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Ian Thompson
Ms. Sarhan
ENG2D0A
12 January 2021
The Youngers Discrimination due to Skin Tone in A Raisin In The Sun
When one is born, they have not chosen to be. But when they are, they are given physical
traits. Eye colour, physical height, skin tone. Traits which they have not chosen to be. Even with
the fact that they never have the choice of being white, yellow, brown or black.
African-Americans have received horrible prejudice against them for being such. In the story of
Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin In The Sun; the Youngers, much like many other
African-Americans faces challenges such as poverty and family problems. Most significantly,
the Youngers face racial discrimination against them because of their heritage and skin-tone. To
demonstrate, three main characters from the Younger family are used as an example. All of
whom endures racism towards them in the play, as a result of their skin tone, ethnicity and
heritage. The first Younger, Lena experiences racism towards her from attempting to purchase a
home and wearing a gardener hat. Secondly, Walter Younger experiences discrimination when
attempting to move into a home, and almost becomes convinced to act an un-prideful scene.
Lastly, Beneatha Younger, because of her skin colour, has difficulty fitting into society.
The oldest Younger is Lena Younger, also referred to as ‘Mama’. She is the mother of Walter,
being the grandmother of the family. Considering that the play takes place in 1959; and that
slavery was abolished in 1865, we may assume that Lena Younger may have been a child to, or
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closely related to parents who were slaves. On top of that, she has been living in Chicago long
enough to be familiar with prejudiced behaviour towards her ethnicity from society. Lena
Younger, like many other main characters, experiences discrimination as a result of her being an
African-American. The first significant time this occurs is during the period of her purchasing a
new home. The Youngers live in a small, poor apartment for what seems like the entirety of their
lives. But Lena has a grand dream, to live in a standard house; where she could grow a garden in
the yard. After obtaining a life-insurance cheque for $10,000 from her deceased husband, she
uses this as an opportunity to seek a new home. However, in the process of this; she recalls to
Beneatha that homes in white neighbourhoods are more expensive than those in coloured
neighbourhoods. As she said at the end of Act 2 Scene 1; ​“Them houses they put up for colored
in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses. I did the best I could”.
Assuming houses in white neighbourhoods and coloured ones are similar, it would seem obvious
to one society lowers the value of neighbourhoods of that which are coloured communities. For
that reason, Chicago is prejudiced against African-Americans; and therefore Lena, by seeing
their worth is less than that of a white community. A second time in which Lena Younger is
involved in racism, is when a remark has been directed towards her by Walter Younger, her son.
Near the end of act 2, Walter said ​“I’m sorry, Mama—but you look like you ready to go out and
chop you some cotton sure enough! (They all laugh except Mama, out of deference to Travis’
feelings)”,​ followed by her family laughing at the joke. Lena, or Mama, is gifted gardening
supplies for when the Youngers move into the newly acquired home. Such is a special moment
for Lena, as she has never been given a gift outside of Christmas before. Alongside the gifts, she
also recieves a gardening hat. In respect, she tries on the hat, which is when Walter comments. If
Lena had been a white woman and wore the hat, no one would have thought of such a comment
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and instead may have seen a lady with a gardening passion. However, due to the racial profiling
of African-Americans, such a thought came to mind instead. Although all her family is the same
race, and logically means they would be allowed to make fun of themselves. It is still racist and
could have on the inside upset Lena, especially with her aforementioned link to slavery.
The father of the family is Walter ‘Lee’ Younger. He is the son of Lena Younger, husband of
Ruth and father of Travis Younger. Having a dream to obtain fortune, he ends up losing an
important sum of money attempting to invest in a liquor store. For this reason, he got to a
desperate point for money in Act 3. Being an African-American male, he encounters
discriminative scenarios within the play. One major occurrence is after Lena purchases a house.
Karl Linder, part of the Clybourne Park Improvement Association, visits the Youngers at the
beginning of act 3. His reasons being ​“...most of the trouble exists because people just don’t sit
down and talk to each other”.​ Though his real reason is attempting to persuade and harassing the
Youngers about moving into the white neighbourhood. After Walter perceives what Mr. Linder
is saying and hearing prejudice talk such as ​“Negro families are happier when they live in their
own communities”;​ he forces Linder out. But not before he also said to the family ​"Well - I don't
understand why you people are reacting this way. What do you think you are going to gain by
moving into a neighbourhood where you just aren't wanted and where some elements - well people can get awful worked up when they feel that their whole way of life and everything they've
ever worked for is threatened...You just can't force people to change their hearts, son".​
Essentially, Karl Linder told the Youngers with insults that they do not want African-Americans
to live in Clybourne Park; and suggests that they ‘go to their own community’. Though
ridiculous, Linder seems more casual while conversing with the Youngers than he should have
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been, which makes one wonder how many times this engagement occurs between other families
of the same nature. The Youngers are stunned, horrified and furious with Karl Linder, Walter
was especially when Linder makes an attempt to bribe the Youngers to not move into the
neighbourhood. After this exchange and later in the story, Walter decides to make an ‘offer’ with
Linder, more precisely the one just mentioned. In exchange for the only thing Walter has left; his
pride, he plans on getting on his knees and degrading himself in front of Karl Linder, acting as a
‘low black man praising a superior white man’. For this, a contract to be paid money for not
moving into the home will be committed, as it states before that Walter is getting desperate for
money. Walter told Lena and Beneatha this at the end of act 3, by first stating,​ “Gonna put on a
show for the man. Just what he wants to see. You see, Mama, the man came here today and he
told us that them people out there where you want us to move—well they so upset they willing to
pay us not to move!”​ followed by answering questions and re-enacting what he plans on doing,
“And—and I am going to say—(His voice almost breaks) ‘And you—you people just put the
money in my hand and you won’t have to live next to this bunch of stinking [------]s! …’ (He
straightens up and moves away from his mother, walking around the room) And maybe—maybe
I’ll just get down on my blackknees ... (He does so;Ruth and Bennie and Mama watch him in
frozen horror) ‘Captain, Mistuh, Bossman—(Groveling and grinning and wringing his hands
inprofoundly anguished imitation of the slow witted movie stereotype) A-hee-hee-hee! Oh,
yassuh boss! Yasssssuh! Great white—(Voice breaking, he forces himself to go on)—Father, just
gi’ ussen de money, fo’ God’s sake, and we’s—we’s ain’t gwine come out dehand dirty up yo’
white folks neighborhood …’ ”​ before breaking down and contemplating his decision. Lena and
Beneatha were horrified by such a degenerating and discriminative idea. Despite this, Lena
supports Walter by inducing him to make the right decision. Walter ends up telling Karl Linder
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off instead, and not making the deal. The more despicable idea however, is that Linder would
accept taking part in such a play. People would not have accepted the idea if the races were the
other way around, but in this case some may look forward to these horrible acts simply because
of discrimination against African-Americans.
