Racially Subtle

 A Raisin in the Sun is very different for me because it is written in a way so foreign to me, and so different from the other books we are forced to read in school. This is one story where race is not explicitly stated to be a huge issue that is related to the crux of the plot, but there are some underlying tones and themes that may reflect race. This watered-down theme of race is something you do not see in literature we read often, as most books are willing to shove this idea in our face because the concept of being subtle is also foreign to the writers of those books. So I wanted to compare one of my past school reads to this piece: namely To Kill a Mockingbird.

To Kill a Mockingbird's main conflict is centered around a court case involving a black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. In this book, the racial tension between the Klan and the supporters of the black man on trial are clearly defined, even if a white person is defending him. The oppression of black people is clearly shown in that book. Compare that to A Raisin in the Sun. Walter feels inferior to the rich white males of society and wants to be like them and live an easy life without having to bow down to white people. This isn't explicitly stated but is clearly shown through Walter's dialogue and actions, desperate for change. Overall, I think I like this change more, even though I like both pieces. Being more subtle with these themes means that I have to dig deeper to find them, which is more satisfying to me than noting what gets shoved in my face.

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