Group 2 post 4/21

A major theme in How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America was the theme of "the worst of white folks." This idea of Laymon's is that even though not every white person is a member of the KKK or outwardly and explicitly telling black people they want the worst for them, white people are still responsible when they could take ownership of a racist situation and still don't. For example, if a friend tells a racist joke and you don't point out the wrong in it, you are responsible because you have "ducked responsibility" as Laymon says (32). Laymon says that he is even guilty of shirking this responsibility when he could have invited his cousin Jermaine to stay with him and get out of a bad neighborhood of Chicago, but never reached out. Though he is black and doesn't fall into the category of "the worst of white folks" he still maintained his own comfort instead of changing a situation of a family member for the better. This theme is interesting especially when paired with Baldwin's essay, "Stranger in the Village" because it shows how white people have and treasure a "jewel of naiveté" even though most don't truly want bad things to happen to African Americans.

Another theme that was incredibly moving in How to Slowly Kill Yourself was the idea that white people constantly put black people into "boxes" of stereotypes ever since the beginning of colonization. For example, Laymon's neighbor, Kurt, said he should move to Pennsylvania because he "ain't like his kind" (51). This offended Laymon immensely, and rightly so, because it shows the expectation that so many white people have for African Americans. In class we talked about the idea that black people have to be "twice as good" as white people to get half the credit or credibility. This idea was played out in Laymon's retelling of this instance with his white neighbor--the neighbor was a bad parent, a cheater on his wife, and had less responsibility (academic, financial, professional) than Laymon, but he still acted above and authoritative of Laymon's worth just because Laymon did more than he expected black men are capable of.  

Group 4: Kiese Laymon

Major Themes:

• Family
• Pain
• Societal constructs
• Popular Culture
• Internal Conflict

Kiese Laymons’ compilation of essays How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America reflects the contemporary pain and anguish felt by millions of African-Americans in America, particularly in the South.  As these self-reflective essays entail him and his families personal life experience, we are able to witness first hand through personal anecdotes the complexity of the identity of African-Americans in modern society.  Common themes seen through these essays include the novel representation of black families of the 21st centuries, the common pain felt throughout the black community facing the restraints of oppression in American culture and the long-standing societal constructs that continue to negatively impact African-Americans.  This collection of essays is a reflection of the realities of the African - American populous in America, and forces reader to grapple with the multifaceted ideals that encompass our society.  

In How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, Kiese Laymon grapples with the barriers that African Americans face on a daily basis.  In this collection of essays, Laymon provides insight to his life as an oppressed African American individual and highlights the things in his life that stood in the way of his success, such as societal constructs.  Throughout Kiese Laymon’s childhood, he was faced with deep racism.  Laymon had to figure out that specific individuals living in society were trapped in a history they did not understand.  As a black man, KIese was constantly faced with many challenges that he had to overcome in order to become successful in a society that did not want to see black people prosper.

As Laymon interprets the contemporary moment, he uses popular culture to analyze the effect of societal constructs on individuals and the people around them. He does this by critiquing one of Kanye West’s most critically acclaimed albums, My Beautiful Twisted Dark Fantasy. In this modern era, Hip Hop is central to popular culture. It is widely purchased and listened to by youth. As Kanye does produce magnificent art, Laymon believes that Kanye should use his agency to positively portray and represent black women. Kanye West has been a constant advocate for the plights of underrepresented populations, even on national stages; however when it comes to women in his music, West often succumbs to the misogynistic culture of hip hop, while also furthering the negative societal construct of women in hip hop, particularly black women.

Additionally, this causes Laymon to self reflect and realize the effect his behaviors on women around him. Even though he realized that societal constructs and people continue to marginalize women, it is difficult for him to acknowledge publicly, or to himself the wrong he has done. This is a reflection of our patriarchal society. It also demonstrates how even after we realize the wrong  done, we often operate under a warped innocence, much like we do when realizing the effects of racism on American society.

Group 1

While there are many themes that run throughout the first and second Acts of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry there are a few that seem to stand out. One of these themes is the constant reminder that many of these character’s have unfulfilled dreams. The second is the prevalence of money and how it affects the characters’ lives, especially in lieu of their father’s life insurance check. The third is how many of those dreams seem to be materialistic, which may foreshadow a potential “family is what’s most important” reconciliation among the characters. Among all of them, these three themes remain constant throughout these latest readings in class.

The first relevant theme is the constant reminder that all of these characters have unfulfilled dreams. With Walter it’s his liquor store, for Beneatha her studies of medicine, and for Mama it is she and her late husbands dream of owning a nice middle-class home. Everyone in the household has some greater goal that they wish to achieve but seem to have some sort of barrier holding them back whether it be money, work-ethic, or the racial tension at the time. Their father’s life insurance check is seen as a saving grace to these characters as well as a way to break down the barriers that have held them back up to this point.

