Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” explains the bargaining with the devil motif present in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Foster describes how Walter Lee younger who is African American “turns down the offer” (Foster xxiv) for “a house in a all-white-neighborhood” (Foster xxiii) to be bought from him and his family by Mr. Lindner until ‘he discovers that two-thirds of [his family’s] money has been stolen” (Foster xxiv). Walter Lee younger now faces the decision of keeping his house but dealing with financial problems or excepting the check which means he is giving in to what the white people want, him and his family gone. This situation actually represents a choice between the temptation of money and Walter Lee’s pride. The author explains that a bargain with devil is when “the hero is offered something he desperately wants” (Foster xxiv) and “all he has to give up is his soul” (Foster xxiv). Even though the bargain is for a house the motif is still present in this novel because of what giving up the house represents. Although the original motif is altered in a way to fit the story line Walter Lee would still be giving up his soul in a way because the house represents his pride and chance to be equal which is extremely important at this time in history. The Author continues to explain the story by explaining how Walter Lee “psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject the devil’s- Mr. Lindner’s -offer” (Foster xxiv). Forest points out that this motif is also different in the fact that Walter does not accept the deal from the devil. Most novels including this motif involve the hero or main character giving away his or her soul and then learn from that mistake by dealing with the consequences. Hansberry gives the widely used motif of a bargain with the devil a new spin in her play “A Raisin in the Sun.”
1) Great analysis! 2) him and his family gone. - awkward wording 3) Most novels including this motif involve the hero or main character giving away his or her soul and then learn from that mistake by dealing with the consequences. ~ should be "learning" 4) Conclusion sentence sounds a little more like an introduction sentence - be careful.
Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” explains the bargaining with the devil motif present in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Foster describes how Walter Lee younger who is African American “turns down the offer,” for, “a house in a all-white-neighborhood,” to be bought from him and his family by Mr. Linder until ‘he discovers that two-thirds of [his family’s] money has been stolen” (Foster xxiii, xxiv). Walter Lee younger now faces the decision of keeping his house but dealing with financial problems or excepting the check which means he is giving in to what the white people want, his family to leave. This situation actually represents a choice between the temptation of money and Walter Lee’s pride. The author explains that a bargain with devil is when “the hero is offered something he desperately wants,” and “all he has to give up is his soul” (Foster xxiv). Even though the bargain is for a house the motif is still present in this novel because of what giving up the house represents. Although the original motif is altered in a way to fit the story line Walter Lee would still be giving up his soul in a way because the house represents his pride and chance to be equal which is extremely important at this time in history. The Author continues to explain the story by explaining how Walter Lee “psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject the devil’s- Mr. Linder’s -offer” (Foster xxiv). Forest points out that this motif is also different in the fact that Walter does not accept the deal from the devil. Most novels including this motif involve the hero or main character giving away his or her soul and then learning from that mistake by dealing with the consequences. Hansberry gives the widely used motif of a bargain with the devil a new spin in her play “A Raisin in the Sun.”
Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” explains the motif in “A Raisin in the Sun.” (1959) “A Raisin in the Sun’ being as one of the great plays of the American theater. (6-7). Walter Lee Younger is an African America and is also the protagonist or the story “turns down the offer” (Foster xxiv) for a house living in an all-white-neighborhood. This is offered by Mr. Lindner. He believes that his family’s money is secured. After a little while he discovers two-thirds of that money has been stolen. Now Younger faces many financial problems as well as keeping the house or accepting the offer to move. This is a bargain with a devil which is when the hero is offered something that they desperately want or need. (Foster xxiv) Foster also mentions that the motif is different because he doesn’t take up the offer from the devil. The motif of a bargain with the devil is brought to a whole new level as Hansberry uses in her production of “A Raisin in the Sun.”
