English Literature

Particular roles of men and women in literature have been used many times in many literary works. Man has been depicted countless times as the strong and valiant time while the woman has reprised the role of the weak and dependent character over and over again. These portrayals can just mean that society sees men and women in such light or men and women are expected to play such roles. Though injustice, prejudice and unfairness can be described to such conclusion, no one can deny that such situation does existthat of men being the stronger sex and women being the weaker ones.

Feminists, liberalists and modernists may cry out against this. After all, times have drastically and tremendously changed. From that classic icon of a woman in a bubble skirt, made all up, not a hair out of place and a clean apron wrapped around her, women can now vote, run for presidency and even be condemned for the murder of her own husband which would have been unheard of in the early 90s. However, even with all the new ideas and liberties that have been given to the late 90s until now, there are still many traces of the strong male and the weak or conservative femalea conclusion that is well portrayed in Lorraine Hansberrys play, A Raisin in the Sun which came out in 1959. This is the entire point of this essay or rather, what this essay will try to point outthat even if there are progressive, political, liberal and modern views during the late 90s, there are still strong influences of conservatism which can also be seen reflected in the play, A Raisin in the Sun.

Brief Summary of the Play
The play of Lorraine Hansberry entitled A Raisin in the Sun, is simple in structure and yet serious in theme. It revolves around the Younger family who is African-American while in a time wherein African-Americans are still openly taunted as niggers and ostracized by society as the lesser race. Walter Lee Younger Senior dies and leaves a substantial amount of insurance money for the bereaved family members who are left behind Mama, his wife Walter Lee Junior, his son Ruth, Walter Lee Juniors wife Bennie, his daughter and Travis, the son of Walter Lee Junior and Ruth. The money which amounts to 10,000 is the source of conflict of the play and the catalyst to the events which would enable the family to be thrown into a world that despises them and makes them closer together than ever Walter Lee wants the money to be invested in a business, Bennie wants the money to be set aside for her medical degree while Mama wants a home to call their own since this has always been the dream of her late husband.

In the end however, they all have their way as Walter Lee received a portion for his business Bennie gets a part for her school and Mama, together with Ruth, arranges for a down payment for the house in the famous, upper scale and very White dominated Clybourne Park. Because the Youngers (most especially Mama and Ruth who is expecting a baby) want the new house badly, they refuse an offer from the Clybourne Park Improvement Associations Mr. Lindner who wants the Youngers to give up their house. The whole issue is that the Youngers are Blacks and for them to move in a White-dominated neighbourhood is asking for great nuisance and trouble that could possibly result into great feuds of the two races. The play concludes in Walter Lee failing in the business venture and the family persisting to move in to their new home that symbolizes a new, unknown and chaotic future.

Analysis of the PlayIts Theme and Implications
Symbolisms in literature exist because they enable the readers to grasp a deeper understanding for the literary work. Symbolisms like the theme, would give something more profound in the message of a play, a poem or a novel that would make a tremendous impact to the reader. This is exactly what transpires in the play wherein the house or home of the Youngers is focused on and where we can draw out the theme and the implications of what it is trying to point out. Kristin L. Matthews points out in her article, The Politics of Home in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun that there is significant symbolism in the existence of the home or house that was used in the Hansberrys play, A Raisin in the Sun.

Matthews argues that the home which was disputed by the characters in the play was actually more than just a structure which would provide shelter for the Younger familyit actually means something more like a hope for the familys bleak future since they were African-Americans and the future held so little hope for them. The existence of the home can actually point us to the plays theme which revolves around familial relationships and the effect that issues like racial discrimination has on such kind of relationships. This is because the home is a symbolical representation of the family and in this case, the Younger family was not just trying to acquire a physical structure to shelter them but they are trying to forge a bond with each other that would last.

Thus, in A Raisin in the Sun, the relationships of the family which sought to define them were prevalent throughout the course of play. Not only are the relationships of the characters with each given a focal point but also the personality of the character as an individual. Regarding the relationships of the characters, they reveal an important commentary not only about race relations, but also about the politics of gender roles a result of the time period. This is what makes the play such a contradiction since it presents a progressive theme that reveals the issues of racial discrimination and the need to break away from that discrimination but also about the role that the late and the living Walter Lee Younger play as the male and dominant figure of the play. In fact, it is through the interactions between Mama and her son, Walter, and Walter with the rest of the Younger family that the audience is introduced to a chaotic storyline weighed with the ideas of racism in a mid-20th century America, northern assimilation, and poverty which is the one end of the contradiction. Thus, the man of the house whether dead (like in the case of Walter Lee Younger Senior) or alive (like in the case of his son, Walter Lee Younger Junior), plays a significant role in the plays message and theme. This ultimately points out to one thingthe presence of male masculinity is ever present and even more with the existence of Mr. Lindners role in the play, the patriarchal society is ever present still even if Mama reinforces a matriarchal controla control which is just a pretence.

