Analysis On A Raisin In The Sun
Alexis Johnson
March 18, 2014
EN 132 O
Analysis Essay
Langston Hughes began writing poetry during his high school years. In some of his poems he uses two devices to point out comparisons which are metaphors and similes. In Harlem he uses personal experiences to compare something else such a using the word “or” after the first comparison. He uses five similes in Harlem: “like a raisin in the sun, like as sore, does it stink like rotten meat, like a syrupy sweet, like a heavy load”. Then he uses a metaphor: “or does it explode”. All of these comparisons make me image the things he is comparing. You can visualize, smell, taste, and feel these things. The point of this poem is what happens to a dream deferred. Lorraine Hansberry used this one line taken from the poem “Harlem” to compare the raisin to life. There was a lot of things that happen in this play. The story of this play is both epic and simple. A family living on the south side of Chicago struggles with poverty, struggles to maintain dignity, and dreams of a better life. What will they do to get this better life when a $10,000 insurance check arrives? Walter wants to be rich because that is an indication of success. Beneatha wants to be a doctor because she has a desire to heal. Mama and Ruth want to provide peace for their families. Mama wants Walter to stand up and be the man of the family. They start to face obstacles and the family starts to fall apart. Walter is his own obstacle to his dreams – he wants to be rich and successful, but only tries get-rich-quick schemes, which fail time and time again. Beneatha feels entitled to become a doctor. When that may be taken away from her, she has no response other than to give up on helping others. Ruth constantly fights with Walter. Her family's peace is further upended when she finds out she's pregnant. Mama makes a rash decision to prompt Walter to stand up and be a man, which proves unwise. Last But not least, she brings more problems to the
March 18, 2014
EN 132 O
Analysis Essay
Langston Hughes began writing poetry during his high school years. In some of his poems he uses two devices to point out comparisons which are metaphors and similes. In Harlem he uses personal experiences to compare something else such a using the word “or” after the first comparison. He uses five similes in Harlem: “like a raisin in the sun, like as sore, does it stink like rotten meat, like a syrupy sweet, like a heavy load”. Then he uses a metaphor: “or does it explode”. All of these comparisons make me image the things he is comparing. You can visualize, smell, taste, and feel these things. The point of this poem is what happens to a dream deferred. Lorraine Hansberry used this one line taken from the poem “Harlem” to compare the raisin to life. There was a lot of things that happen in this play. The story of this play is both epic and simple. A family living on the south side of Chicago struggles with poverty, struggles to maintain dignity, and dreams of a better life. What will they do to get this better life when a $10,000 insurance check arrives? Walter wants to be rich because that is an indication of success. Beneatha wants to be a doctor because she has a desire to heal. Mama and Ruth want to provide peace for their families. Mama wants Walter to stand up and be the man of the family. They start to face obstacles and the family starts to fall apart. Walter is his own obstacle to his dreams – he wants to be rich and successful, but only tries get-rich-quick schemes, which fail time and time again. Beneatha feels entitled to become a doctor. When that may be taken away from her, she has no response other than to give up on helping others. Ruth constantly fights with Walter. Her family's peace is further upended when she finds out she's pregnant. Mama makes a rash decision to prompt Walter to stand up and be a man, which proves unwise. Last But not least, she brings more problems to the