Money

Money plays a huge role in the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Money is connected to one of the major conflicts in the novel which is what to do with Mama's $10,000 insurance check. But even before the reader learns about the insurance check, there is an argument about the 50c that Travis needs for school. Even though it is just a small amount, the tension grows in the scene because of the money. Ruth states, "I don't care what teacher say. I ain't got it" (Hansberry, 28). The money continues to rip the family apart throughout the course of the novel. Walter wants to get the check in order to follow his dream of owning a liquor store. Walter is very selfish when it comes to the money. Some members of the family think that the money should be used for Beneatha's education. In the end, as the reader, I think that Mama should do with what she wants with the money. Besides, it is for her to use it for whatever she thinks is best for her family.

Symbolism

There are many symbols in the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. One symbol in the novel is the plant. The plant symbolizes hope. Throughout the course of the novel, the plant symbolizes her hope for a better life for her family. Mama is constantly watering the plant symbolizing her always trying to to nurture her family and make them grow closer together. The fact that the plant is always in the darkness symbolizes the darkness that the Younger family is stuck in. The fact that even though Mama continues to water the plant in the darkness, she never gives up hope on her family. It also shows how she is constantly caring for her family. Even when Mama tries to leave the plant behind at the old to symbolize her leaving her behind, she goes back and gets the plant. After she leaves the plant behind, "The door opens and she comes back in, grabs her plant, and goes out for the last time," (Hansberry, 151). She takes the plant with her because it symbolizes the struggles that their family has overcome and the constant love that she has had and will always have for her family. 

Father

The father plays an essential role in the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Even though the father is deceased, his presence is key in  parts of the novel. His death has significantly impacted the family and their financial status. Because of his death, conflict and tension has developed with the family. The family is constantly bickering and disagreeing on how to use the $10,000 insurance check that Mama will receive from the death of Big Walter. He is also influential in his son Walter's life. When Ruth is considering the abortion, Mama talk to Walter about standing up for his soon to be child, just like his father stood up for him. Mama states,"I’m waiting to see you stand up and look like your daddy" (Hansberry, 75). Even though Big Walter is gone, Walter is still constantly being compared to his father. He is expected to be the man that his father was, before he was taken away from the family. The term gone but never forgotten perfectly describes Big Walter in the Younger household.

Attention to Detail

At the beginning of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, we learn that Amanda pays great attention to detail. In the first scene, we see the family eating what was suppose to be a nice relaxing dinner. We soon learn that Tom the narrator and Tom the character are completely different people. While they were eating dinner, Amanda instructs Tom on how to eat his food. She not only pays attention to the details of how he eats his food, but also to the food itself. Amanda states "A well cooked meal has lots of delicate flavors that have to be held in the mouth for appreciation" (Williams, 1237). She pays attention to the specific detail that some spices must have be held in the mouth for a certain amount of time in order to get the full flavor. She also pays attention to how the other member of her family, not just Tom do not take the time to appreciate the food. They do not share the same appreciation for the food as their mother. They also do not take the time to pay attention to the details of life. It shows how Tom and Laura do not take after their mom in every aspect of their lives. 

The Coffin

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Tom talks about the magic show, specifically about a  coffin. He compares his life to a coffin. He talks about how he is trapped in his home now because he cannot leave until he finds a man for his sister. I think that he compares his home to a coffin because no matter what he tries right now in his life he cannot escape from his house. He talks about how the man at the magic show was nailed into a coffin. "We nailed him to a coffin and he got out of the coffin without removing one nail" (Williams, 1249).  The man in the magic show that was trapped in the coffin is very similar to Tom's situation right now. The idea of escaping the coffin without removing a nail symbolizes Tom leaving the family without breaking the family. Since Tom is crucial to his delicate family, he is trying to find a way to leave his family without breaking them and destroying what they have together. Tom struggles with this throughout the novel and the reader never truly learns  how Tom deals with this struggle of escaping the family without breaking it. 

Laura and Jim

At the end of The Glass Menagerie, Tom brings his friend over to dinner at the families house. Amanda requests that he brings home a man from work for Laura so that he can finally leave the family. Jim, the man that Tom brought home from dinner, plays a significant role at the end of the story. Amanda truly believes that Jim could be the man for Laura. It is very obvious when she talks about how romantic he is. Amanda states, "Well that shows your romantic" (Williams, 1272) when Jim talks about how his favorite kind of light is candle light. At the end of the story, it talks about how Jim has truly broken Laura out of her social shell and allowed her to begin to talk to men again. Before, the only male in her life was her brother because he Dad walked out on her. Jim taught her that it is okay to associate with other men in her life. He also taught her that she can trust men and that not all of bad, even though he was engaged while this was happening. Their very short time together made a tremendous impact on Laura and her social status.

Imagery

Scene 4 of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams uses a great deal of imagery. In this scene, Tom says that he is going to the movies, but returns extremely late at night. When returning home late, he is questioned by Amanda about why he was returning home so late. Tom begins talking about how he attended the magic show that night. During this scene, a great deal of imagery is used to describe the magic show. Tom states, "He performed wonderful tricks, many of them, such as pouring water back and forth between pitchers" (William, 1249). He allows for the reader to really picture the magic show by describing some of the magic tricks that were performed. Some of the tricks that he goes in detail to talk about are turning water into wine and then turned it into beer, then finally turning it into whisky. By going into detail about the magic show, the reader also is able to come to the realization that certain parts of the magic show could apply to his real life. The reader can also begin to pay attention to what the symbolism could be regarding the tricks used in the magic show.