Image in the public domain
The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry reveals the struggles black families faced as they attempted to achieve the American dream in the 1950s. The play follows the lives of a working class family, the Youngers, from the South Side of Chicago. The Younger family received an insurance check, providing an opportunity to make positive changes in their lives. The audio story offers a glimpse into an alarming event that happened to author Hansberry’s family when they moved into a white neighborhood during segregation. Listen to learn about Lorraine Hansberry’s motivation for writing this iconic story and why A Raisin in the Sun made such an impact on American theater.
Story Length: 7:42
© 2002 National Public Radio, Inc. Used with the permission of NPR. All rights reserved.
03/11/2002
https://app.listenwise.com/students/lessons/290-motivation-for-writing-a-raisin-in-the-sun
What can be inferred from the audio story regarding class and race at the time the play was written?
What details from the story support Hansberry’s reasons for writing “A Raisin in the Sun”?
In the audio story, Sidney Poitier mentions that he felt the absence of a central character in the play was not ideal. Do you agree or disagree?
Imagine that the play was being written to reflect our society today. What changes might you recommend if the play were being written about our society today?