Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” are two novels that explore the complexities of human relationships in very different contexts. While Hansberry’s play takes place in the mid-twentieth century, exploring the lives of an African American family living in poverty, Fitzgerald’s novel is set in the 1920s, examining the lives of wealthy socialites. Despite these differences, both works delve into love, loyalty, betrayal, marriage, family, and friendships, portraying various similarities and differences.
Love is integral to both “A Raisin in the Sun” by Hansberry and “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald. In Hansberry’s book, the relationship between Walter and Ruth Younger is illustrated as complex and tumultuous. Despite their passionate love for each other, monetary constraints and personal conflicts create tension between them. On the other hand, Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship in “The Great Gatsby” is depicted as a romanticized dream. Even though it is based on falsehoods, Gatsby’s ardor for Daisy never wavers. He will do whatever he can to win her heart, even disregarding his morals and engaging in unlawful activities. Rather than being a complex relationship fraught with inner turmoil, Fitzgerald casts their romance as more idealized. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is obsessive and all-encompassing; he continually works towards getting her back from Tom despite knowing it will involve betraying his moral code and possibly engaging in illegal activities (Fitzgerald 140). The two works show the complexity of love: it may be replete with conflict or romanticized idealism, and those who are deeply in love are willing to go to great lengths for their beloved.
Loyalty is another theme explored in both works by the authors. In “A Raisin in the Sun,” the theme of loyalty is explored in various ways, particularly regarding the Younger family’s unwavering commitment to one another. Throughout the play, each family member shows that they are willing to sacrifice their dreams and ambitions to ensure that everyone’s needs are met. This is exemplified when Walter is initially presented with an opportunity for personal gain from investing his late father’s insurance money in a business venture, yet he chooses instead to put his family first and use the money towards purchasing a new home. This demonstrates Walter’s loyalty towards his family despite being offered a chance for individual success (Hansberry 35). Additionally, their loyalty remains strong even when faced with obstacles that impede their plans, such as Mama’s decision not to accept Mr. Lindner’s offer or Walter’s investment in Asagai’s business ventures (Hansberry 95). This reinforces their dedication and commitment to working together as a family unit, highlighting loyalty’s importance in achieving their collective goals.
Similarly, in “The Great Gatsby,” loyalty is a complex issue. Despite Gatsby’s constant attempts to win back Daisy’s love, she remains loyal to her husband, Tom, as they share a connection based on their wealth and social standing (Fitzgerald 119). This ultimately speaks to Daisy’s inherent value of financial security over genuine love and loyalty, leading her to betray Gatsby and choose Tom. Thus, both works explore how complicated loyalty can be and how it can be affected by external factors such as wealth and social class. These works highlight the importance of understanding one’s values and priorities to navigate loyalty conflicts and make difficult decisions. Ultimately, they emphasize that true loyalty requires a deep commitment to one’s goals and values and can ultimately lead to success and fulfillment.
Betrayal is a prevalent theme in the works of “A Raisin in the Sun” and “The Great Gatsby.” In “A Raisin in the Sun,” the theme of betrayal is prominent as Walter struggles to overcome an unfortunate incident. His business partner, Willy Harris, absconds with his hard-earned money, leading to a disastrous financial loss and rob Walter of his sense of self-worth. Walter expresses his feelings regarding this betrayal: “Every time I try and do something right, I end up messin’ it up” (Hansberry, 25). This statement not only exemplifies the profound emotional impact that has been inflicted upon Walter due to his partner’s deceitful behavior but also reveals the crippling effect of his low self-esteem concerning his life choices made by him. Furthermore, Walter’s desperation for success leads him down a dark path filled with economic despair and losses as he makes several more ill-fated moves in what he believes is a race for financial gain. By using this example of Walters’ experience with betrayal, Hansberry highlights the consequences of such actions and how they can affect one’s well-being.
Meanwhile, in “The Great Gatsby,” Gatsby is emotionally betrayed by Daisy and her husband, Tom. This is a devastating blow for Gatsby, as he has spent most of his life trying to win back Daisy’s love with his luxurious lifestyle and parties. This emotional betrayal impacts Gatsby so much that it continues to haunt him until his death. As Fitzgerald writes: “He must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is and how raw the sunlight was upon the scarcely created grass” (Fitzgerald 170). This passage illustrates how deeply the hurtful experience has left its mark on Gatsby’s mind, despite his attempts at living extravagantly to distract himself from pain. Ultimately, Fitzgerald uses this theme of betrayal to emphasize that true emotions cannot be escaped with money or material possessions. Both characters’ experiences thus highlight the severe emotional impact of betrayal.
