Prejudice and Racism - Home Ownership in A Raisin in the...

The Black’s Quest for a Home Ownership in A Raisin in the Sun and in America In the famous 1959 kitchen debate with Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev, Richard Nixon asserted the American Dream of homeownership was available to all Americans regardless of class, race, or any other social constraint. For Nixon, this claim was proof of Americas dominance over Russia-of democracys superiority over communism. Nixon, however, greatly exaggerated the availability of homeownership; owning a home in the suburbs was not an option for all Americans, particularly African Americans. Government subsidies, which were so important in making homes affordable, were not extended to blacks. Furthermore, suburban communities around the†¦show more content†¦Her two grown children, Walter and Beneatha (Bennie), have high aspirations; Travis wants to open a liquor store and become a businessman man while Bennie is in college studying to be a doctor. Both hope that some of the insurance money will go in helping them achieve their respective dreams. Mama and her late husband always dreamed of owning a home. When Mama and Mr. Younger initially rented their apartment on the Southside, it was supposed to be a temporary residence before they bought their own house. But more than thirty years later, the family still resides in the same apartment. The Younger family composed of Mama, Bennie, Walter, his wife Ruth, and their child Travis, all live under the same cramped roof. The play is about the unmet dreams of each member of the family. The epigraph and title of the play, A Raisin in the Sun, are taken from Langston Hughes famous 1951 poem Montage of a Dream Deferred. Hughes poem questions whether people surrender to circumstances when their aspirations are frustrated or whether their dreams explode in unpredictable ways after the accumulation of continuos disappointments. Walter gets close to exploding. After spending many years trying to open a liquor store, it is only his fathers life insurance check that may allow him to finally achieve his dream of being an independent man and his own boss. Walter was notShow MoreRelatedA Raisin In The Sun American Dream Essay1669 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States is recognized as the â€Å"land of the free† and home of the â€Å"American Dream.† According to James Truslow Adams in Epic of America, the American Dream is defined as â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each accordin g to ability or achievement.† It is based on the foundations of the Declaration of Independence: the rights to Liberty, Life, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Amadeo, What is the American Dream?). PeopleRead MoreThe African American Struggle During The United States Essay2085 Words   |  9 PagesThe African American Struggle in the United States Before the civil rights movement in America, many writers that grew up during times of oppression and racial discrimination began to speak out about the problems African Americans faced. Wilson, Hughes, and Hansberry explore the themes of racism and the American dream in their works to reveal the situation for black Americans in the United States during the time period after World War II. The American dream is the idea that every person shouldRead MoreWhat Happens When Equality, Liberty, And Justice Are Deferred?925 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor†, Dr. King advised, â€Å"it must be demanded by the oppressed.† What happens when â€Å"demanded by the oppressed† is deferred? Did righteous Black Power and Critical Resistance dry up like a raisin in the sun? Is the ongoing pernicious cycle of inequality in this country like a festering sore that runs deep in our skin; deep in our subconscious - discharging infected oozing matter day after day; month after month; year after year? Doesn’t oppressionRead MoreRacism Is A Major Issue Since The Colonial Era And The Slavery Era1943 Words   |  8 PagesRacism is a major issue since the colonial era and the slavery era. Heavy burden of racism in the country have fallen upon African Americans. Racism was a huge influence on the Youngster’s family in A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. The Younger’s represent a typical African American family living in the 1950’s trying to survive in the ghetto’s south side of Chicago. This family was filled with dreams, and had a vision to progress, but there was obstacles that were interfering with