This entry is for FRESHMEN only.
Why did we view Rocky after reading A Raisin in the Sun?
Another way to think of it is, "How do these two stories compliment each other? How do they tackle similar themes? How similar are the protagonists - Rocky and Walter?"
Read the entries posted before yours, and comment on them as you formulate your own response. Remember, this should not simply be a list of paragraphs. We are aiming for a discussion, a back-and-forth sharing of ideas. I'll be checking in periodically to see how it's going.
A few notes:
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I think that these stories are similiar because you can really see Walter in Rocky. These characters are very much alike because they are both trying to prove that they are still a man and they can tackle what ever they put their minds to. Rocky shows this in more of a physical way because he is trying to win a fight to show everyone that he is a chmpion and he isn't just a worn out old boxer. Walter shows this because he is trying to create stability and weath for his family by opening his own liquor store, to show that he is the man of the house and that he is capable of taking care of his family.
ReplyDeleteBoth Walter and Rocky live in a tiny dirty cramped apartment, both of them hate it. You can see Walter's character in Rocky, especially when Rocky had a mini breakdown after his coach asked to be his manager. He kept yelling how he lives like a rat and nobody wanted him before so why now, which reminded me of when Walter went off on a long rant yelling at everyone that he'll be fine by telling Linder that they will accept the proposal of getting pain in order not to move. Also both men have a dream to become men, in one way or another.
ReplyDeleteThe Younger family and Rocky both live in a bad houses that they would like to improve. They also care about other people. In a Rasian in the Sun, Walter cares for his family, therefore he tries to accomplish his dream in order for the rest of his family to accomplish theirs. Rocky really cares for Adrian and he would do anything that he could for her. Walter and Rocky are also both very determined people. Walter wants to open his liquor store with Willy Harris and he would do anything, even something harmful to others like taking away their dreams, to get that liquor store. Rocky now has the mind set to do anything in his power to beat the guy that wants to verse him. He is evening pushing Adrian away from him. Walter and Rocky also both has angerish breakouts and take it out on people that don't deserve it. Walter took it out on Ruth and Rocky took it out on Mickey. This is why Rocky is realted to A Raisin in the Sun and is why we are watching it.
ReplyDeleteI guess both stories had a message: you can achieve your dream if you work for it. This is sounds like a load of dung but in these stories, this message is very prominent. In Raisin in the Sun, Walter wanted to be a man (sort of like Rocky), Ruth wanted to stop living in that dirty house (same goes for Rocky, he is tired of living in the slum), Beneatha wanted to fix people (not really like Rocky's dream but they are both determined to succeed) and Mama wanted to get into her new house. I guess in a sense that Rocky and Mama have somewhat similar dreams because Rocky is tired of living in the slums, with his life going nowhere so he waits until he can afford that better house in a different part of town, as in "Rocky 2". Both stories share the same popular controversy that America is the land of opportunity and that only those who take those opportunities will go anywhere in their life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw this question, the first thing that popped into my head was the subject of perseverance. Walter reminds me a lot of Rocky. They both understand that they have to work hard to get what they want. They will both do anything in order to achieve their dream. Walter was willing to waste all of Mama's money to get the liquor store. Although Rocky's determination doesn't go to that much of an extreme, he still is working hard so he can preform his best at the wrestling match. Also, Rocky and the Youngers have similar living conditions. They both have apartments that are not in the best condition and they want to improve their house. (In the Younger's case, they ended up moving.) I think, plot wise, these two stories are not very similar but once you think about the lessons learned, they come to have a lot in common.
ReplyDeleteWe watched Rocky after reading Raisin in the Sun because some of the characters are similar and the situation that they are in. Rocky and Walter are similar because they both persevere, like how Rocky had to patient with Adrian, Pualie's sister, and Walter with him waiting to prove that he is the man of the house and that he isn't a nobody. These two characters are very much alike except that Rocky is a white boxer and Walter is a black man looking for some respect.
