"A Raisin in the Sun" and "Down by the Riverside" are both two different medias of African American protest literature that approach themes of racism and racial segregation through different lenses. They portray a black family, specifically focusing on the the masculine "head" of the family, suffering through the racism inherently present in their environments. However, the tone of both of the stories differs dramatically, as well as the the portrayal of racist behavior.
Hansberry's play embodies a socialist-driven naturalism, and portrays characters as products of the environment and social conditions. She emphasizes the deterministic influence of a systemic racism and economic inequality and how that realistically shapes an individual's life. Wright's short story, on the other hand, embraces a bleaker view of racism and segregation in a more holistic, inevitable view: characters are trapped under an endless cycle of poverty and oppression, and there is little hope or potential for change.
The major difference between the two types of protest literature is in the perspectives on an individual's capability of social change. Richard Wright's socialist-driven naturalism dramatically portrays racism as an inherently systemic form of segregation by a greater power, with the individual, Mann, unable to change anything and his death is an inevitable part of story. Mann's agency as a character is limited: instead, he is a plot device used to further the meaning of the ending. Him and his wife die because of systemic constraints of his society. A Raisin in the Sun encourages a realistic hope for the future through an individual's action: while the end of the play wasn't a happy ending, through the family's actions, they were at least able to move on to the next stage of the life. They aren't stagnant characters, and their actions change the potential of their future.
Both modes of protest literature encapsulate and illuminate the injustices of racism: both Walter and Mann (and their families) suffer through racial segregation and discrimination, even though one family struggles in a much more intense and depressing manner. In terms of the civil rights movement, Wright portrays the problem of systemic racism needing a "systemic" solution: that is, the entire overthrowal of the system. Hansberry's answer is a more personalized one, placing part of the weight of the solution on an individual person and what actions they can take. I think both of these views show different perspectives of the fight for racial equality during the civil rights movement. Hansberry's literature fosters the idea that even an individual can make a difference, and it's not entirely hopeless. Wright's literature encourages an idealistic hope for a different future, one requiring an entire overthrow of the current oppressive society.
I like the way you describe the story theme differences between A Raisin in the Sun and Down by the Riverside, especially considering their somewhat similar core topic. While Hansberry’s story takes on a more optimistic approach to fighting through an oppressive society, Wright tells a bleak story about how the cycle of poverty and oppression leads to the death of innocent black people. However, both of these stories have their importance as literature that shows the author’s perspective of the fight for civil rights.
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to see how the different perspectives of systemic racism are portrayed in each story. Down by the Riverside definitely has a more negative view of it and people's ability to change it, while A Raisin in the Sun provides a more optimistic vision for the future in changing it. I hope that society will continue to move more in the direction of A Raisin in the Sun and eliminate the racist undertones in our country and in the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I see the idealism in Wright's Down by the Riverside, though I do agree that it's pointing out more structural inequality compared to A Raisin in the Sun. Fundamentally, I don't see Down by the Riverside as concerning itself much with providing hope but rather dissecting racial oppression in the South in the context of the Rive Flood and splaying out the guts for the reader to see. I really like the distinctions you draw between the characters in each texts; how Hansberry's characters change throughout the story showing the more liberal view of civil rights. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Steph, I think that all the comparisons you make are accurate and descriptive, but I also like that you differentiated these two pieces of literature, as they definitely aren't exactly the same. The perspective of the ability to cause social change is vastly different in these stories and I'm glad that you pointed that out.
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ReplyDeleteGreat job highlighting the differences in tone and perspective between A Raisin in the Sun and Down by the Riverside! I think its interesting how the play emphasizes individual action as a means of hope while Wright's portrays systemic racism as almost insurmountable. Mann's limited agency and the family's actions in the play captures the essence of each work's message about social change.
Hey Stepheny! I agree that the two modes of characterization in the texts serve the purposes and messages that they are respectively aiming to convey. "Down by the Riverside" is narrative-centric; by placing the focus on the plot of oppression and white supremacy, it shows how agency is taken away from Black Americans so even their strongest individual actions are rendered helpless against these systems. In contrast, "A Raisin in the Sun" is character-centric; the storyline is more minimal to allow for a stronger focus on identities and character stories. Rather than portray a lack of agency, "A Raisin in the Sun"'s character focus emphasizes importance of personal agency by arguing that individual actions can create change.
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