A Raisin in the Sun

Book Description

When it was first produced in 1959, A Raisin in the Sun was awarded the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for that season and hailed as a watershed in American drama. A pioneering work by an African-American playwright, the play was a radically new representation of black life. "A play that changed American theater forever."--The New York Times.

Customer Reviews:

"A Raisin in the Sun" Review.......2007-09-18

"A Raisin in the Sun" is an example of Midwestern African American literature, which delivers a realistic view of conditions of living for impoverished African Americans living in the Southside of Chicago. However, some tend to abjure this idea of Hansberry's play, they believe that her view of this lifestyle was exaggerated. The acumen of Hanberry's knowledge on the subject is lost on some, however her detailed sketch of the Younger's life shows the rest of us that this must have deeply affected her. The acerbic tone of Mama Younger when she is discussing money with her son shows Hansberry's expertise. With acrimony Walter (Mama's son) goes to his job as a driver of the rich every weekday. Hansberry's makes it clear to the reader that Walter has much antipathy towards the people he is driving around. Some may argue that in real life a chaffeur would be treated with more respect than which Walter received. However, from my experiences I've seen nothing but disrespect towards these workers. The apartment, in which the Younger's have lived for the longest time, is not a pleasant place to live. Hansberry's does an excellent job in the way she makes sure not to adumbrate the condition of the run down apartment. Some find it unrealistic that they could have been living in this ragged apartment for such a long time, and not being able to move out. This shows directly the unfair situations and poor pay that African American's received at this time in Chicago. Lorraine Hansberry's detailed play is for anyone who wished to understand the hardships of African Americans. Those who do not agree with Hansberry's interpretation of the time period are seriously misinformed. After reading this triumph Hansberry will truly have your approbation.

A Raisin in the Sun novel .......2007-08-24

The book was wonderful, fantastic, lovely, very great i enjoy every second of reading this book. I received the book two days in the mail after i purchased on line. I will do business with this seller again as well as recommend the seller to everyone. Thank N.G

A Good Read.......2007-05-29

I had to read this book for my college class--history of the women's movement. It is a play and very easy to read. Very interesting and I probably read it in 2 days (but it could easily be read in 1 day). It has a powerful ending.

Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. - L. Hughes.......2007-05-07

`A Raisin in the Sun' by Lorraine Hansberry is a play that has become a true American classic. In 1959 it hit Broadway like no other. James Baldwin proclaimed, "never before in the entire history of the American theater had so much of the truth of black people's lives been seen on stage." Since its opening, this play has garnered worldwide acclaim and spawned movies, music scores and literature.

The play depicts the plight of an African-American family, the Youngers, struggling in the 1950s. The title, inspired by a Langston Hughes' poem, refers to Walter Younger's dream to make it out of the South Side of Chicago. "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / Like a raisin in the sun?....Or does it explode?"

Hansberry's realism is evidenced by the vividness and believability of the characters. They are so rich and powerful that over the years they have been portrayed only by some of the biggest names in the African-American theatrical community: Sidney Poiter, Ruby Dee, Esther Rolle, Ossie Davis, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald. In 1994, I was fortunate to see the play at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA starring the late Esther Rolle as Lena Younger and Kenny Leon, now director, as Walter Younger. I was not disappointed.

It is not by luck that this play has stood the test of time and made its indelible mark on the pages of African American literature. Take a few moments to observe the cast of characters through the playwright's pen and see the reason why it is a classic.

A Raisin in the Sun.......2006-08-18

I purchased this audio tape for my daughter for a summer reading assignment for school. It was easy to listen to and follow. We listened to it in the car each time we had to go somewhere. It kept our interest and was a great way to complete the assignment. I wish more book were available on audio.

Average customer rating:

A well written piece
Very un-entertainig book, which never seemed to get started.
pretty good but not the best
This book lacked an intersting plot or characters.
mind-boggling

Raisin in the Sun (Cliffs Notes)
Rosetta James
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Raisin in the Sun (MAXNotes Literature Guides) (MAXnotes)

ASIN: 0822011085

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

A Raisin in the Sun debuted in the spring of 1959 and has since been translated into more than 30 languages. It is the story of a poor black family struggling to become part of the middle class. Family hardships test the faith of all involved and the result is unexpected and filled with heartbreak.

CliffsNotes on A Raisin in the Sun helps you explore this play by providing you with summaries and commentaries, chapter by chapter. You’ll also gain insight into the author Lorraine Vivian Hansberry. Other features that help you study include

A list of characters and their descriptions
A genealogy chart to illustrate the relationships between the characters
Glossaries to help you fully understand the novel
Critical essays on thematic structure, language and style, and more
Suggested essay topics and related research projects for more study

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

A well written piece.......1999-06-02

-which delves into the heart of an early 60's lower class African American family struggling to live together in a crowded Chicago apartment. A widowed mother tries to teach her son the real values of life and hold her family together at the same time while selflessly trying to make both of her childrens dreams live.

