A Raisin in the Sun (Blog 2)
By: Lorraine Hansberry

This play is filled with symbolism.  The symbol that I found to be most important is Mama's plant.  I think that the plant stood for Mama's dream for a house and better life for her family.  At the beginning of the story, the family is really struggling.  "'Lord, if this little old plant don't get more sun than it's been getting it ain't never going to see spring again'" (448).  I think that this meant that the plant was dying, just as Mama's dream was dying at this point in the play.  Their apartment received little light, which was killing the plant.  Similarly, the Younger's were in a dark place.  They were extremely poor and were not all getting along.  Mama mentions her plant at other points in the story.  At the end, they are moving to go to their new house.  Mama is the last person to exit the apartment.  She looks around and picks up the plant as she is leaving.  I think that this showed that Mama was taking one last look at her family's hardships.  The new house was said to have an area in the backyard where Mama could garden; her family even got her gardening tools as a gift before moving.  This showed that the plant would have an environment with enough sun.  Because of this, the plant would thrive and live longer.  This symbolized how the lives of the Younger's were going to improve.  They were heading towards a new beginning and new happiness.