Race, Class and Dream in Richard Wright’s Native Son (1940) and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959)
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Date
2025
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Université Mouloud Mammeri Tizi Ouzou
Abstract
This dissertation examines the issue of Race, Class and Dream in Richard Wright’s Native Son (1940) and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959). By comparing the two works, it highlights how Afro-Americans responded differently to the socio-economic conditions of each Historical period. To achieve our purpose, we relied on the theoretical guidelines of Kimberlé Crenshaw’s Critical Race Theory (CRT), particularly her concept of Intersectionality. The study revealed what both works portray how race and class intersect to shape the lives and limit the dreams of Black individuals. While Wright’s novel presents a pessimistic depiction of racial oppression and its psychological toll, Hansberry’s play offers a more hopeful view rooted in family strength and resilience. Both texts expose how institutionalized racism affects housing, employment, education and personal agency, ultimately challenging the myth of American Dream for African Americans.
Description
55p. : (+CD-Rom)
Keywords
Race, Class, Intersectionality, Critical Race Theory (CRT), Systemic Racism, Social Inequality, The American Dream
Citation
General and Comparative Literature