Monday, December 10, 2007

A Raisin in the Sun


Three days until finals - thank goodness. We just wrapped up Lorraine's Hansberry's 1958 play A Raisin in the Sun in my freshman English class today. This is a work I love more every time that I read it, even though I can acknowledge that it is a little dated. Favorite lines? Probably right after the Youngers have lost all the insurance money to Walter's scamming friends. Beneatha, his sister, is disgusted with Walter because he is so fixated on the money that he plans to sell back their new house to the Clybourne Park Neighborhood Association. His way of recuping the money is to acknowledge this racist organization and their desire to have their white neighborhood just the way they want it.

Beneatha: I said that that individual in that room is no brother of mine.

Mama: That's what I thought you said. You feeling like you better than he is today? (Beneatha does not answer) Yes? What you tell him a minute ago? That he wasn't a man? Yes? You give him up for me? You done wrote his epitaph too - like the rest of the world? Well, who give you the privilege?

Beneatha: Be on my side for once! You saw what he just did, Mama! You saw him - down on his knees. Wasn't it you who taught me to despise any man who would do that? Do what he's going to do?

Mama: Yes - I taught you that. Me and your daddy. But I thought I taught you something else too ... I thought I taught you to love him.

Beneatha: Love him? There is nothing left to love.

Mama: There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing (Looking at her) Have you cried for that boy today? I don't mean for yourself and for the family 'cause we lost the money. I mean for him: what he been through and what it done to him. Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning - because that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and can't believe in hisself 'cause the world done whipped him so! When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right, child, measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is.


These lines will never be old and dated, which is a reason to keep teaching this wonderful play.


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