Harlem by Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up  like a raisin in the sun?  Or fester like a sore—  And then run?  Does it stink like rotten meat?  Or crust and sugar over—  like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags  like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

Family lived in a black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side Lorraine Hansberry Childhood Born May 19, 1930 Family lived in a black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side Chicago at this time did not have legal segregation, but there was still wide spread self-segregation Chicago was divided sharply into white and black neighborhoods

Hansberry’s father brought their case all the way to the Supreme Court Lorraine Hansberry Family Life The Hansberry family was one of the first black families to move into a white neighborhood The Hansberry family faced threats, discrimination, hate and even legal action Hansberry’s father brought their case all the way to the Supreme Court

Hansberry’s writing often is autobiographical in nature Lorraine Hansberry Writing Style Awards Death Hansberry’s writing often is autobiographical in nature She is credited with being one of the first black playwright to create realistic black characters for the stage A Raisin in the Sun received the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play of the Year Hansberry was the youngest playwright, fifth woman and first black writer to win the award Hansberry died at the age of 44 from cancer in 1965

Background for A Raisin in the Sun Cultural Influence Diverse Characters Diverse Issues Bridged the radical changes in thought from the 1950s to 1960s African-American theatrical roles were unusually small, comedic, and made up of a stereotypes A Raisin in the Sun features three-dimensional, serious portrayals of black characters The play also deals with serious issues directly tied to the black experience of living in America, such as: poverty discrimination Segregation racial identity

Background for A Raisin in the Sun The Black Community The Female Community Beyond issues of black vs. white the play is also very introspective: looking at the black community views itself and how it should respond to hostility Looking at women’s issues such as the female role in the house and in society, such as working for a living vs. staying in the home

Poverty, Segregation, Racism Literary Focus 1959 Realist Drama 1945-1959 Chicago Walter Lee Younger Poverty, Segregation, Racism Literary Focus Publication Genre Setting (Time) Setting (Place) Protagonist Antagonist

“Harlem” was written 20 years after the Great Depression Literary Terms Allusion The title of the play is an allusion to Langston Hughes’s famous 1951 poem “Harlem” “Harlem” was written 20 years after the Great Depression It focused on the phrase a “dream deferred” and asked readers to consider how long black society would put up with having their dreams put on hold Dreams are described in the poem as withering up “like a raisin in the sun”

What happens to a dream deferred? Harlem by Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up  like a raisin in the sun?  Or fester like a sore—  And then run?  Does it stink like rotten meat?  Or crust and sugar over—  like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags  like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

Literary Focus Setting The play takes place in a segregated Chicago neighborhood, in the late 1950s. The play occurs during the late 1940s or the 1950s, a time when some racial questions were beginning to be raised, but before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Literary Focus Setting

Racial Discrimination Civil Rights American Dream Literary Focus Topics and Conflicts Value of Dreams Dream Deferred Racial Discrimination Civil Rights American Dream Woman’s Place in Society Defiance and Strength Family

Overview: A Raisin in the Sun Focuses on the Youngers, an African-American family living in Chicago during the 1950s. The Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000 Each of the Youngers want to use the money for different purposes Mama wants a house Walter wants a liquor store Beneatha wants to become a doctor

The Younger Family

Walter Younger The protagonist of the play Walter is a dreamer who longs for a quick solution to his family’s problems. Well intended, but his plans often are not as well-thought out as they need to be

Lena (Mama) Younger The matriarch of the Younger family. Religious, moral, and maternal Dreams of buying a house with a backyard

Ruth Younger Walter’s wife Troubled marriage Poverty and domestic troubles have made her weary of Walter’s dreams Walter thinks she is keeping him down

Beneatha (Bennie) Younger Mama’s daughter and Walter’s sister intellectual college student more educated than the rest of her family dreams of being a doctor

Travis Younger Walter and Ruth’s sheltered young son Travis’ part is small, but he has symbolic value as the hope for a new generation