A RAISIN IN THE SUN 25 RUTH Come on now, boy, it's seven thirty! (Her son sits up at last, in a stupor of sleepiness) I say hurry up, Travis! You ain't the only person in the world got to use a bathroom! (The child, a sturdy, handsome little boy of ten or eleven, drags himself out of the bed.

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A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions force students to think critically about the drama and to examine perspectives and biases. I identify four A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions as essential questions in exploring Hansberry’s themes.

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Part 1: Essential Questions for A Raisin in the Sun World war one mr volkmar's course pages pdf.

Part 2: Discussion Questions for Each Act

Part 1: The Essential Questions

1. Act 1 Scene 1Act 1 Scene 2 Act 1 Scene 3 & Act 2 Scene 1 https://www.youtube.
2. Nov 1, 2015 - Browse over 340 educational resources created by Language Arts Classroom in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.
3. 'A Raisin in the Sun' by Lorraine Hansberry. Character: Beneatha Younger. Age Range: 20's. Summary: 20-year old Beneatha is currently going to college and some of her personal beliefs and views have distanced her from conservative family. She dreams of being a doctor and struggles to determine her.

Essential question #1: What are the different forms of racism in A Raisin in the Sun?

Systemic racism (and sexism) causes the family’s financial distress. Walter cannot advance beyond being a chauffeur just as Big Walter could not advance beyond manual labor. Mama has never known any employment besides service, and Ruth can expect the same. The same system (represented by Mr. Lindner) keeps African Americans paying rent in perpetuity.

Internalized racism plays an important role in the play. The family openly discusses how the views of their African American neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, are just are detrimental as oppression that created them.

Despite her experiences, Mama refuses to internalize racism, accept the status quo, or dignify the views of Mrs. Johnson (and Booker T. Washington.)

“Mama, if there are two things we, as a people, have got to overcome, one is the Ku Klux Klan – and the other is Mrs. Johnson.”

Walter’s internal conflict forces him to choose between internalizing racism for material gain (humiliating himself for Lindner) or preserving his dignity. If he decides to sacrifice his self-respect, he is acquiescing to his oppression. In the climax of the play, he chooses dignity.

Hansberry explores the prejudice against Africa through many of the characters. Beneatha lauds African heritage and seeks to broaden her understanding whereas George, despite his knowledge, openly dismisses and insults it. For Mama, people from Africa are completely alien, and she states, “I ain’t never met no African before.” For Walter, his only connection to Africa comes in the form of an alcohol-induced fantasy; For him, Africa is a vague dream.

Essential Question #2: “What happens to a dream deferred?”

How does an individual respond when they have lost all hope for their dreams? Do they lash out and then submit (Walter)? Do they refuse to let the dream die despite the interminable waiting (Mama)? Do they debase themselves by victimizing others (Willie)?

Exploring this essential question of A Raisin in the Sun requires some context. Reading the poem that inspired the title of the play is obvious, but I also include works by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and others in thinking about different responses to the deferred dreams of African Americans.

Essential question #3: What is the American Dream?

This essential question of A Raisin in the Sun forces students to consider different perspectives. What are the different meanings of this famous term? How has the meaning of this term changed over time? Does it mean different things to different people? What might it mean to an impoverished, urban, underprivileged African American family in the 1950s?

A further examination of this essential question relates to money. What should be the role of money in our hopes and the American Dream? What views does the play offer? What is Hansberry saying about the nature of money in relation to dreams?

Essential question #4: What is identity?

Ask students explore what identity means to them. What are the key facets? What views on identity do they reject?

How do the different characters in A Raisin in the Sun think about identity? Is identity based on family? Faith? Values? Money? Prestige? Dignity? Occupation? Personal expression? How do the different characters think about heritage as an aspect of identity?

Hansberry uses Beneatha uniquely regarding this essential question of A Raisin in the Sun. Beneatha is not interested in wealth, faith, or starting a family. For her, identity is about personal truth that comes from within. She seeks to find her identity through personal expression, and later through exploring her African heritage. Although it is never mentioned, Beneatha recognizes that American slavery and racism have robbed her of an essential connection.

Related Post: A Raisin in the Sun Unit Plan: Dreams, Schemes, and Themes

Part 2: A Raisin in the Sun Discussion Questions for Each Act

A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions: pre-reading

• What do we know about the Civil Rights era?
• What issues were on the minds of African Americans in 1958?
• Compare racism today to racism in the 1950’s. What has changed and what has remained the same? Remind students to be collegial regarding differences of opinion.
• What does the American Dream mean to you?
• How can the American Dream mean different things to different people or change over time?
• Why do some people think that the American Dream is a sham?
• What are your personal values? What are the most important things in life?

A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions for Act I

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• What is the importance of the stage directions describing the Younger’s apartment?
• What is the significance of Walter’s anger at eggs? It may seem silly, but what is really going on?
• Why is Beneatha the only Younger interested in African heritage?
• How do the members of the family view their future differently?
• How does Hansberry introduce the concept dreams?
• What are the conflicts introduced in Act I? Which are the most important and why?
• What is Walter so angry about? How does this anger manifest?

