Money: A Raisin in the Sun

Where money is but an illusion and all it brings are nothing but dreams, one family struggles to discover that wealth can be found in other forms. In the play "A Raisin in the Sun," Lorraine Hansberry uses the indirect characterization of the Younger family through their acquaintances to reveal that money and materialism alone are worthless.

  Living in a society where the fulfillment of dreams is based upon wealth, the Younger family strives to overcome their hardships as they search for happiness. The insurance check's arrival brings hope to each person to see the chance that their own dreams can become reality. For Walter, the check dominates his thoughts. The idea of money and being able to hold it in his hands blinds him from the evils of society, as he cannot see that the Willy Harris's of the world will steal a person's "life" without a word to anyone. When money becomes nothing but an illusion, Walter is forced to rethink his values and his family's future, realizing that there is more to living that possessing material riches.

  When Walter loses his sister's school money, the consequences are widespread and Beneatha sees that dream diminish before her eyes. She sees her slipping through Walter's fingers and finds her lifelong goals changing. From the beginning Beneatha has always wanted to be unorthodox from a family and try new and different things. Being a doctor is a goal that gleams in her eyes because of the success she and her family will get. But when she looks at George Murchison, she sees money's effect on his outlook on life and knows that she wants more substance in her future even though he could give her innumerable material possessions. Her ideals of life are not based upon what a husband can provide for her, but what she can offer for her family and mankind. When Asagai asks her to "come home" to Nigeria, Beneatha's response to the proposal reveals that her dream is not extinguished, but merely altered from attending school to going on a quest to "cure" and to search for her identity.

  While their dreams are within reach, through the course of one mistake, two characters were forced to reevaluate their plans for the future and realize that the riches in life are not found in one's societal position, but by their ability to see that money is worthless when it comes by itself. 

How the Harlem Renaissance affects us today

 When one thinks of the Harlem Renaissance, one thinks of the great explosion of creativity bursting from the talented minds of African-Americans in the 1920s.   Although principally thought of as an African-American literary movement, the Harlem Renaissance's influence extended through every form of culture: art, dance, music, theater  literature, history, and politics.   Along with the great contribution this period made towards art and entertainment, the Harlem Renaissance also made a great impact on a social level.   The Harlem Renaissance gave birth to the first African-American cultural identity and played a significant role in the political thought of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. But when I think about the Harlem Renaissance I see how much it affects music in our lives every day. 

Music is the joy to my life and I realized how much music I listen and play that is influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. The syncopated rhythm I love to play, such as in The Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin, was actually invented in the Harlem Renaissance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc  Even music such as Rap and Hip Hop would not have existed without the cultural movement in the early twentieth century. Yes the Harlem Renaissance basically invented Rap! Many poems had a unique musical quality which eventually turned into the popular type of music played on the radio everyday. 

It is truly incredible how African-Americans fought for their rights and finally just let go of their emotions in the Renaissance. And what is even more amazing is that they would never thought that their role in this cultural movement would be historic and would change every person's life in the United States forever.  

Is there really true love in the Great Gatsby?

Almost every character in The Great Gatsby claimed to be in love with someone.  After reading the novel, I began to question the authenticity of any of the characters feelings.  Each character seemed to interpret love in a completely different way.  It made me wonder if any of the characters had any idea of what love really was!
    A prime example of this unique observation is Tom.  He seems to think love is more of a controlling, dominating feeling.  He doesn’t do much loving and nurturing for either of his women.  He cheats on his wife, and beats his mistress.  If he truly loves either of them, he sure has a bizarre way of showing it.  He likes being able to control Daisy the way he does, and he loves having Myrtle obey him because of his money.  It seems he loves controlling them, not being with them.        Daisy is yet another character seemingly confused by love.  When she was only seventeen she fell in love with a young Gatsby.  She left him because he was not wealthy enough for her blood.  She later married  another man who is wealthy.  Several years later when Gatsby comes back into Daisy’s life she is ready to leave her husband.  It seems odd that if he wasn’t good enough for her when she was a girl, that he suddenly would be now that she is a grown woman with a husband and child. It is obvious that Daisy is mistaking her love for money, and not Gatsby.
    And last but not least, the man the novel was named after; Gatsby.  He claims to love Daisy so much that he would do anything for her.  His feelings seem truly genuine. His actions, however, border more on obsession than love.  He tries to get her to leave her husband.  What if Daisy is truly happy with Tom? If you really loved someone would you want to break up their marriage? His obsession makes him willing to partake in illegal activities and, even split up a family.   If Gatsby truly loved Daisy, he would want her to be happy no matter who she was with.  Instead he tries almost forcefully to get her to leave the only life she has ever known.  That seems just a little obsessive rather than loving.
    It seems the only person in this entire novel that comes the closest to understanding love, is Mr. Wilson.  He does his best to make a good life for Myrtle, even though he knows she isn’t happy.  After her accidental death he tries to avenge her killer by murdering Gatsby , and then in his agony, turns the gun on himself.  He couldn’t bear living without his wife, and with what he had done.  Mr. Wilson was obviously mentally unstable, but that was only because he lost the only person he ever really loved.
    The characters in this novel all interpreted love in their own unique way.  Some interpreted it for power, domination, want of money, or even obsession.  Who knows! Maybe some of them really were in love! (Doubt it...)

What do you think?