A Comparison of "Down by the Riverside" and "A Raisin in the Sun"
“Down by the Riverside” written by Richard Wright and A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry both grapple with racism and racial segregation in their narratives. “Down by the Riverside” follows Mann as he navigates himself and his family to safety during the flooding of the Mississippi river. Along his journey, he encounters numerous obstacles such as Mr. Heartfield whose boat someone had stolen and given to him to transport his pregnant wife to the hospital and the soldiers who forced black men to work on the levee. These obstacles symbolize the blatant oppression and racism within the system that black people faced during that era. A Raisin in the Sun follows the Younger family as they navigate their financial difficulties and personal conflicts. Themes of racism arise throughout the story when the family is given an offer to not move into a predominantly white neighborhood in an effort to preserve the whiteness of that community. Both “Down by the...