English 101
28 June 2016
Mama’s Plant
Have you ever felt so attached to something that you treat it as one of your own children? Or maybe hold onto something because it helps you keep a hold of your dreams? When it came to reading Raisin in the sun by Hansberry these questions crossed my mind. The character Mama in the book has this plant that she takes care of daily even though it isn’t the greatest looking plant and may be on the verge of dying. The plant in the play is a metaphor for Mama’s dream, and not for her love for her children, and that this interpretation helps us better understand the issue of Mama’s need for her dream to come true and the struggles that come along with it.
My opinion is that Mama’s plant in the book represents her need and dream of owning her own home and growing a garden in the yard. This dream was wanted not only by her but also of her husband whom had just passed away. Once her husband passed I got the idea that the plant was there to help her hold on to the dream that they had, also to let her see something every day that could keep that dream sparked. The plant not having enough light or food to grow properly shows the struggle that Mama has to face with her and her family over the course of the play to reach her dream.
This plant in the book has received some discussion as to what is the true representation of the plant and why Mama takes such care of a plant that looks as if it is dying. I think that getting an understanding of what mama wants and knowing her dream helps narrow down the plants meaning. Most feel that it is the representation of her love for her children to me that is not so. My interpretation also helps us get a better understanding of the reasons behind why Mama so strongly felt the need to go put a down payment on a home. Even more so because it is in a white community and she did this without talking or asking anyone else in the family.
The main reason to think that the plant is a...