A RAISIN IN THE SUN

By the end of this unit, students will be able to: identify and define the literary devices Hansberry uses, such as similes, metaphors, and hyperbole; explain Hansberry’s use of allusions and symbolism as literary techniques; identify theatrical conventions, such as monologues and stage directions, and explain how Hansberry uses them; compare and contrast differing viewpoints on heritage, assimilationism, and Afrocentrism; identify and explain the themes of the play, and discuss how they are developed; discuss the growth of the relationship between Ruth and Walter; analyze character growth of all major characters in the play; discuss differing viewpoints on Caucasian oppression in the 1950s and how these affected poor African American families; identify events and characters based on Hansberry’s own life; discuss the differences of opinion among the Youngers, Mrs. Johnson, and George Murchison in relation to the pursuit of dreams; and analyze parallels that Hansberry draws between characters’ viewpoints and the significance of those parallels. 79 pages. ©2007.