ENG2603 - Colonial And Postcolonial African Literatures (ENG2603)
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ENG2603
ASSIGNMENT 02
DUE DATE: 10
JULY 2023
ENG2603 ASSIGNMENT 02 DUE DATE: 10 JULY 2023
, Assignment 02
Due date: 10 July 2023
Compulsory: Yes
Assignment: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Instructions:
Before you attempt this assignment, you must make sure that you have
engaged the prescribed book: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry.
It is your responsibility to access the prescribed book to help you to answer
the questions below.
Question 1
Walter: (mumbling) We one group of men tied to a race of women with small
minds (Hansberry, p 19). Often women are represented as inferior to men in
many ways in A Raising in the Sun.
1.1 Using the above quotation as a point of departure, write two paragraphs in
which you discuss the extent to which Hansberry portrays women as the
disempowered gender in A Raisin in the Sun. Ensure that you support your
argument by using examples from the text. (20 marks)
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry portrays women as the disempowered
gender in various ways. One example of this portrayal is through the character of
Ruth Younger. Throughout the play, Ruth is constantly marginalized and silenced by
the male characters, particularly by her husband Walter. In Act 1, Scene 1, Walter
dismisses Ruth's dreams and aspirations, referring to them as "small minds." This
quote suggests that Walter sees women, including his own wife, as inferior to men
and incapable of having important thoughts or ambitions. This sentiment is further
reinforced later in the play when Walter decides regarding the family's money without
consulting Ruth, completely disregarding her input and agency.
Another example of the disempowerment of women in the play is seen through the
character of Mama (Lena Younger). While Mama is a strong and resilient character,
she is depicted as the caretaker and keeper of traditions within the family. She is
seen as the embodiment of the older generation's beliefs and values, which often
includes traditional gender roles. Mama's power is limited to her role as the head of
the household, responsible for providing for her family and maintaining their well-
being. This restricts her from having a voice in larger decisions or being able to fully
pursue her own dreams and aspirations. In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun,
Walter and Asagai present contrasting attitudes towards a woman's place in a
society that is dominated by men. Walter, an African American man who lives in a
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