon 121). Just as her father attempted to make a change
in the tense racial climate of the 1960's, Hansberry used her story
to make a very strong, and easily seen, point. Audiences would see
the play and feel sympathy for the Younger's. Even at the time it was
released it was well received. Her father died shortly after his
appeal with the Supreme court and his political incline seems to have
lived on through his daughter. Gordon later comments, “...public
testimony about urban black life, to represent her radically
expansive notion of the real, and to provide a prophetic framework
for anti-racist, anti-colonialist movements...” (122). Her play
stood as a reference point – it was the backbone of segregation
talks giving each side a place to begin a much needed conversation.
But despite the fact that the plays central point was segregation, it
is also true that Hansberry held no discriminatory stances and she
felt family unity was more of a point to make.
The
conversation about segregation and discrimination could go on for
miles but in the story, Hansberry stereotypes as well as defies them.
“I shall have to teach you how to drape it properly...You wear it
well...mutilated hair and all,” (Hansberry 1311). Asagai has
brought Beneatha back some robes from Nigeria and is teasing her
about how she doesn't know how to wear them. He later goes on to
imply Beneatha has forgotten her heritage and taken on the Western
ways of America. Asagai is under the assumption Beneatha does not
know how to drape the robes because she is from America and surely,
to him, American women are all naive to their heritages. She gets
offended but the scene brings up an interesting discussion. Hansberry
has stereotyped black women through Asagai's point of view, but also
she has stereotyped African men who judge American black women. Here
it is seen that Hansberry doesn’t only equate stereotypes and
racial impressions to the white male – as it may have been assumed.
She has made a point that the white man is the not the enemy anymore
than a greedy black man (Willy Harris) or a 'typical colored woman'
(1298).
Hansberry
uses the example of a colored woman's hair to point out how blacks at
the time were unsure of how to act not only because of how whites
treated them but also how they treated each other. George –
Beneatha's well-to-do male, black suitor – comments on her hair
when she decides to cut it off (Hansberry 1320). “What have you
done to your head – I mean your hair!” and she responds, “Nothing
– except cut it off. . . that's up to George. If he's ashamed of
his heritage-” Beneatha yells back that she hates assimilationist
Negroes and the conversation goes on. What was Hansberry getting at?
She wanted to draw attention to the way blacks, particularly black
women, were viewed in society. Their hair, unlike white women, was
called “nappy” but as Asagai pointed out, black woman mutilate
their hair daily just to look like the white woman – per say. She
is now pointing out a problem with black men from America who don't
appreciate their heritage and talk down on black women who appreciate
it.“A Raisin in the Sun is a moving drama about securing one's
dignity within a system that discriminates against, even enslaves,
its racial minorities,” (Adler 1). Beneatha first attempts to
secure her dignity with Asagai by changing her hair but then she has
to justify herself to George the very next minute. Hansberry shows
how the system is trapping people into fitting a certain type of
mold. Perhaps Hansberry, basing Beneatha off herself, felt these
restraints in society as she was raised. The discussion, then, is
raised if black woman should or shouldn't be changing how they look.
Is it their responsibility to uphold their traditional African hair
or is it okay for them to change it? Arguably, at the time, it may
have helped a black family fit into a white neighborhood if they did
change their hair. Contrary wise, and proving that segregation was
potentially a less significant point of the play, Hansberry shows how
blacks, in addition to whites, were making life difficult for
themselves. They were judging one another; some were trying to
conform and be more white while others were trying to hold onto their
heritage and be more black. Hansberry has pointed out the double
edged sword the blacks faced simply waking up in the morning and
deciding how to get ready – a basic daily routine.
Hansberry
uses the discussion of moving to Clybourne park to touch on how
whites treated blacks. “Clybourne Park? Mama, there ain't no
colored people living in Clybourne Park,” (Hansberry 1326).
