ARITS full notes

houseofballoons A RAISIN IN THE SUN ACT 1 Scene 1: Legend: PURPLE → characterisation YELLOW → general BLUE → insights GREEN → themes THE APARTMENT: ● The Youngers family have limited resources → Walter has a blue collar job. (white collar → people working comfortable jobs, another word for the pay white collar jobs is remuneration. It’s called blue collar jobs because they wear blue overalls.) Walter is the only one working in the family → solo breadwinner → Because of Walter’s limited education (because of his race), he had to settle with a low wage job [THEMES: MONEY, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION) ● The Youngers family have a very positive, optimistic attitude even though the apartment is very run down ● “Indestructible contradictions” → refer to things they can’t change about the layout because of their limited resources PERSONIFICATION: ● “Now the once loved pattern of the couch upholstery has to fight to show itself from under acres of crocheted doilies” (pg 23) ● “the carpet has fought back by showing its weariness” (pg 23) ● “Once loved” (pg 23) → shows how they used to have a lot of hope when they were first living in the house, furniture represents their hope. over time, as blemishes begin to form on the furniture, the same is done to the hopes of the family members→ hopes wearing down/fading/diminishing (THEMES: HOPES & DREAMS) SYMBOLISM: ● “The single window that has been provided for these ‘two’ rooms is located in the kitchen area”(page 24) this shows a lock of light in not only the apartment, but also in the lives of the Youngers.

houseofballoons ● Light symbolises hope, and the limited light that supports the entire apartment might mean their current situation isn’t that ideal. the light could also represent the awaiting cheque (the family’s only hope), which could better their lives and fulfil their dreams ● The family is divided, with everyone wanting to pursue different ambitions using the cheque money. - Walter wants to use it to open a liquor store, - Beneatha needs it for her medical school tuition, which is very costly - while Lena wants to buy them a new house in Clybourne Park (a neighbourhood predominantly white) with the money, as she wants to secure a better standard of living for the family as the house is very cramped & run down. Getting a house in Clybourne Park is also breaking away from the stereotype that the Blacks can’t live with the whites, and it offers more opportunities as it is a neighbourhood of richer people → better facilities & resources because it’s a neighbourhood meant for the whites [THEMES: RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, ASSIMILATION, DREAMS] ● “Weariness has in fact, won in this room” (pg 23) - This symbolises the feelings of the Youngers in the story. With many of the character's feelings being so tremendous that it seeps into the room, the room is stripped down of all its atmosphere, leaving only the bare minimum for living in the house → Youngers live in such a small house whilst full of so much aspirations and hopes, they feel stuck DISCUSSION QUESTIONS OF ACT 1 1. What is the significance of Walter’s anger at eggs? What’s really going on? ● Eggs: - can represent unhatched potential in Walter and his ideals because he’s obstructed by his lack of resources (education, money, job opportunities), and he gets shut down by his wife & family [THEMES: MONEY, DEFERMENT OF DEEAMS] - represent nutrients → Ruth is telling him to eat his eggs and that he has to be grateful with what he has and face his reality and stop dreaming. 2. What point is Joseph making about Beneatha’s hair? ● Joseph tells Beneatha not to straighten her hair → Benetha trying to fit in with the white society, Joseph tells her not to because she’s destroying her identity and heritage. [THEME: ASSIMILATION] ● Beneatha has a lack of opportunities → might not do well as a doctor and reserved for the whites → wants to straighten her hair to fit in with the whites. Beneatha hindered both by race & gender (THEMES: gender inequality)

houseofballoons ● If Beneatha had embraced her origins, she might’ve become a champion for women’s rights 3. Which character takes the most appropriate attitude regarding the insurance money? ● Lena Younger wants to buy a house for the family & set aside money for Beneatha’s tuition → thoughtful grandmother ● “Some of it gotta be put away for Beneatha and her schoolin” (pg 44) ● Forward-thinking: planning ahead with what to do with the money. Pragmatic, practical grandmother as she’s realistic with what to do with the money ● (CONTRASTING LENA’S CHARACTER) On the other hand, Walter wants to open a liquor store (after seeing his friend open a successful business, got influenced) with an uncalculated risk → shows that he is impulsive and unrealistic 4. What does Beneatha argue regarding her mother’s faith? ● (CHARACTERISATION) Beneatha doesn’t believe in God (atheist), she finds it strange that God gets all the credit for all the things the human race achieves through their own effort, humans are in control of their own destiny. Just because she doesn’t believe in God, it doesn’t make her a bad person → stereotyping people with no religion to be people who aren’t morally upright, and view religious people to have more moral high ground ● Beneatha is very self-reliant as she does everything out of her own hard work and effort. ● also shows that society is progressing as Beneatha is an atheist and doesn’t hide herself, unlike how it was in the past when people left their fate in the hands of God. Her character and mindset stands out, and she’s a representation of progress 5. What does Beneatha mean when she says she is looking for her identity? ● She grew up in a society white dominated, couldn’t embrace or understand her culture → approached Joseph to find out more about the ways in which a “pure” African American girl would’ve grown up with people of her heritage and culture ● Beneatha wants to find out about Africa to find out about her roots and origin. ● “You see, Mr Asagai, I am looking for my identity.” ● Joseph brings a coat back from Nigeria, and his character is a reminder of the lost African heritage. (pg 57) The Blacks view the Africans to be very uncivilised, Lena imagines that they don’t even wear clothes → harmful stereotypes by the whites, a result of white supremacy. The Blacks may have also been very oppressed as most Americans in that time didn’t talk much about African heritage. [THEMES: RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, ASSIMILATION] ● Beneatha is ashamed of her own heritage as she tries to straighten her hair to fit into the white society ● Blacks were being oppressed → didn't learn much about her culture as the focus was on surviving (poverty-stricken) [THEME: MONEY]

houseofballoons CHARACTERISATION character description/ trait evidence Explanation Beneatha strong-willed/ headstrong/ determined/ resolute/ persistent (pg 50) “but first I’m going to be a doctor… I couldn’t be bothered with that. I am going to be a doctor and everybody around here better understands that!” Pursuing a career as a doctor wasn’t normalised. Beneatha as a character symbolises progress, how women’s culture is changing by being determined and working hard to achieve something instead of following the stereotype where women should only plan to get married (THEMES: feminism, gender inequality) Beneatha as a symbol of progress: ● Wants to move ahead in society ● Not a conventional women of the 50s ● Back in those days, the women weren’t career- oriented Her obstacles: - Lack of resources to fund education - Discrimination of race & gender - Lack of familial support → because of all these obstacles, she has to have a lot of self-belief to accomplish her dreams → doesn’t believe god is the driving force that got her this far