The sister of the family is Beneatha Younger. She is the late daughter of Lena Younger, at the
age of 20 and yet to find a partner. Beneatha is pursuing medical school, with plans to become a
doctor. She has some overall difficulty in society because of her African-American ethnicity.
One instance of this occurring is when speaking to George Murchison, a close friend of hers.
Beneatha Younger has interest in exploring her roots in African heritage and developing it for
her identity. However, George rather than being interested in African heritage decides to adapt to
White culture instead. This gives Beneatha and Geroge two different perspectives on the topic,
on which they disagree with each other. At the beginning of Act 2, George says to Beneatha
“Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some
grass huts!”​ to which Beneatha argues back. This is another situation where despite them being
African-American, it is still racist and offensive; because of it being a stereotype directed at the
ethnicity. Furthermore what we can find, is that though not considered ‘racist’, one can
discriminate against their own nationality or ethnicity. Another instance of difficulty from
society is Beneatha’s desired job. She pursues with extreme dedication to her education in
medical school. Though this matter does not seem to impact Beneatha in the play, such is still a
fact in society that Beneatha Younger’s education path for her ethnicity is rare, because of being
African-American. According to a nonfiction article regarding African-American doctors, it said:
“In 2015, they made up around 6 percent of practicing physicians in America—an increase of
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only a few percentage points since the middle of the 20th century”.​ meaning that not only were
there only a handful of African-American doctors, but the rate has barely increased over the
years. The reasoning for the initial low percentage from the 20th century; when A Raisin in the
Sun has been set, is because of discouragement and insults from society. For example, Walter
during the beginning of act 1, said to Beneatha; ​“Ain’t many girls who decide— Walter and
Beneatha (In unison): —“to be a doctor”.​ showing that even her brother discourages her.
However, Beneatha is determined to become a doctor regardless of comments from anyone.
Furthermore, if the Younger family have been of white ethnicity, there would be much less
discouragement towards Beneatha.
The three mentioned Youngers all have their unique discrimination involvements, because of
their ethnicity. Lena Younger has encounters trouble finding a financially suitable house,
because of white neighbourhoods being worth more than coloured ones, and is insulted by her
own family for trying on a garden hat simply for her heritage. Walter Younger has multiple
unfortunate engagements with Karl Linder, solely due to his ethnicity being seen as ‘insuperior’
to those of white ethnicity; with strong attempts to get his family away from living in Clybourne
Park because they did not want their ‘colour’ there. Beneatha Younger has more difficulty
coping with society’s ruthlessness of her heritage and ethnicity, insulting her for who she is and
giving her difficulty while pursuing her dream education as a doctor. Despite all the occurrences
which would make those sorrowful and aggrieved, the Younger family kept each other going
through it all. Overall, it seems that the Younger family may be lucky enough that nothing more
tragic ever happens to them. But despite it all, one may ponder as to why it is, that coloured
people had and still are treated unequally to white people.
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Works Cited
“A Raisin in the Sun Quotes: Race | SparkNotes.” Www.Sparknotes.com,
www.sparknotes.com/lit/raisin/quotes/theme/race/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2021.
Filworth, Gordon. “The Growth of Racial Discrimination in a Raisin in the Sun.” Medium, 27 Jan. 2020,
medium.com/@filwrothg/the-growth-of-racial-discrimination-in-a-raisin-in-the-sun-e5144758347. Accessed 8
Jan. 2021.
Hansberry, Lorraine. ​A Raisin in the Sun.​ 1958. First Vintage Books ed., New York, Vintage Books, 2004,
khdzamlit.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/2/6/11261956/a_raisin_in_the_sun_-_lorraine_hansberry.pdf. Accessed 9
Jan. 2021.
Jordan, Karen. “The Struggle and Triumph of America’s First Black Doctors.” The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2016,
www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/12/black-doctors/510017/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2021.
“LitCharts.” LitCharts, www.litcharts.com/lit/a-raisin-in-the-sun/themes/race-discrimination-and-assimilation.
Accessed 10 Jan. 2021.
“SparkNotes: A Raisin in the Sun: Character List.” Sparknotes.com, 2019,
www.sparknotes.com/lit/raisin/characters/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2021.