ReplyDeleteRocky and Walter are similar because they both want to prove something. Walter wants to prove he is a man and should be treated as such. Rocky wants to prove he isn't just some low class boxer from Philly. Raisin in the sun and the movie Rocky are alike because they are both about people(s)who are trying to prove they are more than nothing
ReplyDeleteRocky compliments A Raisin in the Sun because ARITS is all about the Younger's dreams, and what happened in the pursuit to achieve them. Rockey is almost exactly the same. Rocky is given the opportunity to fight in this big fight and the movie is about his pursuit to win. The only difference between the two is that this wasn't Rocky's dream until he thought about it, but in ARITS all of the Younger's dreams were realized beforehand. Both are very similar but different in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteRocky and A Raisin in the Sun are both about people struggling with money and wanting to become something. Rocky wants to be higher up as a fighter and gain respect from people. Rocky didn't get respect when he was younger especially from Micky. Walter wants to be higher up in the community and own a liquor store to get respect. Both rocky and Walter want the same thing, respect. All the members of the Younger family are doing everything they can to make every penny they can earn and rocky is doing the same. he is fighting as much as he can and doing his little side jobs as much as he can. Also Alexandra said rocky and Walter both have breakdowns and i agree
ReplyDeleteThis movie is like A Raisin in the Sun because both Rocky and Walter want to prove themselves to the world. Walter wanted to show everyone that he was a man and that he is capable of taking care of his family by himself. Rocky on the other hand wanted to show everyone that he could still fight just as well if not better than the other younger men that do, he wanted people to realize he could still do it. Both of them thought somewhere along the way that they couldn't do it. Walter became disappointed when he thought that Mama wasn't going to give him any money, so he began to question his REAL dream. Rocky began to think that maybe he actually wasn't that good when he was asked to fight and at first said that he didn't want to. Overall they are both just two men out to show the world that they can do it.
ReplyDeleteA Raisin in the Sun and Rocky are very similar stories. They both show a protagonist trying to achieve their dream. Even though they may be different, it's still the same idea. Also the endings are similar. Neither of them reached their goal, but it changed them and was a happy ending. It made them both men, and realize what's important. This also shows that dreams can change over time. There are several other similarities.
ReplyDeleteRocky and Walter are both very similar in their dreams and their life at the beginning of the stories. Walter had a dream to own a liquor store and make money, also to get respect from the white people. He also lived in a ugly and small house. Rocky had a dream to beat Apollo and prove he was a good fighter and could "go the distance" and he wanted people to respect him as a fighter Also, he lived in a bad house that was small and beat up. These stories are very similar because both Rocky and Walter want respect from people
ReplyDeleteRocky and Walter are very similar. They both lived in the slums of where they were and both want to move on with their lives, to be something. Walter wanted to prove his manhood and to be the head of the Younger household. Rocky wanted to prove his self and to prove other people's judgments about him wrong. At one point Walter almost had his dream and at first it was denied. He then acted as if nothing would ever go right and he was robbed of his dream. In turn he threw a fit and was lashing out at his family.
ReplyDeleteFor Rocky, he lived in the slums, he didn't get very far with his boxing career, and everybody thought he was a washed-out wannabe. When his old mentor offered to be his manager, he got defensive and yelled at him. Like the same way Walter lashed out at his family. All he wanted was the respect of being a successful boxer.
They both got their supposed dreams, but throughout both, their dreams changed.These two people are similar because when they got what they thought they had wanted, and they both lost what they had thought they wanted, they discovered their true dream.Walter was the head of the home and was respected. Rocky found somebody who accepted him for who he was and found love.
