When someone insults you, it's best to "turn the other cheek."

I related this picture because the girl is turning her other cheek to whatever is supposed to offend her. Her smile makes it look like she’s saying, “Here it is!” She obviously isn’t fazed by whatever is trying to hurt her. She turned her other cheek, just like the Youngers are all throughout A Raisin in the Sun.

Turn the other cheek is a well-known statement from the Bible. If someone tries to hurt you, you should just shrug it off. No matter what anybody said to the Youngers they definitely didn’t let it bother them. They were proud of their race and their heritage and nothing was going to hurt them. Several times throughout the play the issue of race comes up, but not once do they get angry or defensive about it. Bennie, who is very opinionated, has her own views on feminism. Not many people feel the same way about her becoming a doctor and they argue against her views, but she won’t let it bother her.

image from bustedhalo

Sometimes swallowing your pride is necessary for survival.

Sometimes swallowing your pride is necessary for survival. This is true. Having pride isn't a bad thing, but sometimes it can get you in trouble or just annoy the heck out of people. This theme is apparent a lot throughout A Raisin in the Sun. Of course the Youngers know that they are black and they also know that whites weren't often fond of African Americans, but they didn't let that bother them. Mama for example, worked white people's kitchens, and she swallowed her pride because of it. Ruth also did domestic work for whites. Both of these women swallowed their pride to make a living for their family but they never lost their self respect. Walter on the other hand, did. Even though he didn’t actually put on his little pity show at the end of the play, he lost his self respect in front of his family and that was enough.

image from deviantart

You should hold on to your dreams; if you work hard enough for them, they will come true.

The statement and my picture are linked in quite a obvious way. The picture has part of the statement painted into it and even though the bunny isn't promising any sort of his success, he is representing holding onto your dreams. His balloon is his dream in a way and even though it is trying to slip out of his grasp, the little bunny is still holding on tight. The statement and the picture both send across the message to hold on tight to your dreams so that they will not slip away.

Both the statement and pictures represent a major theme in the play. Every member of the Younger family have their own dreams. Mama dreams of providing her children and grand-children with a better life. She wants to go to this new big house and make her family happy. Ruth shares the same dream. She is so eager to move into their new house and she fights against Mama for it, even when everybody else is seeming defeated. She held onto her dream and it finally came true. Walter had dreams of being rich and owning his own business. He held on to those dreams so tight, and so long that it almost ruined his family. But if you have a dream and want to hold onto it, that is what you have to do.

image from oopsydaisy

Photo from Yorktown High School Bands

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