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This video summarizes the play A Raisin in the Sun. It discusses the Youngers, members of an African-American family trying to better themselves wh...
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A Raisin in the Sun 18501 Views
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Description:
This video summarizes the play A Raisin in the Sun. It discusses the Youngers, members of an African-American family trying to better themselves when they come into some money. It discusses race, family relationships, and money management.
Transcript
- 00:05
A Raisin in the Sun, a la Shmoop. Misery really loves company. Chances are,
- 00:08
every time you've spilled your tale of woe to a friend, he or she has countered with
- 00:09
an even more tragic story of their own.
- 00:09
We're not sure how it happens, but these conversations inevitably snowball into a polite contest
- 00:10
of sunburn vs. sinus infections, ailing aunts vs. colicky cousins…
Full Transcript
- 00:10
But no matter how horrific the other person's problems are, we secretly know that ours are
- 00:10
way worse. The Younger family in Lorraine Hansberry's
- 00:12
A Raisin in the Sun has plenty to complain about. Hard-working Mama is getting a huge
- 00:20
insurance check... awesome, right?
- 00:23
Unfortunately, everybody wants a piece of it.
- 00:26
Walter grabs the cash for himself, and loses it all, ruining the family's dreams of an
- 00:33
easier life.
- 00:35
If you can stand more bad news, that money was Beneatha's<<buh-neath-uh>> best chance
- 00:39
at paying for med school.
- 00:40
In fact, all three of these Youngers would feel at home on the cast of Les Mis, singing
- 00:40
"life has killed the dream I dreamed."
- 00:41
So who wins the Golden Hankie Award for the biggest sob story? Whose plump juicy dream
- 00:46
most resembles Langston Hughes'… shriveled raisin?
- 00:50
Beneatha's our first contender, and she's the obvious choice, here. Her friend calls
- 00:54
her “Alaiyo” <Ah-lie-yo>, meaning “one for whom bread is not enough.” No, he’s not
- 01:04
saying she’s not a carb addict. …
- 01:06
Beneatha’s got a fiery “take no prisoners” attitude, and she’s out to change the world
- 01:12
using medicine and social justice. She even cuts her hair to get back to her African roots…no
- 01:15
pun intended.
- 01:15
Mama was going to put away a nice chunk o’ change to give pay for Beneatha’s tuition,
- 01:20
which would have given her a leg up on fulfilling her goals.
- 01:23
When the family learns that Walter’s no-good buddy ran off with her college fund, Beneatha
- 01:31
feels like an idiot for believing she could make a difference.
- 01:34
Then there’s Walter, the man with a plan. He’s got a hot tip for a liquor store business
- 01:40
that’s going to break the Youngers out of poverty, and let him quit his job as a chauffeur
- 01:44
for a rich white man.
- 01:46
His optimism blinds him to the flaws in this get-rich-quick scheme, and to the dirty looks
- 01:47
coming from Mama and Ruth.
- 01:47
Most of all, Walter wants respect. He dreams of owning a successful business which will
- 01:48
give him equal standing with “The Man,” and snooty college kids like Beneatha’s
- 01:50
suitor, George.
- 01:50
What better way to prove all the haters wrong than with a stack of cold, hard cash?
- 01:54
But then Walter makes the not-too-smart decision to trust his money to a guy named “Willy.”
- 01:59
Sure, we all saw that epic fail coming, but Walter didn’t—and now his whole family
- 02:03
is treating him like he’s slime mold. Good luck with that respect thing, Walt…
- 02:10
You know that saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”?
- 02:14
With Mama Younger, it’s more the opposite…her contentment depends on the well-being of her
- 02:19
loved ones.
- 02:20
She supports Beneatha’s career, even though she doubts she’ll stick with it, and believes
- 02:22
that Walter is destined to become more than a white man’s employee.
- 02:26
She’s such a cool mom, she even buys her peeps a house.
- 02:29
Mama hopes that joining the Homeowners Club will start a legacy of prosperity for the
- 02:36
entire Younger clan, especially her grandson, Travis.
- 02:39
Her husband literally died so that this dream could become a reality…it’s his life insurance
- 02:45
money that’s put the Youngers on Easy Street.
- 02:47
Too bad her kids are so bratty. Walter sulks about money she spends, and Beneatha pokes
- 02:53
fun at Mama’s religious beliefs and beloved plant. …
- 02:53
…When she finally trusts her son to do the right thing, he betrays her. No wonder she
- 02:54
resorts to physical violence as a parenting method.
- 02:55
So who’s the winner of the “Dream Deferment” title?
- 02:56
Do Beneatha’s career goals and social conscience give her the edge?
- 02:57
Is Walter permanently grounded for losing the money and his shot at being an entrepreneur?
- 03:01
Or is Mama the most deserving of sympathy, for putting up with her kids and vanishing
- 03:06
cash? Shmoop amongst yourselves.
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