4. Find Sources

Once you've narrowed your topic and thought about keywords, try searching the databases below for literary criticism.

Basic Search: a good first search is the name of the play in quotation marks, followed by the word AND and the author's last name.

"A Raisin in the Sun" AND Hansberry

This general search will show you everything we have on A Raisin in the Sun.

Narrowed Search: "A Raisin in the Sun" AND motherhood. Remember to search many times with different keywords!

Remember, though, do not rely on keywords to much. If your keywords aren't working, ask a librarian for help!

Literary Databases / Articles

The following databases are the best place to start.

Gale Literature
Gale Literature allows you to search all of Gale’s literary databases and literature eBook titles in one database.
Bloom's Literature
Writings of Harold Bloom as well as other critics. Features author biographies, overviews, synopses, analyses and literary criticism of thousands of works from novels to poetry to plays, video segments, in-depth full-text entries on literary topics and themes and a literary timeline. Proxy Bypass
EBSCO Literature Databases
Search 2 EBSCO literary databases at once: Literary Reference Source and Academic Search Premier. Proxy Bypass
Gale in Context: U.S. History
Great database for U.S. history; particularly strong reference information.
Black Life in America (Newsbank)
Comprehensive coverage of the African American experience from the early 18th century to the present day from more than 19,000 American and global news sources, including over 400 current and historical Black publications.

Video Resources

Kanopy
Watch over 30,000 Documentaries, Classic and Indie Films. Contains a documentary about Hansberry called Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart: The Life and Work of a Treasured American Playwright
Films on Demand
Educational videos available via streaming to anywhere (off-campus must log in). Contains a documentary called A Raisin in the Sun: Character Studies Conversations that analyzes the characters in the play.
Swank
Instructor-selected streaming videos you can watch any time on any device. Includes 1961 and 2008 film versions of the play.

Recommended Books

Literary Themes for Students: Race and Prejudice by Thomson Gale (Created by); Anne Marie Hacht
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 1414402759
Publication Date: 2006-10-13
Literary Themes for Students: The American Dream by Thomson Gale (Created by)
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 1414404336
Publication Date: 2007-06-29
The African American Theatrical Body: Reception, Performance, and Stage by Soyica Diggs Colbert
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781107014381
Publication Date: 2011-10-06
Visions of Belonging: Family Stories, Popular Culture, and Postwar Democracy, 1940-1960 by Judith E. Smith
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 1322353131
Publication Date: 2012-01-01
Masterpieces of 20th-Century American Drama by Susan C. W. Abbotson
Call Number: Giles Stacks PS350 .A23 2005
ISBN: 0313332231
Publication Date: 2005-09-30
The American Dream by Harold Bloom; Blake Hobby
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 1438125607
Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Icons of African American Literature by Yolanda Williams Page (Editor)
Call Number: DTC Stacks PS153 .N5 I33 2011
ISBN: 9780313352034
Publication Date: 2011-10-17
Also Available Online

Search for Books & eBooks

Use the search box below to search the SCC Library Catalog for physical books (in one of our library locations) and eBooks. You can also open the Library Catalog or use the Advanced Search for more search options.