A Raisin in the Sun is similar to Rocky in many aspects. Like what many other put up previously both Walter and Rocky are pretty poor living in cramped apartments and living conditions. Mainly these two stories complement each other because they both are about men who want to accomplish their dreams. They both have people against the idea of pursuing their dreams for Rocky it's Mickey before he gets a shot at Apollo Creed and for Walter it's the rest of the Younger Family. Although a difference between the two could be that their dreams ended in different ways they both became better people out of it. I agree with a lot of what the others are saying is that in that in the end they're just two guys trying to prove to the world that they are something.
ReplyDeleteWalter and Rocky are similar beacause they are both trying hard to get better at something or to help oneself or others. Rocky is a poor small time boxer that no one has much respect for. He does gain respect when he gets to fight the undefeated professional boxer Apollo Creed. Now he has to prove himself a good fighter and work hard to get what he dreams of. Walter is just like that he is trying to prove himself a man to his family by owning his own liquor store. He is trying hard to make this dream come true just like Rocky. If Walter's liquor store works then he will be able to help his whole family. Both the book and the movie are about to guys persuing their dreams.
ReplyDeleteWalter and Rocky are similar characters because they both have dreams of becoming someone "bigger" and more important in society. They both want to prove something to themselves and to the world that they are better than who they are now. Rocky had to overcome people telling him that he couldn't beat anyone in a fight. Walter had to overcome when Mama put his dream aside because Walter's dream was not Mama's.
ReplyDeleteRaisin in the sun and the movie Rocky, have a couple things in commen. One of the big things they have in commen is the way they both persevere for their goals. Walter wants a liquor store, Rocky wants to be a good boxer. They both persever for these goals and they risk almost everything. They also both want to prove something to certain people. Another thing that is similar is there living conditions. They both live in poor neighborhoods, and poor houses. They have small houses with only 2 or 3 rooms.
ReplyDeleteThe movie Rocky and A Raisin in the Sun have one very similar thing in common. Both Rocky and Walter have a need to prove themselves. Rocky has wrestling to fall back on, but when has an opportunity to prove to the world that he isn't just a quitter, he goes for it, so does Walter. Rocky has the chance to wrestle Apollo Creed, and he tries his hardest, even though he doesn't win in the end. Walter on the other hand has the chance to get the liquor store that he says is his dream, but when he takes the chance, his money, and his sister's money gets stollen. But both of their dreams weren't to be a good wrestler or to own a liquor store. It was to prove that they could be responsible, and be a man, not just a boy from a bad neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteWell I believe that the reason we watched Rocky after reading a Raisin in the Sun is because they both had a dream. The Younger family had a dream of moving out and becoming more of a family and earning some money. In Rocky, he had a dream of getting to the top of boxing and doing something with his life. Also, in both the Raisin in the Sun, and in Rocky, the dream comes with a price. In a Raisin in the Sun, their dream comes with a price, and that price is their life. In Rocky, the price for him was that he'd go nowhere. That he won't do anything with his life. That he will stay there doing nothing with his life, going nowhere, for the rest of his life. That is why I believe we watched Rocky after reading a Raisin in the Sun.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, when we started a Raisin in the Sun, we had a discussion as well as an assignment on a dream being differed. The play seemed to be mostly centered on the concept of having a dream and losing it. And, in my opinion I do not see a connection between Rocky and Walter Jr. Walter is simply an opportunist, and Rocky is a hard working boxer. Walter had his dream set high when Rocky was just boxing for the heck of it. When an opportunity came upon Rocky to challenge the champion, he wisely started training. On the other hand, Walter, who was selfishly caring about his own needs, wanted recognition. But, in the end, Walter does indeed change into the person his family wants him to be. They both faced similar challenges for example, the need to make themselves be a better person. Both the play and the movies ended happily with the two characters being changed.