Marriage is an important theme in both works, with characters experiencing both the joys and challenges of married life. In Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” Walter and Ruth have been married for over a decade, yet they still struggle to maintain a successful marriage. Walter loves his family dearly and is devoted to Ruth, but he cannot financially provide for them due to his lack of gainful employment and ambition to own a business. This puts immense pressure on Ruth, who has no choice but to take on the burden of working and managing the household, leaving her desperate and exhausted. The tension between them increases further as Walter continues striving for something beyond his reach while Ruth remains pragmatic about their financial situation. As Mama expresses in the play, “It ain’t easy trying to make something outta nothing.” (Hansberry 45). Here we can see that despite their love for each other, Walter and Ruth must confront economic inequity, which creates tension and hardship within their relationship.
In contrast, Daisy and Tom from “The Great Gatsby” are not only lackadaisically devoted to each other but also seek pleasure outside their marriage. Unlike Walter and Ruth, Daisy and Tom do not share a loving relationship but tolerate one another. The two are together solely out of a sense of obligation and societal expectation, as divorce was highly stigmatized during this era. This is highlighted in a conversation between Daisy and Gatsby, where she states: “I married him because I thought he was a gentleman…something you wouldn’t understand” (Fitzgerald 112). Moreover, Myrtle and her husband are portrayed as having an even lovelier marriage; they are so unhappy that they fight viciously whenever they come into contact. This further drives home the point that marriages during this period were rarely ever happy or fulfilling. Overall, both works demonstrate how marriages during this era were often strained or filled with unhappiness regardless of class status or wealth due to societal expectations which valued appearances over true marital happiness.
Family and friendships are also central themes in both works. In “A Raisin in the Sun,” family bonds are depicted as strong and resilient, even through difficult times. The Younger family must decide how to use the money from an insurance check. Though each person has their ideas about what to do with it, they ultimately come together to make a decision that benefits the whole family. As Mama says, “I don’t care nothing about no strangers when my folks got something they need” (Hansberry 11). This shows how deeply Mama values family ties over anything else and is willing to sacrifice for them.
In contrast, friendships in “The Great Gatsby” are portrayed as being often manipulated due to wealth and power, revealing the false nature of social class relationships. Despite Gatsby’s immense wealth and status, his relationships with those in higher social classes are often tenuous and superficial, based more on his wealth than any genuine bond of friendship. Daisy, in particular, seems to value wealth and social status above all else, ultimately choosing Tom over Gatsby because he can provide her with stability and security that Gatsby cannot. Ultimately, the characters’ pursuit of wealth and status proves empty and unfulfilling.
In conclusion, in both “A Raisin in the Sun” and “The Great Gatsby,” relationships are a central theme that explores the complexities of love, loyalty, betrayal, marriage, family, and friendships. Both works showcase how relationships can be influenced by external factors such as wealth, social status, and personal goals and dreams. Despite the differences in the settings and periods, both works share a common thread in their exploration of relationships. They showcase how relationships can be rewarding and challenging and how external factors beyond our control can influence them. Specific to marriage, Karney and Bradbury affirm this by asserting that “as the goals and benefits of a happy marriage endure, so do the challenges, reflected in the fact that nearly 50% of first marriages will end in divorce” (2). The characters in both works make difficult choices based on their loyalty and commitment to their values, highlighting the importance of self-reflection and understanding one’s priorities in navigating complex relationships. Overall, “A Raisin in the Sun” and “The Great Gatsby” provide insightful commentary on the nature of relationships and how they can shape our lives. They offer valuable lessons on the importance of communication, trust, and loyalty in maintaining strong relationships.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. The Great Gatsby, (1925). Planet e-books, n.d.
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Concord Theatricals, 1984.
Karney, Benjamin R., and Thomas N. Bradbury. “Research on marital satisfaction and stability in the 2010s: Challenging conventional wisdom.” Journal of marriage and family 82.1, 2020. Web.