Progressive Matriarchy versus the Conservative Matriarchy
 Although the play is overall progressive in its themes and the messages it conveys, the politics of masculinity and gender responsibilities, as exemplified primarily by Walter Lee, is predominantly conservative. As what was stated before, the fact that Hansberry chose to portray the issue of the injustice, prejudice and discrimination that the Blacks influence in the hands of the Whites in her playsomething which was maybe considered taboo in the early 90s was progressive in nature. And yet, her treatment of how Walter Lee Junior had the final say on the spending of the insurance money and the fact that Mama still followed the wishes of her dead husband just proves that patriarchy was still dominant.

The character of Walter embodies several conflicts pertaining to the notion of progressiveness and mobility while demonstrating dependence and lack of maturity when it comes to the familys well being, a characteristic which is considered not common or usual to the character reprisal of the dominant malehead of the family. In fact, the ongoing disagreement amongst the Younger family seemingly comes to a resolution as Walter develops into the realization that he had been selfish in his aspirations of making money on what is essentially a gamble, and that the familys values run deeper than money. Thus, when Walter Lee grows into the ideal male figure, the problems of the family seem to be resolved by itself which creates the illusion that when the perfect patriarchy controls the situation, everything will fall into place and the women should not worry or concern themselves.

However, this does not mean that there is no presence of the conflicting role of the patriarchy versus the matriarchy which is portrayed in the play. Though the presence of Walter Lee represents the patriarchal society, the characters of the outspoken Mama (Lena Younger), the opinionated Ruth and the liberal Bennie makes the play also contain matriarchal themes. This is not new to a play written by a Black woman as the Africans and the African-Americans are known to give due and special importance to their women. Mothers and grandmothers are often given important roles in literature about the Blacks compared to the role of White women in American literature. In fact, the emotional growth of Walter Lee through the play reveals what may be interpreted as a conservative view of black manhood and that it is through his wife, Ruth, and more importantly through his mother, Mama Lena that he is brought to this life-altering realization, and shaped into what may be interpreted as manhood. Thus, the power of the Black patriarchy was formed by the support or nourishment of the Black matriarchy.

In the play, it becomes clear that Lena is an influential matriarch. Symbolically, it can be said that her size and demeanor is remnant of the mammy figure often portrayed in southern, pre-Civil War texts. The mammy nursemaid would take on the motherly duties in a plantation during the time of slavery with little regard for her own welfare. Mamas likeness to this obsolete figure is furthered by the fact that she is without a husband. A typical characteristic of the southern mammy is to be husbandless and the sole matriarch to what extent her subordinate, slave position would allow. The absence of Walters father contributes to the expectations bestowed on Walter as the man of the house. Lena shatters the mammy stereotype in a variety of ways. Rather than fading into the background as someone who is submissive and obedient, she has a demanding presence. The relation between this icon and Mama in the play implicitly renders her as someone who is at a disadvantage. It is not only evocative of slavery, but it also places her in a specific gender role that of a mother, a housewife, and a nurturer. We see these preconceived ideas about the role of Mama, as determined by her appearance and behavior, challenged as her interactions with the family following the death of her husband put her in a position of superiority beyond traditional motherly duties. As the action progresses, it becomes evident that Lena takes on another dimension in that her power extends beyond the familys well-being into progression on the subject of race relations. This is exemplified by her determination to have the family move into the house in the white neighborhood despite Mr. Lindners message. No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you are doing, Walter Lee. You teach him goodYou show where our five generations done come to.

Throughout the play, it is apparent that the actions and dialogues contribute to the plays message of progressiveness in relation to race relations and poverty. This is exemplified on numerous occasions as the family struggles to make a living for themselves with Walters conflict with himself as the backdrop for the action. The issues surrounding mamas anticipated insurance money not only illicit emotion in the reader by having her choose between Walters dream of opening a liquor store, and using the money to support the family, but it also helps illustrate the ideas of practicality.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the theme presents a contradiction as it is being sentimental while being intensely grim at the same time as it tackles one of the most controversial societal issues that humanity faces. But on a precise note, Hansberry manages to illustrate a deeper underlying themeone that focuses on black masculinity as defined by the society in which the family is immersed. The play thus, illustrates the patriarchy through the depiction of Walter Lee and even Mr. Lindner while also portraying the matriarchy through the power that Mama Lena attains by the acquisition of the insurance of her dead husband. Hansberrys ideas about conservatism and progressivism are reflected in the play as both ideals push and pull against and towards one another. However, the great thing about the play, its theme and even the playwright herself is that she manages to unify such contradicting forces and create an ending that is epicconsidering that the literary work is a play.