Under Pressure

In A Raisin In The Sun, characters' motivations are influenced by pressures from outside sources. Both Ruth and Mama feel that they have to take certain actions because of the pressures from other members of the family, their financial situation, but the greatest pressure of all comes from Walter Lee. 

Mama puts Walter in charge of the rest of the insurance money. This is the result; the action that was caused by an outside pressure. That outside pressure was none other than Walter Lee. Even since he found out about the money, he acted like it was his even though it was solely his mothers. He made elaborate plans of investing the money, drew up the papers and tried to convince his mother to sign off the money to him, to gamble it all on the liquor store. She refuses this at first, but Walter slowly beats her over the head with guilt and snide, digging comments until she buckles. She puts him in charge of the money but only after Walter says things like, "So you butchered up a dream of mine - you - who always talking 'bout your children's dreams..." (95) Mama would have stuck to her guns, spent the money on the house and save the rest to improve the family's quality of life had it not been for the enormous force of guilt on her shoulders, put there by Walter Lee. 

Ruth is another character under pressure. She put a five dollar down payment on an abortion. If the Younger family was better off financially, do you think she would have done this? The Youngers barely scrape by as it is and she feels that if she brings another person into the world the family may not make it. She would never get an abortion under any other circumstances, Walter Lee even said so flat out to his mother. Their financial troubles as well as the troubles in her marriage force Ruth to consider an option against her beliefs. 

Wuthering Heights ~ By Emily Bronte

"Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff's dwelling. 'Wuthering' being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather." (6)

This quotation stood out to me because it reveals where Bronte got the title for the novel. Wuthering Heights is a place, where much of the action in the beginning of the book takes place. The fact that the entire book is named after with estate indicates that it is of great significance and will weigh heavily on the plot for the rest of the book as well. The "atmospheric tumult" to which the narrator is referring is weather but in actuality it reveals that the house has endured much more tumult than storms. Very early in the book this mystery surrounding Heathcliff's checkered and sad past is created and maintained.

"The intense horror of nightmare came over me; I tried to draw back my arm, but the hand clung to it, a most melancholy voice sobbed. 'Let me in - let me in!" (28)

This quotation represents a break in the story. Before this, the action is very subdued and quiet. This passage is intense, even frightening. It breaks this monotonous plot-line and begins to reveal the true tragic past of Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights. The dream, in its entirety is very exciting, terrifying, and bloody. It is highly symbolic though the reader does not yet know how or why. A lot of mystery surrounds Catherine and why even the mention of her name or the narrator staying in her room affects Heathcliff so much. This dream is really what hooked me into the story and afterwards I could not put the book down. I had to learn more. I am completely invested and now I have to know: what happened with Heathcliff and Catherine? Why is her story so haunting?

Alone

Each character in A Raisin in the Sun is alone. No two characters are alike. They are all separated by their ideas, beliefs and desires. No two characters want the same things.

Walter Lee feels completely alone in his own home, surrounded by his family. He even vocalizes his feelings of loneliness in the first act. He wants to have a real discussion with his wife about his hopes and dreams for their lives and livelihood. She responds by telling him to eat his eggs. He is tired of no one sharing his dreams and no one being willing to listen to him, sympathize or lend a kind ear. He is alone because none of the people in his life are supportive of his dreams or endeavors. It is not just about the ten thousand dollars, although no one in the house supports his plan for investing the money. Outside of that plan no one will even listen to his goals or why he wants to spend that money. When he is at home, surrounded by his entire family he feels completely out of place and alone. He feels that he needs to leave home in order to find any sense of peace and Mama recognizes that this is a truly dangerous thing.

Beneatha is also alone. She is separated from her family, namely her mother, by her beliefs and values. She is searching for her identity and her heritage. She wants to find out where she comes from. That is why she is drawn to Asagai. She wants to marry for love, not for money. Her sister and mother cannot grasp this concept. They do not understand why she prefers Joseph to George. She does share one thing with her brother. She dreams of a better life for herself. She is not content with being a nurse or a housekeeper or any typical role she is expected to play. She has bigger dreams. She wants to be a doctor. Her brother is not entirely supportive of this dream even though he shares a similar dream of a better life for himself. Beneatha is alone.

Oppression

Oppression is so deeply ingrained in humanity it will always be a relevant issue. This is a sad truth that Lorraine Hansberry touched on in her quote:

 "I don't think there is anything more universal in the world than man's oppression of man. This is what most great dramas have been about, no matter what the device of telling it is."

She is absolutely right. Plays from centuries ago deal with the great issue of oppression. This has not stopped and will never stop. Oppression exists in countless forms in every country, state, county and city. There are, of course, different levels to this oppression. The oppression can be subtle. A word. A name. An off color comment. The oppression can hit you like a ton of bricks. Innocent arrests and deaths. Suspended rights. Genocide. Oppression can come in all of these forms and innumerable others. Hansberry hit it right on the nose when she said that there will be oppression wherever there is man. We can deny it up and down. We can try to look the other way. But oppression exists now, perhaps especially now, and it is an unfortunate truth that cannot be ignored. Truly great dramas have almost exclusively been about dramas because of how real they are to their audience. They are relatable and will always be relatable.

Keep Up Appearances

Has their really been a change in this country, or is that just the way it appears? Appearance and language are not all there is to racial equality. The "n-word" may not be used by white America as much. But that doesn't mean that America is racially equal. A black woman may not be denied a job opportunity because of the color of her skin but that doesn't mean race wasn't a factor. Isn't giving someone a job just to avoid appearing racist just as racists as denying someone a job because of the color of their skin? Both scenarios reflect a deep-seeded racial issue in America. Giving someone a job based on their race can say that they were not the best qualified person for the job. This is not right either. True racial equality in the work force is nowhere in sight but a step in the right direction will come when someone can get a position solely based on their merit, regardless of race. 

Appearances are very important to most people. They are very concerned about coming off as racist but are not at all concerned about actually being racist. They don't throw around derogatory slurs but that does not mean they are completely clean. Two of my favorite comedians are Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele. In one of their bits they say that "racist" is the n-word for white people. They say that white people are terrified of being called racist and will do anything to avoid it. The bit is very funny but it holds an alarming amount of truth. We are so concerned with what we say and how we appear so we aren't called racist, but we aren't willing to look deeper to see if we actually are.