American Literature



Questions for A Raisin in the Sun and the Housing Discrimination article:What strategy does Lindner use to persuade the Youngers to accept the association’s proposal? What is appealing about his argument? What is offensive about his suggestion? How does Walter respond to Lindner’s efforts? Why do you think Walter responds as he does?What forms of housing discrimination exist today, according to a recent study discussed in this article? How has housing discrimination changed since 1977? What justifications do you think people use to defend and continue such practices? How would you compare a real estate agent today, who does not show an African-American family a house for sale in a white neighborhood, with Lindner from the neighborhood welcoming association in A Raisin in the Sun? How have things changed? How have they remained the same?How does the social and racial context, in which housing discrimination occurs today, compare with the circumstances in which the Youngers experienced it? Why, for example, do the Youngers want to get out of their apartment and move to a house in Clybourne Park? What, specifically, about the house and the neighborhood of Clybourne Park is attractive to the Youngers? What does the play suggest are the reasons they buy a house outside of “their own community?” Do you think people today are still drawn to homes outside of “their own community” for similar reasons?The life insurance check represents a substantial financial windfall for the Youngers. Mama’s decision to use some of that money to buy a home for the family in Clybourne Park represents the classic realization of the American Dream. Use the article on housing discrimination to consider how achieving the American Dream, by purchasing a home, can be complicated by race. Why, according to this article, is it more difficult for some to achieve this dream? And what kinds of long-term economic effects does housing discrimination have, according to the article?As the article explains, housing discrimination has been the subject of several studies over the years, by the federal government, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Why do you think that the federal government would study housing discrimination? What do you think is significant about the results of the research? What, if anything, do you think the government should do based on the results?Why do you think housing discrimination existed in the American past? Why do you think housing discrimination continues today? What do you think the existence of housing discrimination says about the contemporary American society? Do you think we all should have the right to buy a home of our own, whenever we want? What do you think should be done to ensure that right? ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download