1) There are grammatical and citation errors in the following sentences: Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” explains the motif in “A Raisin in the Sun.” (1959) “A Raisin in the Sun’ being as one of the great plays of the American theater. (6-7). Walter Lee Younger is an African America and is also the protagonist or the story “turns down the offer” (Foster xxiv) for a house living in an all-white-neighborhood. 2) Be more specific when you reference things. Ex: "the offer" "believes the family money is secure" 3) Explain why: "This is a bargain with the devil" 4) Motif is different - one sentence - leaves the reader wanting more 5) Motif of a bargain brought to a whole new level - sounds more like an intro. sentence
In Thomas C. Foster’s “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” he relates the motif of selling one’s soul to the devil to a certain bargaining scenario in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Foster discusses the struggle of Walter Lee Younger from “A Raisin in the Sun”, how he, an African American man, has placed a down payment on a house in an all-white neighborhood, only to be offered a check from a man named Mr. Lindner to purchase the house; Younger declines, believing that his family’s money is secure, however soon “he discovers that two-thirds of that money has been stolen” (Foster xxiv). While seemingly now a good investment for Younger, the offer given to him was more than what it appeared to be. The offer had less to do with monetary affairs and more to do with emotional ones. “Walter Lee can be rescues from the monetary crisis he has brought upon the family; all he has to do is admit that he’s note the equal of the white residents who don’t want him moving in, that his pride and self-respect, his identity, can be bought. If that’s not selling your soul, than what is it?” (Foster xxiv). Foster explains that although Younger wouldn’t be selling his soul in a literal sense, he definitely would be in a figurative, metaphorical sense if he went through with the offer. In this situation, Mr. Lindner represents the devil and Walter Lee’s soul is the one in question, however, Younger ultimately breaks free. “Here, the protagonist psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject the devil’s—Mr. Lindner’s—offer” (Foster xxiv). Walter breaks through and rises above the harrowing thoughts instilled in him. He encounters a deal with the devil, however in the end he is the one who is victorious. While many of his students couldn’t quite grasp the analogy, Thomas Foster makes an excellent comparison between both scenarios in his introduction.
1) Great analysis! 2) Be sure to revise/edit. You have quite a few grammatical and spelling errors. 3) Be sure not to ever put a quote by itself as its own sentence. Always have a lead in phrase or intertwine it in a sentence. 4) Do not use contractions. 5) Weak conclusion sentence
Thomas C. Foster, in "How To Read Literature Like A Professor", connects the motif of selling ones soul to the devil to the house bargaining predicament in "A Raisin in the Sun." Foster introduces the head of the Younger family named Walter Lee who, along with his family, are African American. He has made a payment on a suburban home in a white neighborhood. Aware of the coming move and in obvious opposition, the neighborhood association sends a man named Mr. Lindner to the Younger's house with a check covering the costs of the first payment. Mr. Younger declines the offer quickly, under the impression that “the family money is secure” (Foster xxiv). This money came from the life insurance policy from his recently deceased father. Not long after Mr. Lindner offered the check, Walter Lee “discovers that two-thirds of that money has been stolen” (Foster xxiv). Here Walter Lee is faced with a decision. He can either receive much needed financial support through the check or risk losing everything but continuing without it. By accepting the check, Mr. Walter Lee would also be “admitting that he’s not the equal of the white residents who don’t want him moving in, that his pride and self-respect, his identity, can be bought” (Foster xxiv). He would be hypothetically selling his soul to the hypothetical devil Mr. Lindner. In contrast to other stories with the “Faust Legend” (Foster xxiv), “the protagonist psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject to devil’s- Mr. Lindner’s- offer” (Foster xxiv). Foster illustrates that the motif of “selling your soul to the devil” (Foster xxiv) is present in an instance where racial discrimination is the driving force.
1) Good discussion of motif. 2) Always put citations at the very end of the sentence. 3) Be sure a conclusion sentence is wholly your own; don't put any cited quotes in a conclusion sentence.
