A Raisin in the Sun: Mama's Houseplant- A Symbol of Family's Deferred Dreams

Directions: In 800-1000 words (or five well-written paragraphs), write about ONE of the following topics below.
Your paper must be written in MLA format and must contain a Works Cited page. You may use one additional source other than the text to support your claims stated in your essay, but an additional source is NOT necessary for this essay. Title your work to reflect your topic. Do not use 1st or 2nd person pronouns in your essay.
Your Turnitin similarity score should be below 25%. Make sure you incorporate textual evidence (quotes) in each body paragraph to support your thesis. Document any quotations/passages taken directly from the text using MLA formatted in-text citations.
Topic Choices
Read through the thesis statements below. Choose one thesis statement to use in your essay. Do not write about both works.
Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun (choose one):
-In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses the characterization of Walter to show that a discontented individual is often unable to take ownership of his life until he realizes that he must set a good example for his children.
-In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses (Walter, Mama, or Beneatha) to develop the theme (that personal integrity is worth more than money or that perseverance is needed to achieve one's dreams).
-In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses Mama's houseplant to symbolize the family's deferred dreams for a better future.
Definition: Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.
Research: Your paper must be written in MLA format and must contain a Works Cited page. You may use one additional source other than the text to support your claims stated in your essay, but an additional source is NOT necessary for this essay. However, you must use your textbook as a source.
Purpose: Your primary writing goal is to help your readers better understand and appreciate the literary work that you interpret in your Literary Analysis Paper. Your goal is to experience a work of literature, understand its elements, and then write an essay analyzing particular aspects of the work. For example, in works of drama, you might consider analyzing characterization, theme, symbolism, or a combination of these elements.
Audience: Your target audience is your teacher and other ENG 102 class members, so assume that your audience has already read the literary work in question - i.e. you do NOT have to give a lengthy detailed plot summary of the work.
Length: Your paper should be five paragraphs or more Times New Roman 12-point font. (800-1000 words length requirement.)
Advice: Focus your paper on a limited number of points - that is don't try to discuss all the literary elements of the work--then proceed to explain, support, and illustrate these limited number of interpretive points in-depth, as clearly, effectively, and specifically as you can.
**As this is an analytical paper, you need to analyze the meaning of the drama by utilizing quotations or evidentiary facts from the text to back up your ideas. It is imperative that you use at least one citation in each paragraph to support your opinions and ideas. You may use additional quotations as needed, but please be sure to explain the connection of the evidence.
Avoid Summary: You must not simply summarize the events in the text. Assume your audience is an intelligent, college-level reader who has already read the work. At most, your summary should be limited to a paragraph or two--if it's necessary at all. Pick one or two specific lines that you feel are pivotal in understanding one literary aspect of the work. This literary aspect might be connotation, diction, or any other rhetorical device (anything we‘ve discussed is fine). Fashion an argument explaining why these lines are vital to the work as a whole when it comes to understanding that literary aspect.
PROOFREAD AND EDIT your Literary Analysis Paper before submission. I would strongly advise you to submit your paper to SOARS and/or Smarthinking to help in the editing stage of the writing process.