A Raisin in the Sun Movie: Exploring Identity, Dreams, and Social Norms in African American Culture
“Identity refers to our sense of who we are as individuals and as members of social groups. Our identities are not simply our own creation: identities grow in response to both internal and external factors.” (Erickson, E.H.). In the book Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison journeys through the subject of identity being formed by society and explores how the pressure to obey to discriminatory social norms actually affects the development of one’s self-determination. The poem, “I, Too” brings light to social norms that inhibit African Americans from achieving any type of social equality, but contains a sense of optimism for a future where the white dominated culture no longer keep African Americans hidden away. “A Raisin in the Sun” calls to the hopes and dreams of an African American family and shows how racial segregation and negative views of the black race attempt to keep them from achieving these dreams.
“A More Perfect Union” is a speech about current racial issues and conveys the message that America can persevere and overcome hundreds of years of racial tensions and inequalities. African American Identity has been reduced to less than what it is for years in the past and it is still happening to this day, due to a white dominated, racially discriminatory culture, based off of the past. Unfortunately, these perceived expectations on black culture have developed into social norms and racial segregation which therefore has impeded their ability to equally achieve the American Dream, and must be recognized in order to make change and allow for improvement of race relations in America.
Invisible Man is a novel essentially about defining one’s identity as in individual. Without actually reading the text, it is clear from the title that this book alludes to someone who is living, but no one actually sees the person because of his race. The story is organized as a succession of recurring episodes where the unnamed narrator arrives at a new place and with a new identity. For example college, the paint factory and the brotherhood.
