ENG2603 Assignment 2 Semester 2 2026 – Due 14 August 2026

Description

ENG2603 ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE 14 AUGUST 2026

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, pp 133–134 Essay question Write a close
reading of this extract in which you analyse how Hansberry uses language to present
Mama’s understanding of love and human dignity. Your analysis must address ALL of
the following: • the effect of the rhetorical questions in Mama’s speech • the
significance of the repetition of “measure him right” • the meaning and effect of the
metaphor “hills and valleys” • what the exchange between Beneatha and Mama reveals
about their contrasting values

You must also show, in the course of your analysis, how at least ONE of the
themes raised in the extract connects to the play as a whole. Your response must
be between 800 and 1 000 words.

A Close Reading of Mama’s Understanding of Love and Human Dignity in A
Raisin in the Sun

In Act III of A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family reaches its lowest point after Walter
loses all the family’s money. Beneatha is deeply hurt and tells Mama that she no longer
considers Walter her brother. During this painful moment, Mama responds with some of
the most meaningful words in the play. Through Mama’s speech, Lorraine Hansberry
highlights the importance of unconditional love, forgiveness, and human dignity.
Hansberry uses questions without answers, repetition, and vivid imagery to express
Mama’s wisdom. The conversation between Mama and Beneatha also reveals their
different beliefs about family, love, and responsibility, while reinforcing the play’s central