A
Raisin in the Sun, released in 1961, was based on Lorraine Hansberry’s play
of the same name which debuted in 1959.
Many of the actors featured in the play reprised their roles for the
movie, most notably Sidney Poitier who played to role of Walter. The film focuses on a working class black
family from the South Side of Chicago, and their struggles regarding a $10,000
life insurance check received by Momma following the passing of her
husband. A Raisin in the Sun had a
budget of about $1.5 million and was regarded as both a groundbreaking and a controversial
film. Considering the time of the films
release, an African American centric film could have potentially been a risk,
but the movie proved to be quite influential.
Selected to the National film registry, A Raisin in the Sun, was considered to be culturally significant
for the same reasons that made it potentially controversial. A socially conscious film about an African
American family and their struggles set an artistic precedent for films, television
shows and stage productions to follow.
The film’s main themes included the
universality of family life regardless of race, the inaccessibility of the
American Dream, assimilation into cultural norms, the ability to overcome
stereotypes, and the existence of latent racism. First, one can recognize that
the film was geared attempted to highlight the similarities of all American
families; this was implemented by the movie in order to present a white
audience with the realization that white and black families faced many similar
problems and generational differences. The next major theme was the
inaccessibility to the American dream, which occurred for many who were trying
to obtain the expected middle class lifestyle of the era. This dream led many
U.S. citizens, such as the fictional Walter, to a materialistic obsession, which
the movie used to criticize the norms of American consumerism (Lecture Notes).
Next, the theme of assimilation was explored through Beneatha, who chose
between an assimilated boyfriend and one who was focused on cultural heritage.
She chose Joseph, a man who embraced his African roots, indicating her
rejection of assimilation. As she acted against the societal pressures of the McCarthy
era, Beneatha’s actions sent the message that anyone can go against societal
norms (Many are the Crimes). Beneatha also deviates from the stereotypes of wanting
to get married and wanting to become a housewife, which showed the viewer that
anyone can rise above stereotypical expectations of the time. Lastly, Mr.
Lindner’s attempts to maintain neighborhood segregation without appearing
outwardly prejudice demonstrated that even though racism was becoming frowned
upon, especially in the Northern United States, it still had an influential
latent presence (Cold War Civil Rights).
Both the themes and plot of Raisin reinforce many of the ideas
raised in class. First, the conflict in the second half of the story results
from the practice of housing segregation. As we discussed in class, many
suburbs became segregated (by choice or due to housing codes), even in liberal northern
cities like Chicago. The exclusion of the Youngers from the suburbs in Raisin is justified by Lindner as an
attempt to avoid interracial tensions. He argues that their exclusion is more
of an effort to keep peace than to restrict the Youngers in any way. This
tactic is similar to those used by the federal government with respect to the
civil rights movement during the Cold War. When confronted with foreign
pressure to abolish segregation, the government invested much energy into
reframing the issue, rather than addressing the racism at the root of the
practice. Like Lindner, the government appeared generally uncomfortable with
the practices of segregation, but to avoid potential disruptions to the peace,
it avoided change for as long as possible. While some of the film’s messages
are generally progressive, it also exhibits many stereotypical aspects of 1950s
culture. For one, the family has aspirations of establishing comfortable
middle-class lives. Momma chooses to use only part of her insurance money to purchase
a home, opting for a modest one in a predominantly white suburb. Like many families
of the time, she desires practicality rather than opulence. Similarly, Momma sees
the home as the primary source of fulfillment, remarking to Walter Lee that,
“It’s dangerous when a man goes outside of his house to look for peace.” Walter
Lee hopes to establish a traditional family model as well. He frequently
expresses embarrassment over the fact that his wife must work to help support
the family, and if he were to become financially successful, he insists that
she would no longer work. In addition, unlike the prototypical families of the
decade, the Youngers live in a multigenerational household consisting of more
than a core nuclear family, but this is not by choice. Instead, their frequent
complaints about sharing household facilities implies that they would choose
alternate living arrangements if they had the financial means.
The class discussion regarding the video clip from Raisin focused on the similar tactics used by both the US government
and Mr. Lindner when addressing the racial divide. As one student pointed out,
both the government and this character appeared extremely “uncomfortable” with
the issue and as Dr. Guarneri noted, both invested much energy in putting a
positive spin on a very negative message.
Sources
Schrecker, Ellen. Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America. Boston: Little, Brown, 1998. Print.
Dudziak, Mary L. Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American
Democracy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2011. Print.
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