Posted by Kammy Sahota (68.190.202.121) on June 23, 2005 at 8:19:50 p.m.:
The use of exposition and conflict in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” are vital as elements of drama to the tying together of the plot and theme of the play. Hansberry uses exposition, “a device that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances” (pg. 945) in the introduction of the play to paint a vivid picture of the plight of the Younger family and set the tone for the development of the plot. The plot of “A Raisin in the Sun” is centered on the conflicts the Younger family faces as they are faced with major changes in their lives throughout the script. Hansberry interjects constant conflicts or struggles (pg. 946) between the characters, as it is these conflicts that contribute greatly to the overall plot and theme of the play.
In the introduction Hansberry paints the picture of a family in Chicago’s Southside that lives in cramped quarters as they struggle with poverty and racism in post World War II America. It is this use of exposition that Hansberry gives the audience to paint the vivid picture of the Younger family. “Weariness has, in fact, won in this room” (pg. 1372) Hansberry writes to give the audience a vision of a worn down apartment that this family occupies. The introduction also features the use of exposition in terms of character development. Ruth is described as a woman that, “We can see that she was a pretty girl, even exceptionally so, but now it is apparent that life has been less than she expected, and disappointment has already begun to hang in her face” (pg 1373) another use of exposition to paint the picture of Ruth as a woman that has lived a largely unfulfilling life and is wearing down as a result of stresses that surround the family. This exposition is very important as it lays the groundwork for the Younger family and the development of the ensuing plot.
The plot of “A Raisin in the Sun” centers around the Younger family and their struggles to live in world filled with distant dreams and constant struggle. However with the passing of Walter Younger’s (the central character) father the family is set to receive an insurance check that will give the family a wealth they have yet to experience and is very symbolic of the hope that they constantly yearned for. However it is the arrival of this check that sets the tone for the constant conflict inherent in the play. The characters of the family will each have their own motives and interests as to what to do with their new found financial gains. In a way the arrival of the money does little to solve the problems of the Younger family and is more involved in bringing with it a new set of problems and challenges for the family to face.
Without the effective use of conflict the plot Hansberry created would not have been able to have been executed. With the arrival of the money each member of the Younger family seems to have their own competing agenda as to how the money would best benefit the family. Walter Younger, the son, has a can’t miss plan to invest the riches in a liquor store that he believes will create wealth and long term stability for the family. Beneatha, Walter’s sister, is attempting to become a doctor and hopes to use a portion of the money towards medical school. Then there is the beneficiary Lena, the mother of the two children, that would like to use the money in order to provided adequate living conditions for the family. As the living conditions were described as cramped and run down through Hansberry’s use of exposition, the audience is able to see the perspective of the elder family member’s wishes of living in a house that does not force her grandson Travis to sleep in a makeshift room as also described through the use of exposition in the introduction. It is this use of exposition that is another example of what an integral piece it is in the development of the conflict and plot of the play.
This initial conflict is evident in the first act as the Younger family eagerly awaits the check, and is clear in expressing their wishes for the money. However these initial conflicts and challenges that face the family are only heightened when the check arrives and the family is bestowed its financial success. It is then that the real conflicts ensue as the family heightens its conflict as each individual now sees their dreams having a chance to become reality and each is thirsty for their dreams to become true. Once again conflict maintains its dominant presence and is vital to the developing plot of the play. Hansberry’s early use of exposition makes this transformation of the family more apparent as one is better able to gain a perspective how much the Younger family has truly struggled to survive, and just how worn down and disappointed in life they are. It is those introductory remarks that allow the reader of the play to truly understand that the Younger family is hungry for their new found wealth and more than eager to finally claim the hope they have lusted after for a lifetime.
An interesting subplot riddled with conflict is that of Ruth and Walter as Ruth is conflicted as to whether or not she should keep the child that Walter has impregnated her with. This conflict and subplot help to develop the overall theme of the importance of the family sticking together as the mother preaches the importance of family and not letting go of a member, and Lena worries more about the aspect of actually raising the child and being able to provide for that child as they are struggling enough to support the child they have. This conflict gives the reader a perspective of just how truly at the crossroads this family is if they were able to raise the child this may not be an issue, but it is hinging on financial matters that are prevalent throughout the story.
This heightened conflict amongst the Younger family reaches its climax as the mother of Walter decides to let him pursue his dreams after she put the down on their new house and set aside some money for Beneatha’s schooling. Lena entrusted Walter with the responsibility of managing this remaining money for him and his sister in hopes that all would get to live out their dreams. However, Walter’s lust for success lead him down a path to squandering the money on a questionable investment and the family was without money again. This conflict was couple with their desire to move into an all Caucasian suburb that would be a better place for the children to grow up is met with opposition from those currently in the neighborhood that are uncomfortable with black neighbors. This final plot development leads to the conclusion of the play when the family is offered money from the homeowners in exchange for staying in their current cramped neighborhood. It is then when the conflict become about the family choosing what is of greater importance to them, the money they had lost, or their pride in being an equal member of society. This conflict lead Walter to once ponder actually accepting the money and conflicting with the family who believed they had every right to move into that neighborhood, and if they didn’t they were giving up something much greater than money.
Exposition and conflict are very apparent and useful in the development of “A Raisin in the Sun” as they set a very vivid and depressing tone to the story and give the plot of the story a very necessary perspective. A reader or viewer of the play feels bad for these downtrodden individuals as they are constantly being presented with hurdles in pursuit of their dreams. Without that perspective this may not be a reaction one has to the characters. If the characters were affluent and fighting over millions of dollars that they already possessed “Raisin in the Sun” would not have been as powerful. Lorraine Hansberry vividly described the desires and plights of the characters in a way that allows the viewer to join in the hope that these people will one day rise above their conflicts and find their happiness and it is with conflict and exposition that this plot is most effective.