ENG2603
Assignment 02
A raisin in the sun by Lorraine
Hansberry
SUMMARY AND NOTES
QUESTION 1
A raisin in the sun foreshadows the tremendous shifts in gender relations that would
reshape American life on the 1960’s, most notably the development of feminism and
the Sexual revolution.
Gender plays a significant role in the tensions that arise within the younger family.
Hansberry’s work explores contentious problems impacting women during the time of
the plot’s creation, such as abortion, the value of marriage and women’s changing
gender roles. Ruth’s pregnancy is one of the play’s major plot points. Despite the fact
that abortion was illegal in 1959, she considered abortion to relieve financial strain on
her family. Despite being a women, Beneatha has enormous ambition and
independence, which creates a point of friction in the plot. Despite the fact that
becoming a doctor is seen as a male dominated profession back then, she follows her
aim of becoming a doctorand she tries to beat the odds of gender roles. Walter who is
her brother, criticizes her job ambitions, stating that she should simply marry and not
worry about pursuing her dreams and ambitions. On the other hand Beneatha has two
boyfriends and says she is not interested in getting married, something her mother and
Assignment 02
A raisin in the sun by Lorraine
Hansberry
SUMMARY AND NOTES
QUESTION 1
A raisin in the sun foreshadows the tremendous shifts in gender relations that would
reshape American life on the 1960’s, most notably the development of feminism and
the Sexual revolution.
Gender plays a significant role in the tensions that arise within the younger family.
Hansberry’s work explores contentious problems impacting women during the time of
the plot’s creation, such as abortion, the value of marriage and women’s changing
gender roles. Ruth’s pregnancy is one of the play’s major plot points. Despite the fact
that abortion was illegal in 1959, she considered abortion to relieve financial strain on
her family. Despite being a women, Beneatha has enormous ambition and
independence, which creates a point of friction in the plot. Despite the fact that
becoming a doctor is seen as a male dominated profession back then, she follows her
aim of becoming a doctorand she tries to beat the odds of gender roles. Walter who is
her brother, criticizes her job ambitions, stating that she should simply marry and not
worry about pursuing her dreams and ambitions. On the other hand Beneatha has two
boyfriends and says she is not interested in getting married, something her mother and