Although the family is unwelcome due to the color of their skin,
Hansberry – just as her father did when she was a child – is
making a dramatic point. The Younger's know they are not welcome but
when Lindner comes to talk of their being unwelcome, they act out of
pride and tell him to get out. Welcome or not, the house on Clybourne
is what they can afford and it is what the family needs, especially
with a new baby on the way. “...Lindner is far from an admirable
character, it is a black man, Willy Harris, who is the real villain
of the piece,” (McGovern 3). Lindner acts in thinking he is doing
a kind thing. His intentions are to warn the family as well as
protect what the neighborhood holds sacred. Of course Lindners
actions are discriminatory and just plain rude but in comparison to
what Willy Harris did it is impossible to say Hansberry's point was
to show how the whites treated the blacks unfairly. Lindner offers
them money, and for a moment Walter seriously considers taking him up
on the offer after his business partner, Willy Harris, runs off with
all the money Mama gave him. Here it is most clearly demonstrated
that Hansberry is not discriminating any one race - rather she is
pointing out flaws within society as a whole. “In buying the house
in Clybourne Park, Mama asserts her family's right to refute the
economic exploitation of Chicago segregation,” (Gordon 127). It is
a smart move for her family. Mama is doing what she thinks is best.
Their current living quarters has rats and roaches and Travis doesn't
even have his own bedroom – he has to sleep on the couch. There is
not enough room for them, the conditions are terrible, and the family
is still expanding. “...a white family could rent a five-room
apartment for $60 a month on Cicero, for example, a black South side
family of four could pay $56 per month to live in one half of a two
room flat, infested with rats and roaches...” (Gordon 125). For the
Youngers, this economic difference was essential. At one point, Ruth
desperately pleads with Mama saying they can all get jobs to help pay
for the house as opposed to not being able to move. In the play, the
family is not moving to the house on Clybourne street to start a
ruckus or make a statement – they are moving there our of necessity
and for the well-being of their family. Hansberry is showing that any
action, no matter how small or unintended, was blown way out of
proportion because of the political climate.
Thus
far, the plays purpose appears mostly to demonstrate racial
discrimination but underlying that theme, Hansberry stresses the
importance of family unity. “A Raisin in the Sun deals with two
problems: the discords of family with high hopes, and the social
injustice of segregation,” (Brantingham 2). It is interesting to
note that Brantingham says first Hansberry stresses family unity and
next is the topic of segregation – as if the plays actual purpose
was to display family unity and the context was racial segregation.
Walter Lee Younger is desperate to be the head of the household and
to have the finances to back him up. He naively hands over all his
money to Bobo and Willy hoping they can help him achieve his
financial goals. When Willy runs off with their money, Walter has a
sort of break down. He wants to beg Lindner to give them the money
back for their new house but the rest of the family does not agree.
Ruth's only desire is getting into that house and having space for
her unborn child. Mama wants to give Travis (Walter and Ruth's son) a
yard to play in. When Mama hears Walter wants to beg for the money,
she becomes irate. The only other time we see Mama get this angry is
when Beneatha announces she believes God has done nothing for her and
Mama makes her say God is in her house (Hansberry 1307). Mama rebukes
Walter for thinking the way he does and says his father, her late
husband, would be ashamed and he has disgraced his name. When
Lindner arrives Mama says Travis is to stand next to Walter so he can
see what his father is doing. “We have decided to move into our
house because my father—my father—he earned it for us brick by
brick. We don’t want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no
causes, and we will try to be good neighbors. And that’s all we
got to say about that. We don’t want your money.” (1353). A shift
occurs in Walter at this point – his priorities are rearranged.
Money is bumped down on the list and the families well-being takes
center stage. Despite being stripped of money, despite Lindner's
warnings, and despite his pride, Walter decides to move the family
because he is now only concerned for what is in their best interest
rather than his own. Here, Hansberry is making it glaringly clear
that family is the number one thing to be concerned about. Despite
the racial climate and the issues with money, family unity shines
through.
The
success of him financially or culturally is no longer his top concern
– rather, leading his family and taking care of the household is.