A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions for Act II

• What are the different views on assimilation that Hansberry portrays? Analyze the characters’ views.
• What is the significance of Walter’s fantasy of Africa?
• How does Hansberry develop her motif of dreams in Act II?
• Is Mrs. Johnson an important character in the play? Explain your answer. Many productions leave her out, but Hansberry argued against her omission.
• Analyze Walter’s character arc in the play so far. How have his views changed from scene to scene?
• Is Walter a victim or a perpetrator when it comes to destroyed dreams? Explain.
• How are some of the characters symbols? What do they represent? Think about Hansberry’s purposes in including the minor characters.
• How does Hansberry illustrate what the main characters value?

A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions for Act III

• Which elements of the play have symbolic significance? How does Hansberry use the symbols?
• How does Hansberry use ambiguity (when something is left unclear) in the play’s conclusion? (Think about Beneatha’s subplot and the outcome of the family’s move.)
• Does Joseph Asagai represent wisdom or naivete (lack of understanding) regarding the dreams of African Americans?
• What is Hansberry’s ultimate message regarding the dreams of African Americans?
• To what degree is the play sexist?
• Bruce Norris wrote a sequel called Clybourne Park. What do you think Hansberry would want to portray in a sequel to A Raisin in the Sun?
• How relevant is A Raisin in the Sun in our society today? What is the nature of this relevance?

Related Post: A Raisin in the Sun Unit Plan: Dreams, Schemes, and Themes

Thanks for checking out my A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions

Lorraine Hansberry was both of her time and ahead of her time. A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions help us reflect on life for an impoverished African American family in 1950’s Chicago and consider race and opportunity in America generally.

A Raisin in the Sun discussion questions enable students to approach the essential questions on money, dreams, identity, racism, society, and values. This play offers many engaging learning opportunities, but the discussions are key. In these discussion the students explore the real-life scenarios of A Raisin in the Sun to examine more abstract thematic concepts.

A Raisin in the Sun is an invaluable text in enabling students to think about prejudice in America – past and present.

Related post: 10 Great A Raisin in the Sun Assignments

Related post: Teaching A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Related resource: A Raisin in the Sun Unit and Teacher guide

Featured image by The Huntington

A Raisin in the Sun premiered on Broadway on March 11, 1959. To the surprise of many, the play became a huge success, earning four Tony nominations, the New York Critic’s Circle Award for Best play, and running for two years. It was a play for which producers felt there would be no audience and on opening night both Hansberry and producer Phillip Rose felt the play would be a failure as it had received such a cold reaction the night before.

But A Raison in the Sun was a critical and popular success, receiving four Tony nominations, running for almost two years, and being made into a successful film with the entire original cast. It marked the first time a black woman had a drama on the Broadway stage and the first time a black director, Lloyd Richards, work on a Broadway play. Hansberry and Richards were both nominated for Tonys.

A Raisin in the Sun and the Classroom

A Raisin in the Sun, which is commonly read by high school students, offers numerous opportunities for interesting and insightful classroom experiences. Along with a rich script, the 1961 motion picture and the 2008 TV-movie, which stars the cast from the 2004 Broadway revival, are both available for views. Also, there will be another Broadway revival in March 2014 starring Denzel Washington and Diahann Carroll. There’s plenty of opportunity to access this show and utilize actor and director choices and interpretations in discussions.

History and Fiction

It’s interesting to consider A Raisin in the Sun in connection with history. The play is based on the life of Lorraine Hansberry and their fight to break racially restrictive covenants in the white Chicago neighborhood of Washington Park. Carl Hansberry, the playwright’s father, who was a successful real estate developer, had purchased a property in the racially restricted neighborhood from James Burke. When the Hansberry’s moved in the neighborhood protested vehemently. Carl Hansberry took the issue to court, claiming protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. The case of Hansberry v. Lee. 311 US 32 (1940) was heard by the Supreme Court and the restrictions against blacks were defeated.

Another interesting play to consider in connection with A Raisin in the Sun is Bruce Norris’s Clybourne Park (2011 Pulitzer Prize and 2012 Tony Best Play), which also combines history and fiction, looking at event in a neighborhood based on the one into which the Hansberry family moved. The first act takes place in 1959, focusing on the area before A Raisin in the Sun premiered and the second act takes place fifty years later. Each act takes place in the same house and involves an attempt to sell the property.

The Civil Rights Movement

A Raisin in the Sun was written during the development of and takes place just before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The movement changed American forever for blacks and eventually broke down huge racial barriers. It was also a time of extreme violence in America as white supremacists and those fighting for racial equality clashed. Seeing A Raisin in the Sun in relationship to this era is a great way to begin to understand how art reflects social trends, changing beliefs, and developing conflicts within our society.

What Makes a Play Universal?

Although when A Raisin in the Sun premiered it was thought to be a “black play” that really did not pertain to whites. But today we can certainly universal as well as specific racial themes in the play. A Raisin in the Sun is about family and what makes each person in a family part of a unit and at the same time an individual. It’s also about emotions that connect all of us, including those that guide our dreams, cause us to be prejudiced, and make us want to stand up and fight. Hansberry offers us plenty of food for thought.

How Things have Changed?

Since the 1959 of Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, the American theatre, our laws and government, and the manner in which we socialize, form relationships and work with one another have changed. As an example in 1959, when racial segregation was commonplace and the law in the South and there were major restrictions on the opportunity for blacks to vote, probably no one or close to no one believed the U.S would ever have a black president. Now, we don’t think twice about it. A Raisin in the Sun offers numerous opportunities to see how much a country can change in fifty years. It is well worth classroom investigation.