Write an essay of 4+ pages (1000) words about Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun answering one of these prompts. Your essay should be supported by evidence from the play as well as 2 outside sources about the play.
Prompts:
1. Lorraine Hansberry chooses to begin her play A Raisin in the Sun with the poem Harlem, which is about deferred dreams – In what ways does the play illuminate the truth of Hughes’ poem? What characters in the play embody the different responses to a dream deferred that Hughes mentions? Support your arguments with specifics from the play.
2. Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun has enjoyed long-lasting success because it both communicates the reality of the experience of black people in America and captures universal aspects of what it means to be human. Which do you consider the most important strength of the play – its universality or its authenticity as a voice of black experience? Why?
3. In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, is the insurance money the family expects to receive a blessing or a curse? Why do you think so? Support your arguments with details from the play.
4. Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun presents racism, not only in the form of overt prejudice through the character of Karl Lindner, but also as a subtle underlying presence that colors all of black experience. Discuss the ways in which this more subtle form of racism is presented in the play. How does it affect the lives of the members of the Younger family? To what extent has this situation changed in the last several decades, and to what extent does it remain the same?
Stop. Once you choose a prompt spend a few minutes outlining your essay. Write a tentative thesis and plan what you will discuss in each body paragraph before you begin writing.
Organization:
Introduction: Begin with an attention-grabber, whether it is an anecdote, statistic, quote, etc., and provide some background on the play. The introduction should end with your thesis which answers the prompt question.
Body: Develop 3-4 body paragraphs. Your body paragraphs should support the thesis statement
Conclusion: Reflection, recap and tie back to introduction attention-grabber.
Quoting Textual Passages in a Literary Analysis EssayQuoting Textual Passages in a Literary Analysis Essay
1. An analysis is supported by important details from the text to support your ideas. You must also use at least two outside sources, from which at least one would be an academic critical article. Both sources have to be about the play. Quote and cite the text correctly, using proper MLA rules. Be sure to include works cited page. Works Cited. Every time you introduce a new source, use a TAG sentence (introduce the title, author, genre).
2. Keep your audience clearly in mind. Don’t assume they are familiar with the play, sot his means you’ll need to spend some time summarizing key ideas from the play, and using short supporting quotations.
3. Document the play and outside sources using MLA format and format your works cited page according to MLA guidelines.
4. Avoid all types of plagiarism or blatant AI use.
5. Carefully edit and proofread your work for lapses in clarity, stylistic problems, and mechanical errors. Sources must be properly credited using MLA format.
6. Use a semicolon and colon correctly for extra credit.
