A Raisin in the Sun Group

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wenz8
wenz8
Student
College - Freshman

What is the formalist approach of "A Raisin in the Sun"?

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Posted by wenz8 on Friday October 10, 2008 at 7:40 PM and tagged with a raisin in the sun, formalist approach, literary devices.

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  1. ms-mcgregor Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Formalist criticism developed in the 1940 and 1950's as a reaction to criticism that focused primarily on the psychology of the author and/or the social context of a work. Formalists focus instead on features of the work itself. They are concerned more with symbolism, imagery, metaphor, point of view, irony and paradox, things that make the work effective as a whole. A formalist approach to "A Raisin in the Sun" would examine the play's symbols ( Mama's plant, for example), irony ( the idea that Mama wants Walter to be a man yet she wants to maintain control of the family), point of view ( Mama's vs. Walter's) and more of the literary devices Hansberry used to enhance the work as a whole.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/raisin-sun

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    Posted by ms-mcgregor on Saturday October 11, 2008 at 10:12 AM