A Raisin In The Sun Quote Analysis

It was Robert G. Ingersoll who once said; “The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.” In other words, he is trying to convey to us that in life, it is how we deal with our failures, and not the actions we take during our high points that matter most. This is because who we are and how we act during our lows are what define us as people. In accordance with this quote, two examples in which this idea occurs constantly are Lorraine Hansberry’s controversial play, A Raisin in the Sun, and Harper Lee’s renowned novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Let’s delve into these pieces of literature to thrust Ingersoll’s philosophy into light.
A Raisin in the Sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, an African-American family living on the South Side of
Near the beginning of the story, Atticus is assigned a virtually impossible case, in the defense of a black man (Tom Robinson) accused of raping and battering a white woman (Mayella Ewell). Unlike most everybody else in town, Atticus can look beyond the color of Tom’s skin and truly see Tom’s innocence and decency. Taking a bold stance in the case, he fights with every iota of his being to bring into light Tom’s innocence and the flaws of the prosecution, who’s entire argument was based on circumstantial evidence and racial advantages (white vs. black in a racially prejudiced milieu). Although Atticus made an excellent defense, the jury still found Tom guilty. Atticus was completely crushed, but he nonetheless held his head high and showed optimism when he told Tom they still had another chance. To show appreciation for all of Atticus’ effort and dignity in the case, the African American balcony had a standing ovation for Atticus to honor his job well done, and this shows a perfect example of a defeat showing a test of