In Thomas C. Foster's "How to Read Literature Like a Professor," he equates a property matter in "A Raisin in the Sun," to the motif of selling ones soul to the devil. Foster explains that the Youngers, an African American family, have placed a down payment on a house located in a predominantly White neighborhood. Mr. Linder, proceeds to offer the father of the family, Walter Lee Younger, a "check in hand, to buy out the family's claim on the house" (Foster xxiii). Lee declines, as he is quite confident that their financial situation is at par with what is required to purchase the house. To their misfortune, a good chunk of that money had been stolen, and they were left with the former offer made by Mr. Linder as there only means of "financial salvation" (Foster xxiv). This is where Foster makes the connection. When Mr. Linder reinstated his offer, he asked in return that he "admit that he's not the equal of the white residents who don't want him moving in, that his pride and self-respect, his identity, can be bought" (Foster xxiv). This form of compensation is easily comparable to that of which the devil asks. He notes though that the difference between most scenarios in which the motif is evident, and this one, is that Walter Lee refuses to give up his 'soul' and resists any temptations of the like.
Thomas C. Foster in "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" describes the theme of the devil in "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry. He explains how the Younger family tried to buy a house "in an all-white neighborhood" and Mr. Lindner came to "buy out the family's claim on the house" (Foster xxiii). Walter Lee’s father’s insurance money was given to him and "two-thirds of that money has been stolen" (Foster xxiv). Walter was faced with the decision to move on with the house or to collect money by not keeping the house. Mr. Lindner was offering to "buy out the family's claim on the house" and Walter saw that as "his financial salvation" (Foster xxiii-xxiv). Foster explains the problem of Walter having to let go of his pride and moral values because, as an African American, he was "not the equal of the white residents who didn't want him moving in" (Foster xxiv). This is why Foster compared Mr. Lindner to the devil, because, although he was not aware, he was trying to convince Walter to let him purchase his "pride and self-respect, his identity" (Foster xxiv). Foster describes it as a bargain with the devil and that he would be selling his soul. He goes on to differentiate "A Raisin in the Sun" from other books because of how "Walter Lee ultimately resists the satanic temptation" (Foster xxiv). He explained how the devil, Mr. Lindner was not able to buy his soul and how Walter became the hero at the end.
Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” explains the bargaining with the devil motif present in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Foster describes how Walter Lee younger who is African American “turns down the offer” (Foster xxiv) for “a house in a all-white-neighborhood” (Foster xxiii) to be bought from him and his family by Mr. Lindner until ‘he discovers that two-thirds of [his family’s] money has been stolen” (Foster xxiv). Walter Lee younger now faces the decision of keeping his house but dealing with financial problems or excepting the check which means he is giving in to what the white people want, him and his family gone. This situation actually represents a choice between the temptation of money and Walter Lee’s pride. The author explains that a bargain with devil is when “the hero is offered something he desperately wants” (Foster xxiv) and “all he has to give up is his soul” (Foster xxiv). Even though the bargain is for a house the motif is still present in this novel because of what giving up the house represents. Although the original motif is altered in a way to fit the story line Walter Lee would still be giving up his soul in a way because the house represents his pride and chance to be equal which is extremely important at this time in history. The Author continues to explain the story by explaining how Walter Lee “psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject the devil’s- Mr. Lindner’s -offer” (Foster xxiv). Forest points out that this motif is also different in the fact that Walter does not accept the deal from the devil. Most novels including this motif involve the hero or main character giving away his or her soul and then learn from that mistake by dealing with the consequences. Hansberry gives the widely used motif of a bargain with the devil a new spin in her play “A Raisin in the Sun.”
ReplyDelete1) Great analysis!
Delete2) him and his family gone. - awkward wording
3) Most novels including this motif involve the hero or main character giving away his or her soul and then learn from that mistake by dealing with the consequences. ~ should be "learning"
4) Conclusion sentence sounds a little more like an introduction sentence - be careful.
Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” explains the bargaining with the devil motif present in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Foster describes how Walter Lee younger who is African American “turns down the offer,” for, “a house in a all-white-neighborhood,” to be bought from him and his family by Mr. Linder until ‘he discovers that two-thirds of [his family’s] money has been stolen” (Foster xxiii, xxiv). Walter Lee younger now faces the decision of keeping his house but dealing with financial problems or excepting the check which means he is giving in to what the white people want, his family to leave. This situation actually represents a choice between the temptation of money and Walter Lee’s pride. The author explains that a bargain with devil is when “the hero is offered something he desperately wants,” and “all he has to give up is his soul” (Foster xxiv). Even though the bargain is for a house the motif is still present in this novel because of what giving up the house represents. Although the original motif is altered in a way to fit the story line Walter Lee would still be giving up his soul in a way because the house represents his pride and chance to be equal which is extremely important at this time in history. The Author continues to explain the story by explaining how Walter Lee “psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject the devil’s- Mr. Linder’s -offer” (Foster xxiv). Forest points out that this motif is also different in the fact that Walter does not accept the deal from the devil. Most novels including this motif involve the hero or main character giving away his or her soul and then learning from that mistake by dealing with the consequences. Hansberry gives the widely used motif of a bargain with the devil a new spin in her play “A Raisin in the Sun.”
Deletegreat, thanks
DeleteThomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” explains the motif in “A Raisin in the Sun.” (1959) “A Raisin in the Sun’ being as one of the great plays of the American theater. (6-7). Walter Lee Younger is an African America and is also the protagonist or the story “turns down the offer” (Foster xxiv) for a house living in an all-white-neighborhood. This is offered by Mr. Lindner. He believes that his family’s money is secured. After a little while he discovers two-thirds of that money has been stolen. Now Younger faces many financial problems as well as keeping the house or accepting the offer to move. This is a bargain with a devil which is when the hero is offered something that they desperately want or need. (Foster xxiv) Foster also mentions that the motif is different because he doesn’t take up the offer from the devil. The motif of a bargain with the devil is brought to a whole new level as Hansberry uses in her production of “A Raisin in the Sun.”
ReplyDelete1) There are grammatical and citation errors in the following sentences: Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” explains the motif in “A Raisin in the Sun.” (1959) “A Raisin in the Sun’ being as one of the great plays of the American theater. (6-7). Walter Lee Younger is an African America and is also the protagonist or the story “turns down the offer” (Foster xxiv) for a house living in an all-white-neighborhood.
Delete2) Be more specific when you reference things. Ex: "the offer" "believes the family money is secure"
3) Explain why: "This is a bargain with the devil"
4) Motif is different - one sentence - leaves the reader wanting more
5) Motif of a bargain brought to a whole new level - sounds more like an intro. sentence
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn Thomas C. Foster’s “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” he relates the motif of selling one’s soul to the devil to a certain bargaining scenario in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Foster discusses the struggle of Walter Lee Younger from “A Raisin in the Sun”, how he, an African American man, has placed a down payment on a house in an all-white neighborhood, only to be offered a check from a man named Mr. Lindner to purchase the house; Younger declines, believing that his family’s money is secure, however soon “he discovers that two-thirds of that money has been stolen” (Foster xxiv). While seemingly now a good investment for Younger, the offer given to him was more than what it appeared to be. The offer had less to do with monetary affairs and more to do with emotional ones. “Walter Lee can be rescues from the monetary crisis he has brought upon the family; all he has to do is admit that he’s note the equal of the white residents who don’t want him moving in, that his pride and self-respect, his identity, can be bought. If that’s not selling your soul, than what is it?” (Foster xxiv). Foster explains that although Younger wouldn’t be selling his soul in a literal sense, he definitely would be in a figurative, metaphorical sense if he went through with the offer. In this situation, Mr. Lindner represents the devil and Walter Lee’s soul is the one in question, however, Younger ultimately breaks free. “Here, the protagonist psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject the devil’s—Mr. Lindner’s—offer” (Foster xxiv). Walter breaks through and rises above the harrowing thoughts instilled in him. He encounters a deal with the devil, however in the end he is the one who is victorious. While many of his students couldn’t quite grasp the analogy, Thomas Foster makes an excellent comparison between both scenarios in his introduction.
ReplyDelete1) Great analysis!
Delete2) Be sure to revise/edit. You have quite a few grammatical and spelling errors.
3) Be sure not to ever put a quote by itself as its own sentence. Always have a lead in phrase or intertwine it in a sentence.
4) Do not use contractions.