ReplyDeleteWell Kevin if you think about it like this, your correct. But also think of the opportunities that each of the two, Walter and Rocky, had. Then think about how they used these opportunities. Rocky made something of himself in the end, lasting 15 rounds with Apollo Creed. While Walter basically hands his money to a con artist who runs away with his money. In this case they boht had a dream, they both had an opportunity to follow their dream, only Rocky, found his dream and accomplished his goal and his dreams. And i think because of this is why we watched Rocky after reading a Raisin in the Sun.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Yianni I understand what you mean, but after we finished the movie, I was a bit confused. It seemed like Rocky had no motivation at the end. He sees his girlfriend after a tough fight and its over... What a horrible ending. Anyway, I agree they both had a dream. Although, I can't make a comparison between a poor colored man in the 50's to a white boxer. Walter's motivation is money, Rocky's motivation is his girlfriend. To be honest, I thought our class was doing a big unit on African-American segregation. Since the beginning of class we've read stories like "Thank you M'am", "Battle Royale", and the book about the boy shooting the mule. I really thought this movie was going to be a continuation of the theme. After reading the above 20 comments, I understand everyone's thinking of relating "dreams" to Rocky and Walter.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to comment on the comment above, posted by Kevin. The ending of the movie, Rocky didn't even care or bother to listen and find out if he won or not, just was happy when he could finally hold Adrianne, his girlfriend, in his arms. In some way, the ending of the movie relates to the ending of the book A Raisin in the Sun. In the book, they lost all the money since Willy took off with it, yet they were still somewhat happy to move into the new house. Same with Rocky, after he lost the boxing match with the champion, he still made a mark, lasting all 15 rounds (like Yianni said). And that mark, along with being with his love, in some way made him happy, just like the Youngers family.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that these stories both have in common is that both Walter and Rocky have a dream. Both are broke, live in a dump, and are trying to achieve something in their lives. Walter wants to be a man, and Rocky wants to be someone other than another neighbored bum.They both go to extremes to find money. Walter takes his sisters college money and wastes it, while Rocky works as a cash collector beating people up for their money. Even though they didn't achieve exactly what they were looking for, they still achieved enough to be satisfied with them selves.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest and foremost similarity between A Raisin in the Sun and Rocky is the moral of the stories. The core of both stories came to be about respect and love. It has been said many times in this discussion that Walter wanted respect, and that is the reason he wanted to own a liquor store. It was the same for Rocky. He said specifically in the movie that if he could just be standing when that bell rang, he would be satisfied, for he wouldn’t just be another boy from the neighborhood – he would have respect. Walter found love (again) by finding what Ruth “can’t give him anymore” (this being respect). Because he finally filled up that desire for respect, he could love her again. In a bigger aspect, though, Walter also found love in his family again, as the last scene ends with a feeling of warmth and hope in the air. Rocky found love by meeting Adrien (the love story between Rocky and Adrien was a huge part of the movie). Respect and love was found through their dreams, despite the fact that neither of their dreams came true, for Walter didn’t get his liquor store and Rocky lost the fight.
ReplyDeleteThe reason we watched Rocky after is because we can see how both Walter and Rocky had a dream and what they did to get their dreams. But Michael, i think that Rocky did achieve his dream, because he knew he was not going to win. He was just trying to stay in the longest.
