The significance of Lena Younger in the screenplay and film A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. directed by Kenny Leon In the film A Raisin in the Sun derived from the screenplay by Lorraine Hansberry. the character of Lena Younger is efficaciously portrayed to demo the importance of the works as a symbol of Lena being in ownership of a garden to name her ain. However. the subject of dreams. particularly Lena’s. is non made outstanding plenty to demo Lena as a symbol of African American’s in the 50’s having a house and traveling up in society.

In the screenplay of A Raisin in the Sun. Lena Younger is a sensitive female parent and grandma to the Younger family. She is really spiritual. and demands of her childs to thank God for their lives. This is shown when Lena slaps Beneatha for disputing the thought of God in her life. Lena says. “Now you say after me. in my female parents house there is still God” ( Hansberry 39 ) . This scene is efficaciously remade in the film. The actress that plays Lena makes her choler and daze in Beneatha’s remark really credible. which farther emphasizes the fact that Lena’s values are portrayed merely as efficaciously in the film as they were in the written screenplay.

Lena besides stands up for herself. much like her girl Beneatha. This is shown in the scene where Lena goes to the market to purchase some apples that are in really bad status. Lena says. “Got the nervus to be askin’ people 35 cents for them apples look like they was on the scene when Moses crossed over… Wouldn’t be tryin’ to sell ’em over yonder where I work” ( Hansberry 54 ) . In this scene of the screenplay. Lena’s character seemed really froward. In the film nevertheless. this quotation mark was non included.

Alternatively Lena told the clerk. in a sarcastic tone. “Am I being charged for the worms excessively? ” ( A Raisin in the Sun ) . which means that the quality of the apples was non good. Although the scene was different. the point Hansberry was seeking to do came across both ways. Lena came across as a froward adult female who merely wants the best and nil less. within her budget. In these ways Lena Youngers character was portrayed efficaciously. nevertheless. her character has more significance that merely good playing.

One of the most of import symbols in the screenplay A Raisin in the Sun is the works. Throughout the screenplay and the film. no 1 else in the Younger family attentions for the works except for Lena. which is why the symbol straight links to her. In the screenplay. every bit shortly as Lena enters her flat she goes to open the window. “Lord. if this small works don’t start acquiring more Sun. it ain’t ne’er traveling to see spring again” . ( Hansberry 66 ) . This shows that after a long twenty-four hours. she still cares for her lame small works. and its growing.

In the film this scene was non portrayed efficaciously. largely because the flat the manager chose does non accurately suit the description in the screenplay. therefore doing the symbolism of the works ineffective. Despite that. the true symbolism of the works is that Lena was hankering for her ain garden. and that was shown efficaciously in the film. The quotation mark from the film matching to this scene is “If that works don’t acquire more sunshine than it’s been acquiring. it’s merely gon na give up” ( A Raisin in the Sun ) which shows that Lena does care for the works. but can’t do anything about its wellbeing.

Subsequently on in the screenplay Lena starts to acquire stressed and disquieted about her kids. The lone thing she turns to so is her works. which shows that Lena is in control of at least one thing in her house. When Ruth brings up the fact that Beneatha is place subsequently than usual Lena answers. “I don’t believe this plant’s had more than a pinpoint of sunshine all day” ( Hansberry 76 ) . This could be to direct her concerns elsewhere. which makes sense because in other emotional scenes. such as when Lena is hearing about Mr.

Linder. the camera focuses in on Lena touching the workss dirt with her custodies. The answer could besides be because she sees her dream in the works – she sees it is in a weak province and that it is hardly turning. Lena besides sees that Beneatha and Walter. her kids. are sing new things and are turning to go people of the new coevals. Because of this. she may turn to the works and hope the same for it – hope for it to bloom into something better and of that coevals.

Lena’s dream of having a garden represents non merely her dream. but the dream of all the lower category African Americans of the 50’s. Although Lena attempts to maintain her run down flat looking polished. she makes it clear that she dreams for bigger things. While discoursing with Ruth about when her and Big Walter bought the house Lena said. “… But Lord. kid. you should hold known all the dreams I had about purchasing me that house and so repairing it up and doing me a small garden in the back” ( Hansberry 69 ) . which clearly shows Lena’s dream.

Not merely does she desire a nice garden for herself. but she wants a house for her household. so they can all bask life. This scene was non efficaciously shown in the film largely because. as mentioned before. the flat they were populating in did non look run down every bit was described in the screenplay. Due to this. when the characters were speaking about the “ratty-ness” of the flat it did non do sense. because their duologue did non suit the ocular. The ultimate dream for African Americans of the clip was to populate in a topographic point full of life. and of class with less rent.

The screenplay implies that the flat is little and that “weariness has. in fact. won in this room” ( Hansberry 23 ) . which means that the room is in hapless status. The film shows the life room as little but it does non demo it as tattered. like the screenplay implied. At that clip and now. this is considered poorness. nevertheless the film displays the room every bit good kept and does non look worn out. which is what Lena tries to do it look like. After Mr. Lindner comes to the Younger family. Beneatha. Walter and Ruth explain what he wanted from them. which was to purchase their house off of them.

Lena does non wholly understand at first why he would come. which shows that she does non grok that there will be complications with traveling into a white vicinity. “Father give us strength. ( Knowingly and without merriment: ) Did he endanger us? ” ( Hansberry 169 ) . This shows that although Lena feels threatened by Mr. Lindner. she does non recognize that the new coevals does non straight say what they feel. This creates the tone that. merely like Beneatha and Walter have been stating Lena. she is non educated plenty on the new coevals.

Since Lena represents the African Americans of the 50‘s spread outing in society. it was inefficaciously shown in the film and the screenplay. because of he automatic premise that they were threatened. All in all. the character of Lena is inefficaciously portrayed in the film to typify what the African american’s of the 1950’s should hold been like. Taking a expression at Lorraine Hansberry’s thought of holding a character like Lena in the screenplay. one understands that she is a statement instead than merely a character with a dream.

Lena Younger is a statement to demo that adult females in the 1950‘s can work all twenty-four hours to supply for their households and still be caring instead than suffering. The status the Youngers were populating in was one where Lena could easy hold been rancid to her household members instead than fostering. This is what Hansberry wanted to demo. Besides the works symbolizes Lena’s nurturing side. that she will make anything to do the people ( or things ) she cares for grow and win. Overall. the managers of the film A Raisin in the Sun did a nice occupation in construing Lena’s function in the screenplay.