Unit 4 - The play is prefaced by a Langston Hughes poem

Unit 4

This week, you read “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, which tells the story of a black family's experiences in south Chicago as they attempt to improve their financial circumstances with an insurance payout following the death of the father. In your essay, you will write a critical response to Hansberry’s dramatic work by responding to  one of the three following essay prompts. 

Essay Prompt: Choose  one of the following three prompts to respond to: 

· The play is prefaced by a Langston Hughes poem. In what ways does the play illustrate the theme(s) of the poem? How does the poem serve as a ‘guide’ for how we understand the plays theme(s)? 

· In what ways is Hansberry challenging stereotypes and narrow representations of African Americans in the play? How does Hansberry’s play speak to the legacy of slavery in our country as well as the long-lasting reverberating waves of racism as a result of our slave legacy? 

· The play was written and produced over 60 years ago. To what extent do you think that conflicts and issues presented in the play are still relevant? How does Hansberry’s play make you reflect on the state of race relations in the US today? 

Essay Requirements:

· 1,000 words or roughly four double-spaced pages. 

· Be sure to support your response with textual evidence (quotes and citations) from the play itself. 

· Make use of at least   three  scholarly sources to support and develop your ideas . Our course text may serve as one of these three sources.

· Be sure to cite your sources using proper APA format (7th edition).