A Raisin in the Sun: Overview, Themes, and Significance

Director’s
Notebook
A Raisin in the Sun by: Lorraine
Hansberry

INTRODUCTION
● Lorraine Hansberry’s play “A Raisin in the Sun ” debuted at the Broadway
in 1959
● Hansberry took the title of the play from Langston Hughes’s famous poem
“A Dream Deferred”
● It was named as the best play of 1959 by the “New York Drama Critics'
Circle”
● The play had its setting in the “Clybourne Park”, which is considered to be
a fictionalized version of Washington Park
Subdivision of Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood
● The play narrates the experiences of a black family and their efforts to
improve or better themselves

Overview of the Plot
● The play opens after the death of Walter and Beneatha's
father and the family members are waiting for the insurance
check
● Mama wants to utilize the money from the insurance for the
development of the family however Willy intends to spend it
otherwise
● They end up losing the entire money and Mama gets an offer for
the sale of their house by Karl Lindner
● However, the family rejects the offer because of black pride and
with the hope that their condition will someday improve

Cultural Context
●The play directly addresses the issue of segregated housing which at the
time was legally enforced by the United States government.
●Around the time the play was written the civil rights movement was
going on. The play also addresses the issues surrounding negative
stigmatism of African Americans and their poor treatment. It highlights
many different racial issues especially in the city it was set in, Chicago.
●In the play we can see the character of Linder representing the social
issue of racism and the Youngers families reaction to him as the writers
thoughts on the issue. We see this as the write wanting the audience to take
action against the issue of racism and displaying the inhumane treatment of
African Americans as something that is not normal despite all other
government thoughts and efforts to keep slavery and segregated housing.

CULTURAL CONTEXT (CONT.....)
● This play is also a indirect autobiography of the playwrights life. It
depicts Lorraine Hansberry’s life and how she had moved from a
segregated poorer neighborhood to a white majority “rich”
neighborhood, as well as all the issues and setbacks that came with it.
● Events throughout the play can be compared to real life events that
happened regarding the civil rights movements and issues of this
time.
● Thus, it can be said that the play is deeply ingrained into the culture
and the social background of the American society and also the lives
of the black-skinned community members

Ideas presented in the play: Race and
Racism● Race and Racism is the primary theme of this play
● Throughout the play every act performed by anyone in
the family was affected by their race. Ruth is employed
as a domestic servant and Walter as a chauffeur for a
caucasian family - they can be considered as slaves and
these jobs can be thought to be given to them mainly
because of their race
● They are limited to a poorly maintained apartment
since the landlords do not maintain any of the property
as they have low-paying jobs and cannot afford
anything better.