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?

Lorraine Hansberry -Childhood Born May 19 th, 1930 Lived in a black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. Chicago was divided into white and black neighborhoods Chicago at this time did not have legal segregation But rather had self- segregation

Lorrainne Hansberry - Family Life First to move into a white neighborhood Threats, discrimination and even legal action Hansberry vs. Lee Nov 13 th, 1940 Whites cannot bar African- Americans from white neighborhoods

Life & Writing Style Often autobiographical in nature Credited for being the first black playwright to create realistic black characters for the stage. Hansberry was the youngest playwright, the fifth woman and the first black writer to win a New York Drama Critic’s Circle Award for Best Play of the Year. Hansberry died in 1965 from cancer, she was 44 years old.

Background information Cultural Influence Depicted the radical changed between the 1950’s to the 1960’s Normally African-American roles were small, comedic and made up of stereotypes. Diverse Characters Three Dimensional Characters, serious portrayals of characters Serious issues Poverty Discrimination Segregation Racial Identity

Literary Focus Published in 1959 Genre Realist Drama Setting (Time & Place) Chicago Protagonist Walter Lee Younger Antagonist Poverty, Segregation and Racism

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? What tone does this set for the rest of the play?

Overview of the play Focuses on the Youngers, an African- American family living in Chicago during the 1950’s. They receive an insurance check for $10, Each family member wants to use the money differently. Symbols and Themes to look out for in the play Mama’s plant Dreams Value of Dreams Money Family Defiance and Strength Civil Rights Racial Discrimination