In A Raisin in the Sun money seems to be one of the most discussed topics throughout the play. Money looms over each character's dreams, once again confining them to the simple life the oppression in America gave them. Walter is desperate for the money his mother gains, yearning to create a new life for his family. Yet, what Walter does not understand is that by trying to become something of himself, he also brings his family down with him. The constraints built by discrimination confines all the characters to a life that deviates from what is truly important; family. Perhaps Walter’s fight for a new life of money and materialistic things allows for the family to fight for a “place” within their constraints. But, at the same time, the prevalence of money in their family also tears them apart. In a fit of anger Walter screams to Ruth saying, “we all tied up in a race of people that don’t know how to do nothing but moan, pray and have babies!” (Hansberry 87). Walter strives to find some solidarity by breaking this “tied up” race, yet is only consolation is the money in his future, rather than the people surrounding him.

Lorraine Hansberry creates a textual climate in which a poor Chicago family is constrained by race, and yet also displays the complexities of familial relationships that white Americans can relate to. Themes of unfulfilled dreams, the pursuit of material success, and the lure of money pervade the narrative and partially obscure the bonds between characters. Through bringing to light not only the problem of race but the inner struggles of family life, Hansberry reveals the commonalities of people and imbues her play with a raw emotionality rife with humanity.

Group 4

Major Themes:

• Gender constructs
• Greed
• Community
• Family
• Fear
• Racism
• Struggle

A Raisin in the Sun

The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry highlights the time period in American History that preceded the National Civil Rights movement.  A few of the many themes surrounding the atmosphere in this time period included those of gender constructs, community, racism and greed.  Gender constructs in this time were extremely patriarchal.  Women were not yet integrated into the mainstream workforce yet, especially African - American women.  Besides simple domestic labor, such as cleaning houses or caring for children, women were not expected to have career goals, which spoke to the stigma of unintelligence and inferiority of women during that time.  This is exemplified in the text as an intelligent and capable young woman, Beneatha, is questioned and looked down upon about her ambitions of becoming a doctor; “Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor...go be a nurse like other women-or just get married and be quite…” (Hansberry, 38).  The oppression that all women faced during this time period was unjust and ignorant, and forces the reader to reflect on how far women have come present day, but also evokes the everlasting reminder of how far women have left to go.

A Raisin in the Sun is about a family’s struggle in Chicago.  Lorraine Hansberry ‘s title originates from one of Langston Hughes poem, which states, “What happens to a dream deferred?  Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?”  This play was released at a time in which the American people were ready for change. A Raisin in the Sun offers insight to what that change is going to be.  This play also reveals the larger question of what holds a family together?  Throughout the play, Lorraine Hansberry shows us that it is love and dignity that hold this family together and allow this family to move forward with their lives.  Hansberry brilliantly investigates the central idea that African Americans are human, which has never been portrayed on a broadway stage.  And by doing so, Lorraine Hansberry allows African Americans to see their full humanity.

As A Raisin in the Sun, exposes what real black life is like during the Civil Rights Era, it is important to understand the dynamic of black families, the Youngers in particular. As they have moved from the South to the North pursuing a new life, it is difficult for the individuals within the black community to understand the difference in way of life. For example, as Walter and his mother argue about money, one comes to realize how ideals change according to circumstance. As Walter insists that money is life, Mama responds, “ So now it’s life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life-now it’s money. I guess the world really do change..” (Hansberry 74). Walter insists, “ No-it was always money, Mama. We just didn’t know about it.” At this poignant point in the book Walter makes an excellent point, though he is often portrayed as unrealistic and obstinate. Life has changed for African American people. Their sole focus was freedom, because they were constrained by slavery in the past, but that is challenging for Mama to see as she belongs to an older generation. Also, in Walter pointing out that money has always been life but African Americans just didn't know about it, he realizes that slavery was all about money in the first place. However, even though he dreams to be a powerful businessman, his dream is deferred because of his lack of education and poor economic background in addition to racism. This is the cause of a lot of Walter’s frustration and many other blacks. Though they are free, they still feel constrained by their blackness and an obviously racist society and are not treated equally.

Group 3

In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun she addresses a number of issues facing the African American community.  First, she discusses the problem of how African Americans should go about in order to achieve full equality. Second, Hansberry also considers whether or not African Americans should assimilate into mainstream American culture. Due to the legalization of segregation through Jim Crow and “separate but equal” laws, racist America tends to the “separate” while disregarding the “equal.” In turn, America has made no progress even with the implementation of laws that supposedly equalize blacks and whites.

