Comparing Hansberry to the Current Status in the American Society

Masculinity is portrayed in this poem where men ought to ensure that they live the dream which involves amassing wealth for their loved ones and having a high social status in the community. The book is well recognized because it addresses and brings out well various issues in life such as gender issues especially masculinity in America. Masculinity in this book depicts a man who is economically independent, is able to command respect from women and a leader. The American contemporary society is reflected in this book since most issues discussed in the book are still faced today. However, there are differences in the issue of masculinity as portrayed in the book and in the American society. Their vision is to be able to make a lot of money. Masculinity usually requires that actors should ensure that they organize themselves and the community in a way that is hierarchical in order to quantify their successes or achievements (Devor, 676).

Achieving a high status in a person's social group requires them to have aggressive and competitive behavior which makes them have egoistic dominance and become emotionally insensitive to other people. Moreover, those who are able to control the directions which conversations go are considered to be more masculine. Men who dress in ways which reveal the size of their upper body bring about an illusion of physical power which is considered as strength which is central to masculinity (Devor, 676). Wealth is not the only depiction of masculinity in Hansberry's book but also leadership. Walter depicts a drunken reverie which is a crucial stride in transforming to black masculinity. Walter is able to assess an alternative form of masculinity which is not structured by capitalism. After being intoxicated by alcohol, he goes home to find his sister modeling and listening to Nigerian music bought by her suitor which makes him fantasize about being Jomo Kenyatta who was a leader of an anti-colonial movement in Kenya (Hansberry, 78).

This shows, therefore, that masculinity was defined by the ability of a man to lead people and acquire wealth in the process. Furthermore, he has expectations that women around him ought to play the part of being symbols where he insists that he would like to own a yacht one day and hang real pearls on the neck of his wife hence portraying his wife as a way to showcase his wealth (Hansberry, 143). In comparison to the contemporary American society, although major strides have been made against discrimination of women, it is still a lingering problem. Although women may have higher education rates and put in more work as compared to men, their male counterparts are paid more than they get. Moreover, many men have been charged with the battering of women and oppressing them in various ways to showcase their masculinity.

Hansberry shows with great subtlety how Ruth raises her son. Devor suggests that masculinity requires that actors organize themselves in a hierarchical way in order to quantify their achievements. His opinions support Hansberry's since they both claim that achieving a high status in the society makes a person more masculine. Walter had been considered to be immature, irresponsible. In America's contemporary society, people require the man to provide for his family and failure to do that makes them label him as immature and irresponsible. Masculinity is also depicted in Hansberry's book as being able to lead which is the same case with the American society. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Vintage, 1995. Print. Harris, T. Saints, Sinners, Saviors: Strong Black Women in African American Literature.