Isabella Sanchez

Mrs. Storer
English 3 Honors
March 3rd, 2020
My Biggest Takeaway from A Raisin in the Sun
The biggest takeaway I had from reading Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is how
women are still treated and seen differently than men. In the play the reader can see how
Beneatha is treated differently than Walter Lee by Mama, showcasing how men and women are
seen differently in society.
Women are treated poorly throughout the play. First, Walter just wants his wife Ruth to not
state her opinion. He wants his opinion to be the only opinion that is heard in their conversations.
Also, Beneatha wants to be a doctor. Her family does not encourage this since she is an African
American woman. They want her to marry a man that is rich, Girl, “if you don’t get all them silly
ideas out your head! You better marry yourself a man with some loot” (Hansberry 96). Also,
Ruth and Lena younger work in houses for their jobs, this is showing the stereotype that women
do housework while men do the important work.
I think it is astonishing how so many years have passed, and woman are still not treated with
the same respect as men. After so many years we are still seen as less, women have fought
tremendously for equality and yes, we are getting closer, but it is still not enough. It is safe to say
that almost every girl has experienced these inequalities whether it be at school, work, or even at
home.
Taking into consideration my personal experiences I can support these facts by
acknowledging how I am treated in comparison to my brothers. As I grew up, I realized that my
parents were a lot harder on me, and now that I am older, I understand why. It is evident that for
a girl to achieve certain goals she will have to work a lot harder than a boy. Since I was young
my parents inscribed this in me and honestly, it is unfair. My brothers would constantly get away
with everything and they could have “bad grades” without any repercussion. As for me, my
parents constantly know where I am, and having a B in a class is “failing”. I know my parents
just want the best for me and some of these rules are for my own safety.
After reading A Raisin in the Sun, I realized that I am not the only daughter that sees the
differences in standards that are held against us in comparison to our brothers. But overall, the
play made me realize that this is not a problem based solely on every individual household, but
as a society as a whole. If women are continuously pushed aside, we can never advance as a
society, where parents can raise their sons and daughters in the same way.