In A Raisin in the Sun, different characters offer different views on how African Americans should continue their struggle for more freedom.  Walter believes that African Americans will eventually achieve equality through acquiring a significantly larger income.  Ruth explains to Mama that: “Walter Lee says colored people aint never going to start getting ahead until they start gambling on some different kinds of things in the world – investments and things” (42).  So, Walter thinks that African Americans best path forward is for them to become successful business people and get more dignified jobs and lives.  However, some African Americans in the play, including Beneatha and George, see going to school as the best way to pursue freedom and do this.  But Walter disagrees and gets on to George for going to school, asking him, “They teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? … Naw just to talk proper and read books…” (85).  Mama is more content with the current situation than her children are.  She says to Walter, “You aint satisfied or proud of nothing we done” (74). This reflects how each new generation expects more freedoms than the last. Mama expresses her concern over remaining “alive” and having “a pinch of dignity,” but her children want an education that will ensure them stability, as job opportunities would enable them to move up in the world. Although they disagree about how best to go forward and get more freedom, the younger generation expects more freedom than the older one. 

 In A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry also includes the issue of assimilation. When Asagai converses with Beneatha, he mentions that “assimilation is so popular in your country, she gets seriously offended (63). Beneatha retaliates by saying that she “hates assimilationist Negroes” (81). She believes that African Americans should hold onto their heritage and continue to fight for freedom without the need to assimilate to a suppressive America. She explains that mainstream American culture is “oppressive,” so African Americans should definitely not concede to it, but remain strong and true to themselves (81). However, George considers this as ridiculous and mentions that African Americans’ heritage is nothing special.  He states, “African Americans’ heritage is just “a bunch of raggedy ass spirituals and some grass huts” (81). However, Beneatha responds by saying that Africans were the “first to smelt iron on the face of the earth” (81). Nevertheless, the presence of the debate within the African American community over the significance of their African heritage and whether or not they should maintain that part of their identity and try to avoid assimilation into mainstream American society remained an issue throughout their efforts towards full equality.  

Group 2 post 4/7

A Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry, written in 1958, about a black family in South Chicago. The play is set "sometime between World War Two" and the late 50s. The family lives in a small apartment-type house, which is old and cramped. From the start, there are many issues that the family faces--not only due to race, but also gender, identity, and money.

The family faces economic stress that is imposed on them because of the way that society was constructed at the time and sadly is still structured today, if less obvious. Black individuals were not given the same opportunities as others due to racism. This is shown by Walter Younger's job as a driver to a white man, and his wife's job as a maid/childcare giver to a white family. They live in a home that Walter's parents bought with plans to move out of shortly after getting married, but they never had the economic means to move to a better home. Even through generations, the family could not advance economically enough to jump socioeconomic classes. This speaks to the oppression that African Americans felt by racism.

The family feels more than just economic stress, but stress on identity because of economics. Walter, the father who feels he should be the breadwinner, is not able to make enough money to advance the comfort and wealth of the family. He wants to take an economic risk by opening a liquor store with his business partners, but his wife (Ruth), sister (Beneatha), and mother (Mama) do not approve of the risk it could take. This emasculates Walter, and makes him feel less of a man. He makes it seem that a woman's only job is only to affirm the actions and goals of her wife. This sets up a gender dynamic to contend with in the play--not only were there inequalities between the races; there is inequality between the genders. Walter gives a sense of tarnished masculinity, due to his mother constantly reminding him how he’s nothing like his father, and him realizing he can not properly provide for his family.

It is interesting that Walter's little sister Beneatha is going to school to be a doctor. She is the one in the family who is trying to pursue her dreams in a way that is less risky than Walter's liquor store goal. She seems to be the only one in the family who does things for the experience, enrichment, and "expression." She speaks of taking guitar lessons and horseback lessons. She does things simply for her own enjoyment, which is extremely far off from the way the rest of her family operates. They work and work, but she is learning for her profession and trying to enjoy and express herself along the way. This more progressive approach on life shows that she is searching for her identity.

There is also a dynamic between generations. the difference between the young and the older generation. The older generation of black folk which is symbolized by Mama is wants to use the money to help her family, but the younger generation want to use the money for self serving needs. The older generation seems not to understand the ideas of the younger generation, for example when Mama tells Walter he has a job and a family. Walter wants more than that, while Mama sees his life as satisfactory. The views of the older and younger generations cause a divide between them. The ideas of religion amongst the older and younger generation has also become divided. Beneatha believes that there is not God but that it is man who creates opportunity. Mama is set in her ways about the belief that there is a God. The ideas of the older black generation is confronting the ideas that the younger black generation has formed due to the new era.