English 132 Section 16 - Surviving Hardships

Stacia Cromartie

Mrs. Nix

English 132 Section 16

5 March 2011

Surviving Hardships

Overcoming obstacles, poverty and deferred dreams, the Younger family finds out that the only way to get through hard times is by coming together as a whole. The play A Raisin in the Sun, is written by Lorraine Hansberry. The play depicts a poor family, living in the Southside of Chicago who tries to overcome adversity. With the death of a loved one , the Youngers find themselves at a constant battle among each other. In the end, in spite of everything that has happened the Younger family becomes what they wanted to become: a stronger family. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, the flower symbolizes the hardships and growth of the Younger family.

Housing for blacks in the 60s was mediocre and basic. If one lived in Bronzeville, one could go to black banks, shop in black stores, and vote for black politicians. Blacks could strut down broad avenues, dressed to the teeth, showing off what they called "The Attitude.'' In Sundown Towns and Countries: Racial Exclusion in the South Loewen stats that, ''blacks could point with pride to Joe Louis, the boxing champion, and Muddy Waters, and the master of rhythm and blues, but one also couldn't live outside the ghetto. ''Starting in 1917, realtors made "restrictive covenants," vowing privately not to sell houses in white neighborhoods to black families''( 5.1: 22 ). When blacks tried to move beyond Bronzeville, whites used violence to keep them in. In'' White Fear and the Studio System'' Ingle claims that [1951, a mob burned down an entire building to evict its single black resident. Closed in by white neighborhoods, Bronzeville quickly grew overcrowded. One-family apartments were split into three tiny "kitchenettes." Everyone went down the hall to use the toilet