His initial dreams of money and status are deferred but new dreams of
well-being for his family have taken priority. Looking forward, it is
not assumed Walter will be miserable in the new house as he was in
the current one. The reader cannot picture him complaining about eggs
and his dreams being ignored anymore – his dreams are now being
fulfilled in the well being of his family.“...for certainly this is
a play about a mother-son relationship, but is no less a play about
dreams too long deferred,” (Washington 2). Beneatha's dream is to
become a doctor and to her that was set in stone until her suitor,
Asagai, came through and made her think otherwise. Beneatha was down
about Walter squandering away all her tuition and Asagai came and
delivered her a speech. “Then isn’t there something wrong in a
house—in a world—where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on
the death of a man?” (Hansberry 1346). Here he puts things into
perspective. Unlike Beneatha, Asagai is looking towards his dream
knowing the struggles that lie ahead. Beneatha, upon receiving one
set back, has given up. He leaves Beneatha with the notion of leaving
with him to Africa and tending to people there – he has helped her
reshape her dream just as Walter reshaped his. “Murchison offers
Beneatha a life of opulence and comfort, while Asagai offers her a
life shaped in ancestral tradition but devoid of creature comforts,”
(Washington 2). She has to decide which dream she wants to follow.
This relates to Hansberry's earlier point – that society had
cornered them and it was no longer clear which was right and which
was wrong. In America Beneatha's obvious choice would be George
Murchison but her love for her heritage would most likely incline her
to choose Asagai.
A
Raisin in the Sun by
Lorraine Hansberry is a story about family unity, racial segregation,
and triumph. She used her history as a backdrop for the play and,
with any luck, to make a statement as her father always meant to.
Going forward, Hansberry may hope the discussion will carry on and
make a difference – but looking at society today its questionable.
She made the point that it is not one race versus the other as much
as it is everyone trying to fit in amongst one another – the
selfish, the greedy, the judgmental, and the caring. It's kill or be
killed (or in the case of Walter and Willy Harris, its steal or be
stolen from). Colored women still 'mutilate' their hair and racial
tensions still exist, though we've come a long way. The ending of the
play with family becoming the top priority stands true even today.
Especially in the current economic down turn where all anyone has is
the support of those around them – the meaning behind her play is
still relevant. “...she offers her audience a model of hope and
perseverance and shows the commonality of human aspirations,
regardless of color,” (Lederer 3). Hansberry shows that despite
economic struggles and racial discrimination, there is still
something good to look to. Again, particularly in today's downward
pointed economy, the play is still as relevant as ever. Racial
discrimination may not be as much of an issue but Chicago's south
side is still known for being ghetto and poor. Cabrini Green, an
extremely slummed city in Chicago, was recently torn down and all the
families were displaced to try to rebuild the community and give the
families a fresh start. Much controversy arose as the families were
placed in new apartment complexes throughout Chicago – some
families complained their property value would decrease because the
new residents wouldn’t uphold their properties. This fear was also
acknowledged by Lindner when he was trying to discourage the
Younger's from moving to Clybourne Street. “The play also confronts
the problems of racial integration that African Americans faced
throughout the twentieth century,” (Tackach 3). The play is still
relevant today. Some new takes on issues discussed throughout the
play have taken shape in recent years.
In
2009 actor/comedian came out with a documentary called “Good Hair”
which focused on black woman's hair. In the film, Chris Rock is
surveying people, particularly women of color, about their hair. He
visits a hair convention in Atlanta, travels to India, and visits
many salons central to the black community. He talks about sodium
hydroxide which is a toxin used to relax hair. He talks about the
ceremonies done in India to get the hair for wigs and he also talks
about who gets the money for these expensive wigs. At one point, Rock
asks some black woman's men if they are allowed to touch their womans
hair and the answer is no. It's interesting to relate this
documentary to the scenes Hansberry used with Beneatha, George, and
Asagai. Forty years later the discussion is still a hot topic.
The
bottom line is, racial discrimination still exists though, perhaps
and hopefully, not to the same degree as it did when Hansberry wrote
the play. Society has come a long way in accepting each other as
equals, but people still argue, judge, and stereotype everyone –
even those of their same race. Hansberrys play seemed not to point
fingers at white people only – as that too would be discriminatory
and stereotypical. Instead, she points the finger at anyone opposed
to the well-being of the Younger family; Willy Harris and Lindner.
Lorraine Hansberry expressed the idea that race was less of a factor
and family unity was more important through the use of her personal
history in her play A
Raisin in the Sun.
© December 2011
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