Racial discrimination is the main theme of the book, strongly reflecting the situation that prevailed during the 1950s in the United States, a time when the story’s Younger family lived in Chicago’s South Side ghetto. Racial discrimination led to the city being carved into two distinct parts – the first housing whites only, and the other housing blacks. A majority of blacks did not accept the idea of assimilating into the dominant white culture on the grounds that by doing so they would fit into white perceptions about their behavior and actions and thereby would be demeaning themselves. Blacks were searching for separate self-identities based on a celebration of their culture and heritage. They wanted to be treated as equally (like whites) contributing members of society, in pursuit of the American Dream. All the minor characters in the book indulge in actions that reflect the racial discrimination prevailing at that time.
George Murchison, the rich black suitor of Beneatha Younger, believes that assimilating into white society is the only way to attain riches and the admiration of others. Instead of feeling pride in his African heritage, and like other black members of the community, resist racism, George in fact supports racism by willingly submitting to white culture. When Beneatha says he ought to be more considerate about the causes blacks were fighting for, he arrogantly replies: “Forget it baby! There ain’t no causes” (Hansberry, p. 136). He even goes to the extent of using his God given sharp intellect and debating ability to ridicule other blacks . Due to his perceived pro-racist stance, George becomes increasingly repelling to other blacks .
Joseph Asagai is the exact opposite of George Murchison. He is a forceful Nigerian character, an African intellectual (Hansberry, p. 42), who takes fierce pride in his African heritage (Hansberry, p. 72). Having fallen in love with Beneatha, he tries to awaken pride of her heritage in her by giving her Nigerian costumes to wear and fondly calling her ‘Alaiyo’ . He pleads with her to marry him and accompany him to his native Nigeria that he promises she would like so much, it would feel as though she had “only been away a day” (Hansberry, p. 130)}. While Asagai represents a powerful African model that other blacks can proudly emulate, he is guilty of supporting an important pillar of racism – suppression of women. When Beneatha, in response to his proposal of marriage, says she is not interested in a storybook romance, but wants to become an independent and liberated woman, Asagai heaps scorn on her wishes, saying: “Liberated women are not liberated at all!” (Hansberry, p. 50).
Willy Harris, Walter Younger’s black partner in his liquor store project cheats him and runs away with the investment money (Hansberry, 118). Instead of helping Walter try to improve his finances and position in life for himself and his family, Willy instead adds more problems to the Youngers’ already heavy financial burden. Willy’s action proves that he is a betrayer of his fellow black, and by association, a betrayer of the entire black community and the causes they were fighting for.
Mrs. Johnson, neighbor of the Younger family, represents the typical black person too scared to assimilate with whites in a predominantly white neighborhood. She tries to scare the Younger family into not moving into the all-white Clybourne community by recalling incidents where blacks were badly intimidated in similar situations (Hansberry, p. 104).
Karl Lindner portrays the typical “white Aryan”, arrogantly secure in the power of his race and its belief that blacks are not fit to live in the same neighborhood as them. He is chosen by the all-white Clybourne community to make the Youngers “try and understand their [whites’] problem, and the way they feel” (Hansberry, p. 105); the problem being the entry of a black family into the all-white community would create insecurity for the residents. The whites even authorize Lindner to pay the Youngers money in return for staying away from their sheltered community. Lindner comes very close to achieving his mission when Walter agrees to take the money and sign a binding contract (Hansberry, p. 141), only to be thwarted at the last moment when Walter has a change of heart.
African American Lorraine Hansberry wrote “A Raisin in the Sun” much before the black liberation movement resulted in the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 that revolutionized the life of blacks in the country, giving them freedom and recognition as equal contributors to American society as their white counterparts. Unfortunately, she did not get much time to savor the great victory because the landmark Act was passed just one year before her untimely death at the age of thirty-four.
References
Hansberry, Lorraine. “A Raisin in the Sun.” USA: Vintage. 1994.