ENG2603 Assignment
2 2023 - DUE 10 July
2023
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, ENG2603 Assignment 2 2023 - DUE 10 July 2023
Question 1
Walter: (mumbling) We one group of men tied to a race of women with small
minds (Hansberry, p 19).Often women are represented as inferior to men in
many ways in A Raising in the Sun.
1.1 Using the above quotation as a point of departure, write two paragraphs in
which you discuss the extent to which Hansberry portrays women as the
disempowered gender in A Raisin in the Sun. Ensure that you support
your argument by using examples from the text. (20 marks)
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry portrays women as the disempowered
gender to a significant extent. The quotation by Walter, "We one group of men tied
to a race of women with small minds," reflects the underlying belief held by some
male characters in the play that women are inferior. This belief is reinforced
through the experiences of the female characters, particularly Mama, Ruth, and
Beneatha. Throughout the play, Mama is depicted as a strong, nurturing figure who
holds the family together. However, her power is limited within the confines of the
patriarchal society. She desires to use the insurance money to buy a house and
secure a better future for her family, but her dreams are constantly overshadowed
and disregarded by the male members of the family. For instance, Walter's decision
to invest the money without consulting Mama shows how her authority is
undermined.
Similarly, Ruth faces disempowerment within her marriage. She is relegated to the
role of a traditional housewife, constrained by societal expectations. Her dreams
and desires are often suppressed, and she struggles with the burden of an unhappy
marriage. For example, when Ruth discovers that she is pregnant, she contemplates
having an abortion because she fears bringing a child into their already difficult
circumstances. This decision reflects her lack of agency and control over her own
body and future.
Beneatha, on the other hand, challenges traditional gender roles and strives for
independence and self-fulfillment. She aspires to become a doctor and rejects
2 2023 - DUE 10 July
2023
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, ENG2603 Assignment 2 2023 - DUE 10 July 2023
Question 1
Walter: (mumbling) We one group of men tied to a race of women with small
minds (Hansberry, p 19).Often women are represented as inferior to men in
many ways in A Raising in the Sun.
1.1 Using the above quotation as a point of departure, write two paragraphs in
which you discuss the extent to which Hansberry portrays women as the
disempowered gender in A Raisin in the Sun. Ensure that you support
your argument by using examples from the text. (20 marks)
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry portrays women as the disempowered
gender to a significant extent. The quotation by Walter, "We one group of men tied
to a race of women with small minds," reflects the underlying belief held by some
male characters in the play that women are inferior. This belief is reinforced
through the experiences of the female characters, particularly Mama, Ruth, and
Beneatha. Throughout the play, Mama is depicted as a strong, nurturing figure who
holds the family together. However, her power is limited within the confines of the
patriarchal society. She desires to use the insurance money to buy a house and
secure a better future for her family, but her dreams are constantly overshadowed
and disregarded by the male members of the family. For instance, Walter's decision
to invest the money without consulting Mama shows how her authority is
undermined.
Similarly, Ruth faces disempowerment within her marriage. She is relegated to the
role of a traditional housewife, constrained by societal expectations. Her dreams
and desires are often suppressed, and she struggles with the burden of an unhappy
marriage. For example, when Ruth discovers that she is pregnant, she contemplates
having an abortion because she fears bringing a child into their already difficult
circumstances. This decision reflects her lack of agency and control over her own
body and future.
Beneatha, on the other hand, challenges traditional gender roles and strives for
independence and self-fulfillment. She aspires to become a doctor and rejects