Very un-entertainig book, which never seemed to get started........1999-05-30

I had to read this book for school and I also had to do a report for it, and I felt I was being tortured by having to read it. Nothing interesting ever seems to happen in this book, therefore, I do not recommend this book to anyone, especially to teachers looking to have there students read it. To the teachers, I got a 100 percent on the test, because nothing interesting happened in the book to ask a question about. In closing, if you are looking to read a book, i suggest you pick a different one, if there was a zero star option I would have picked that.

pretty good but not the best.......1999-04-21

This book had alot to do with the "American Dream" Everyone was striving for their own thing. It was all based on money. But in the end they saw that money will not make you happy. We thought this thought was clearly shown.

This book lacked an intersting plot or characters........1999-03-15

I found this book to be an utter waste of my time. You follow a black family in Chicago through a few days of their lives in which they attempt to buy a new home. Overall the plot was dull and there was no real excitement. The climax was subtle and made no major difference in the readers mind. If you are looking for a good book this is not one of them.

mind-boggling.......1999-03-04

I did not get it! Can you explain it

Understanding A Raisin in the Sun: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents (The Greenwood Press "Literature in Context" Series)

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Understanding A Raisin in the Sun: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents (The Greenwood Press "Literature in Context" Series)
Lynn Domina
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun

ASIN: 0313303495

Book Description

A Raisin in the Sun is the first play by a black woman to be produced in a Broadway theater. First performed in 1959, before the civil rights and women's movements came to the fore, it raises issues of segregation, family strife, and relationships between men and women that are both representative of the time and timeless in their universality. This interdisciplinary collection of commentary and forty-five primary documents will enrich the reader's understanding of the historical and social context of the play. A wide variety of primary materials sheds light on integration and segregation in the 1950s and 1960s; relationships between African Americans and Africans; relationships between men and women within African American culture; Chicago as a literary setting for the play; and contemporary race relations in the 1990s. Documents include first-person accounts, magazine articles and editorials espousing opposing arguments, excerpts from the works of Toni Morrison, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, bell hooks, Malcolm X, and Richard Wright, and a selection of pertinent government documents and eye-opening statistics. Many of the documents are available in no other printed form. Each chapter concludes with study questions and topics for research papers and class discussion, as well as lists of further reading for examining the themes and issues raised by the play. The casebook begins with a literary analysis of the play, its themes and dramatic structure. Two chapters on the historical context provide commentary and documents on the history of segregation and integration in the United States, focusing on segregation in employment and education as well as in housing, and relationships between African Americans and Africans and the back to Africa movement. A chapter situates the play within the context of the literature of Chicago, including articles about race problems, as well as excerpts from Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, Richard Wright's Native Son, Carl Sandburg's poem "Chicago," and other pieces. The topic of the relationship between African American men and women is explored in a variety of articles on the African American family, black fatherhood, black masculinity, and the problems of African American women. A chapter on contemporary race relations examines the current situation and includes first-person accounts by two African American teenagers, current employment statistics for African Americans, and articles on current problems facing them. Each document is preceded by an explanatory introduction, and each chapter concludes with study questions and topics for research papers and class discussion, as well as lists of further reading for examining the themes and issues raised by the play.

Average customer rating:

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry
Manufacturer: The New American Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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A Raisin in the Sun (MAXNotes Literature Guides) (MAXnotes)

Average customer rating:

Raisin in the Sun cliffnotes
Shipping Sham
"A Raisin In The Sun" Review.
Five African Americans trying to make a living.

A Raisin in the Sun (MAXNotes Literature Guides) (MAXnotes)
Maxine Morrin
Manufacturer: Research & Education Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0878919457

Book Description

MAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independ ent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists, an explanation and discussion of the plot, the work's historical context, illustrations to convey the mood of the work, and a biography of the author. Each chapter is individually summarized and analyzed, and has study questions and answers.

Customer Reviews:

Raisin in the Sun cliffnotes.......2007-03-20

This cliffnote resource book for A Raisin in the Sun provides analytic discussion topics as well as makes a great test question generator. I pull information right out of the notes and create my tests from there.
Great teacher resource.

Shipping Sham.......2002-08-10

Cliffnotes are Cliffnotes but who you buy them from is what counts. This seller charges more for shipping than the cost of the book. Shop around guys, highway robbery here!!

