Name:___________________
Mallory
A Raisin in the Sun
The American Dream Essay
In his poem, “A Dream Deferred”, Langston Hughes asks “What happens to a dream
deferred?” In her play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry explores this question through
the experiences of the Younger family. First, identify the dreams of three members of the
Younger family: Mama, Walter, Ruth, and/or Beneatha. Next, decide which image from the
poem best suits the deferred dream of each member of the family. Finally, discuss the effect
putting off a dream has had on each member of the family. Present your ideas in a well-written
5-paragraph essay.
Schedule: You will receive time in class to work on your essay. Therefore, you are responsible
for completing each section on the assigned day. Late work will not be accepted.
Tuesday, February 6th
Brainstorming and prewriting
Wednesday, February 7th
Drafting first body paragraph
Thursday, February 8th
Drafting second body paragraph
Friday, February 9th
Drafting third body paragraph
Monday, February 12th
Draft introduction and conclusion
Tuesday, February 13th
Rough draft due and peer editing
Wednesday, February 14th
Revising day
Thursday, February 15th
Revising day – Essay Due
Brainstorming Chart
Directions: Use the chart below to gather your thoughts on the characters in the play and the
images in the poem.
Character’s name
and dream
Mama’s dream is…
Walter’s dream is…
Ruth’s dream is…
Beneatha’s dream
is…
Obstacle(s) to
achieving dream
Image from the
poem that best
represents the
character’s
condition.
Describe the effects
of the deferred
dream on the
character.
Name:___________________
Mallory
A Raisin in the Sun
A Dream Deferred
Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, was partly inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem,
“Harlem.” In a short essay, explain three ways in which the Hughes’ poem relates to the
characters in they play, A Raisin in the Sun. Use examples from the text to illustrate your ideas.
“Harlem” by Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
Write your essay in the space provided. Use an extra sheet of notebook paper if necessary.
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