A Raisin in the Sun vs The Harlem Renaissance
Mankind is a very interesting species, both in terms of the tasks we can accomplish and how we can all come together to tackle any conflict at hand. This can especially be seen in terms of how we creatively express ourselves as an individual. Ranging from the vast and colorful paintings to the emotionally driven stories in many theatrical plays. They teach us that are all unique as individuals and can achieve anything we set our mind to. Many events can show many artistic forms of expression, and perhaps the most significant historical event of them all is the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was an event in history that lasted from 1918 and continued up into the late 1930s in New York. The Harlem Renaissance was responsible for the sudden artistic explosion in music, religion, and literature. Although the Harlem Renaissance has been over for several decades now, the Harlem Renaissance’s impact on colored people and history simply can’t be ignored, as its effects can still be seen today. One of these examples being the play adapted into a theatrical film named “The Raisin in the Sun,” which was inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. The Raisin in the Sun is a reflection of ideas from the Harlem Renaissance because of the black characters, situations of racial injustice, celebrating black culture, and referencing other art forms that we can find in our everyday lives.
First, A Raisin in the Sun is a reflection of ideas from the Harlem Renaissance because of the black characters. The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic movement led by black people, which we can also see in A Raisin in the Sun as it proudly uses black characters in the story. Both periods of time also connect because black people aren’t presented in a stereotypical or negative way. Instead, they are proudly showing string character traits such as being hard working and setting motivations and priorities. These characteristics were also seen in the Harlem Renaissance as they were proudly being hard working and setting motivations and priorities for creating an artistic explosion with black people.
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Next, A Raisin in the Sun is a reflection of ideas from the Harlem Renaissance because of situations of racial injustice. In A Raisin in the Sun, the character Mr.Lindner offers the family money so that they can’t move into a white neighborhood. They respond by kicking Mr.Lindner out of their apartment. Racial injustice can also be seen in the Harlem Renaissance. After the Civil War, many black citizens began to strive for rights such as voting and equal pay. The many forms of racial injustice caused many black citizens to come together and strive for a development in music, art, and religion. Another example can be seen in A Raisin in the Sun when Walter describes how he doesn’t like working as a servant in a rich white household. This is also seen in the Harlem Renaissance since before the Civil War, black people were forced into slavery and had to take orders or they would be severly punished.
Also, A Raisin in the Sun is a reflection of ideas from the Harlem Renaissance because of the celebration of black culture. The Harlem Renaissance is responsible for a flourishing of African American expression. As such, many African American citizens now had not only a pride to show off their country of origin, but to show their excitement to learn more about their ancestors. This is seen in A Raisin in the Sun when Beneatha dresses up in a traditional Nigerian outfit and dances to the record. This shows us that Beneatha wants to know more about her African heritage and is eager to learn more about it.
Finally, A Raisin in the Sun is a reflection of ideas from the Harlem Renaissance because of the references to other art forms that we can find in our everyday lives. Music became widely loved by black citizens, as such many individuals were interested in picking up an instrument. This is seen in A Raisin in the Sun when Beneatha is trying to play the guitar. Another example in A Raisin in the Sun can be seen when Walter is listening to several Jazz records. This is seen in the Harlem Renaissance because jazz became exponentially popular during this time period.
In conclusion, The Raisin in the Sun is a reflection of ideas from the Harlem Renaissance because of the black characters, situations of racial injustice, celebrating black culture, and referencing other art forms that we can find in our everyday lives. The original play for A Raisin in the Sun debuted on Broadway in 1959, approximately 20 years after the Harlem Renaissance movement. The play demonstrates many of the same characteristics that black citizens strived for during the Harlem Renaissance. Despite many of the bad things that happen to Walter Lee Younger and his family, we all learned an important life skill when viewing this play. Even when you make mistakes, you gotta get up and learn from them.
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