"A Raisin In The Sun" Review........2002-03-06

Did you ever wonder how a colored family lived back in the years of racism and proverty? Well, the family in this book, "A Raisin In The Sun",by Lorraine Hansberry, deals with many of the problems that arouse at the time. The Younger family was a kind and loving family,never did anything bad to no one. It seems as though that even with all the love this family had, some how there comes a moment of dissapointment and disperation.The characters all seem so loving like Mama, the Grandmother. She is so very kind and loving, not a drop of bad in her. There's Beneatha, she's the smart one in the family. She's having trouble deciding weither to start working or keep going to school. Her brother, Walter tells her to quit school and start working to help pay rent and tells her the fact that they don't have the money to send her to school. Walter is a very stubborn man, he likes doing things his way and critizes anyone who does things differently. Walters' wife though always nagging to him about his atitude. Walters' wife, Ruth, is a good woman but is very sad about where the marrage is heading. Ruth is very worried about the marrage becuase of her son, Travis. Travis is one of those kid that never seem to sit, he's always up and running around. The family in this book is tested on how much they love each other, it's all on the line. All in all this book is very interesting from the beginning...

Five African Americans trying to make a living........1999-04-22

The play A Raisin in The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is about five African Americans who live in a dingy house. They all work as maids or chauffeurs. In the play, Lena (the mother) had gotten a very large amount of insurance money. Lena wanted her son to take the money and put it in the bank, but he thought it would be a good idea to take the money and invest in some liquor company. Instead of going to the stock market company, he gave the money to a stranger who his family did not know. He (Walter) told the stranger to go and take the money to the stock market to invest for him, but the strange man didn't do that. Instead he took the money and ran off. The story resolves as the family is trying to move into Clybourne Park, but the moving man would keep trying to bribe them into not moving into a white neighborhood. After a while they just didn't care so they moved into Clybourne Park anyways.

A Raisin in the Sun: The Unfilmed Original Screenplay

Average customer rating:

Cliche Story of Black America in the 1950's
a very good play, that had to do with the.
LOstiantance y cinco y beta !
Finish
9

A Raisin in the Sun: The Unfilmed Original Screenplay
Lorraine Hansberry
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451183886

Book Description

The Unfilmed Original Screenplay of an American classic.

This is a landmark volume of the epic, original film script written by Lorraine Hansberry, adapted from her stage play. But movie audiences did not know that nearly a third of her powerful screenplay had been cut. This edition restores all of these deletions and delivers the screenplay that is true to Hansberry's vision.

Customer Reviews:

Cliche Story of Black America in the 1950's.......2000-05-30

I kept thinking something new and original would happen, but it didn't. The characters are very stereotpyical; the courage of moving into a white neighborhood (that an aspect of the book deals with) is no different than what one would expect from any work of fiction about Black America. One character relationship I did find interesting was Beneatha and Lena (Mama). They have several interesting interaction/ conflicts over religion and Beneatha's looking for her African identity. Perhaps novel in its time, this work is outdated.

a very good play, that had to do with the........1999-04-02

good play because it influance many black people to stand up for their rights.

LOstiantance y cinco y beta !.......1999-03-04

Asa y triente wete y bilifico!

Asia magnifico bujione la trakento

Finish.......1998-10-06

Why didn't the author finish the play and tell us what happened to everybody? How did they get enough money to pay for the house? Whatever happened to Beneatha being a doctor, did she go to Africa and marry Asagai? There were a lot of things left out that should have been addressed.

9.......1996-12-05

i though that the raisin in the sun was a very informative play. It touched on many themes that touched eveybody. Such as the false pride that money brings. Walter lee's obession with money was clearly stated and illustrated. My expectations were that walter lee would sell the house and obtain the money,but it did not happen. He was a bigger man and realized that his dream of becoming rich was nothing compared to the actulaziation of a sane mind. Walter lee is a man in all of us. He is the common man of today

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A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Raisin in the Sun and Related Readings Literature Connections Sourcebook

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A Raisin in the Sun and Related Readings Literature Connections Sourcebook

Manufacturer: McDougal Littell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0395783984

Average customer rating:

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Manufacturer: Signet
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A Raisin in the Sun : A Unit Plan (Litplans on CD)

Average customer rating:

Too Elementary

A Raisin in the Sun : A Unit Plan (Litplans on CD)
Mary B. Collins
Manufacturer: Teachers Pet Pubns Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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ASIN: 1583370420

Book Description

Complete lesson plans for teaching A Raisin in the Sun. Includes introduction to the unit, unit objectives, reading assignments, unit outline, study questions (short answer), study/quiz questions (multiple choice), vocabulary worksheets, daily lessons planned, related nonfiction reading assignment, oral reading evaluation, biographical info about the author, three detailed writing assignments (inform, persuade, personal opinion), vocabulary review games & activities, unit review games & activities, at least one group activity assignment, discussion questions on all levels (factual, critical, interpretive, personal response), 2 short answer unit tests, 2 multiple choice unit tests, 1 advanced short answer unit test, unit and vocabulary crossword puzzles, unit and vocabulary extra worksheets & games, bulletin board ideas, ready-to-copy student materials, answer keys, and more!

Customer Reviews:

Too Elementary.......2006-02-27

This unit plan contains some very basic/recall type quizzes and tests--not great for advanced high school students.

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