Exploring the Struggle for Survival and Clashes of Generation Gap and Racial Pride in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’

This article examines the complexities in the lives of African-Americans. It discusses the psycho-social challenges they faced in the twentieth century and their relentless efforts to attain, secure and define a sense of dignity to lead their lives. It also discusses the vulnerability of their existence and the sad dilemma in which the blacks were caught. The play has been deliberately selected for investigation as Lorrane Hansberry depicts, very skillfully, not only the gaps and inconsistencies of the two generations, but also the clashes in their aspirations and values. These struggles and clashes are epitomized in Walter and Mama Lena in the play and are discussed, from various perspectives, in the present article. Offering background to both the writer and the play, the article explores how Hansberry juxtaposes these ideas; that is, Mama finding the freedom to be sufficient for her happiness; where as, her children perceiving money as the new path to provide sense of happiness. The rebellion of Beneatha against the African-American value system and her rejection of the ideals of the family as well as the aspirations of younger generation for self- fulfillment, the sufferings of older generations, the pain of racial discrimination and the struggles for gaining the rights and dignity also form the very important topics of discussion in the paper.