5) Weak conclusion sentence
Thomas C. Foster, in "How To Read Literature Like A Professor", connects the motif of selling ones soul to the devil to the house bargaining predicament in "A Raisin in the Sun." Foster introduces the head of the Younger family named Walter Lee who, along with his family, are African American. He has made a payment on a suburban home in a white neighborhood. Aware of the coming move and in obvious opposition, the neighborhood association sends a man named Mr. Lindner to the Younger's house with a check covering the costs of the first payment. Mr. Younger declines the offer quickly, under the impression that “the family money is secure” (Foster xxiv). This money came from the life insurance policy from his recently deceased father. Not long after Mr. Lindner offered the check, Walter Lee “discovers that two-thirds of that money has been stolen” (Foster xxiv). Here Walter Lee is faced with a decision. He can either receive much needed financial support through the check or risk losing everything but continuing without it. By accepting the check, Mr. Walter Lee would also be “admitting that he’s not the equal of the white residents who don’t want him moving in, that his pride and self-respect, his identity, can be bought” (Foster xxiv). He would be hypothetically selling his soul to the hypothetical devil Mr. Lindner. In contrast to other stories with the “Faust Legend” (Foster xxiv), “the protagonist psychologically makes the deal but then looks at himself and at the true cost and recovers in time to reject to devil’s- Mr. Lindner’s- offer” (Foster xxiv). Foster illustrates that the motif of “selling your soul to the devil” (Foster xxiv) is present in an instance where racial discrimination is the driving force.
ReplyDelete1) Good discussion of motif.
ReplyDelete2) Always put citations at the very end of the sentence.
3) Be sure a conclusion sentence is wholly your own; don't put any cited quotes in a conclusion sentence.
In Thomas C. Foster's "How to Read Literature Like a Professor," he equates a property matter in "A Raisin in the Sun," to the motif of selling ones soul to the devil. Foster explains that the Youngers, an African American family, have placed a down payment on a house located in a predominantly White neighborhood. Mr. Linder, proceeds to offer the father of the family, Walter Lee Younger, a "check in hand, to buy out the family's claim on the house" (Foster xxiii). Lee declines, as he is quite confident that their financial situation is at par with what is required to purchase the house. To their misfortune, a good chunk of that money had been stolen, and they were left with the former offer made by Mr. Linder as there only means of "financial salvation" (Foster xxiv). This is where Foster makes the connection. When Mr. Linder reinstated his offer, he asked in return that he "admit that he's not the equal of the white residents who don't want him moving in, that his pride and self-respect, his identity, can be bought" (Foster xxiv). This form of compensation is easily comparable to that of which the devil asks. He notes though that the difference between most scenarios in which the motif is evident, and this one, is that Walter Lee refuses to give up his 'soul' and resists any temptations of the like.
ReplyDelete1) Good
ReplyDelete2) "on par" not "at par)
3) I would suggest looking up rules for how to use commas. You have a lot of unnecessary commas.
Thomas C. Foster in "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" describes the theme of the devil in "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry. He explains how the Younger family tried to buy a house "in an all-white neighborhood" and Mr. Lindner came to "buy out the family's claim on the house" (Foster xxiii). Walter Lee’s father’s insurance money was given to him and "two-thirds of that money has been stolen" (Foster xxiv). Walter was faced with the decision to move on with the house or to collect money by not keeping the house. Mr. Lindner was offering to "buy out the family's claim on the house" and Walter saw that as "his financial salvation" (Foster xxiii-xxiv). Foster explains the problem of Walter having to let go of his pride and moral values because, as an African American, he was "not the equal of the white residents who didn't want him moving in" (Foster xxiv). This is why Foster compared Mr. Lindner to the devil, because, although he was not aware, he was trying to convince Walter to let him purchase his "pride and self-respect, his identity" (Foster xxiv). Foster describes it as a bargain with the devil and that he would be selling his soul. He goes on to differentiate "A Raisin in the Sun" from other books because of how "Walter Lee ultimately resists the satanic temptation" (Foster xxiv). He explained how the devil, Mr. Lindner was not able to buy his soul and how Walter became the hero at the end.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to use a term specifically named in the prompt to be clear. (motif)
Delete