ReplyDeleteRocky Balboa and Walter Younger are very alike in the two stories. They both have a dream. Walter wanted to open the liqour store for money to improve the Youngers lives. Rocky also wanted money and to improve his life. Behind their dreams there was another dream. Walter wanted to become a man. Rocky's other dream was as hidden as Walter's. Rocky just wanted to prove to himself that he has got what it takes. That he's a good fighter. Walter never really says that his dream is to be a man. In the movie Rocky says,"I just want to go the distance. No one ever has gone the distance with Creed before". Rocky and Walter had almost identical dreams and very similar reasons for them.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the movie Rocky and reading A Raisin In The Sun, they were similar. Walter had a dream of owning a liquor store and Rocky’s dream was to beat Apollo in the big fight and go the distance. These were both two different dreams, but wanted to achieve the same thing; respect. Walter wanted to feel like a man and not work for someone else, especially a white person; he wanted to be a man. Rocky also wanted to earn respect, he wanted to fight Apollo who was known to be the best and also was African American. He wanted to prove to everyone that he was a winner and not just the average fighter. Walter wants to prove that he is more powerful than everyone else sees him. The themes resemble one another because in both stories they want to achieve respect by accomplishing their dreams. Rocky was tired of living in the environment he did; small, crammed, dirty apartment; as well as Walter and his family. In the end, even though Rocky did not win and Walter did not get his liquor store they were happy. They were happy because of the effort and along the way they know they will eventually achieve their dreams. They both put out 100% of their effort and whatever it came out to be they were satisfied with it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above comments in the sense that Rocky and Walter Younger are alike however, I also feel Rocky can relate to Mama in a way. Of course Walter and Rocky both had dreams that relate, but Mama and Rocky also did too. The reason Rocky and Mama relate is because they both had dreams that kind of went along unnoticed, and as soon as they had to opportunity to achieve those dreams, they seized the opportunity. Mama inherited money which finally allowed her to go for her dream. Similarly, Rocky was asked to fight against Apollo, the number one fighter and he took that opportunity. Although Rocky didn't win the fight, Rocky was able to show people what kind of fighter he really is because he trained really hard for something he really wanted.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra, I didn't even think of it that way. So you're saying the patterning of the play and the movie was similar? Rocky loses but is happy to have his girlfriend, Youngers are bankrupt but they recover and enjoy life in the house. Yianni's comment says only Rocky's dream was fulfilled in the end. Maybe it's because Walter didn't get his store?
ReplyDeleteIn the movie Rocky and the book, Raisin in the Sun, both of the protagonist, who are Rocky and Walter, gets a shot to achieve their dreams. Walter gets a shot at his dream from the insurance money, and Rocky gets his by pure luck. The reason why we watched Rocky after reading the book is because they share a smilar story. Losing the insurance money, Walter failed to achieve his dream but later realized a greater lesson. Losing the fight, Rocky wasn't the champion after all but he realized that what he care for the most was Adrian. By losing what they thought they needed, both of the characters learned their true dreams.
ReplyDeleteRocky and Walter both wish to prove themselves to the world. They want to accomplish what they feel they are capable of doing. They think they deserve the chance of attempting their dreams. When rocky had tied Apollo for multiple rounds he appeared to have no desire to find out who the winner was. He was completely focused on Adrienne and didn't even seem to notice that he was in a wrestling ring. Walter and Rocky both had to overcome people before they were able to get to where they wanted to be. Walter never got to accomplish his original dream in the end, however he had proven himself a man in the eyes of his family.
ReplyDeleteWatching Rocky right after reading a Raisun In The Sun makes me feel that they are both very similar because rocky seem to be like walter never give up. Also they would go at almost anything to get money and have chances to get something but in the end they dont care and just want family but in rockys case adrian. so they are both very similar.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with Kekoa when you said his dream was to stand resist the longest in the ring. His dream was to be the one standing when the bell rang. Even though Rocky did not achieve that, he was not sad. He was happy because he had the love of his life Adrian by his side and worked and gave it all he had.
ReplyDeleteRocky is similar to Walter in a couple of ways. First, both men felt that they needed to answer to some higher calling, whether it was to own a liquor store or to take the opportunity to beat Apollo Creed. Next, both men wanted to improve their living conditions in which Rocky lived in a beat up apartment and Walter had to live in an apartment with four other people. Finally, both men did not achieve their dreams in the way that they originally thought. Walter got his money to get his liquor license stolen, but the attitude of the Younger's indicated that everything would be fine. Rocky did not beat Apollo Creed in the end but proved himself to be a worthy contender and was able to "go the distance".
ReplyDeleteDude, Rocky was a great movie but the end was sort of disappointing because he didn't win, much like Raisin in the Sun because you think that Rocky would win and Walter would be depressed, the exact opposite happened. rocky didn't win, though Adrian said she loves him, and Walter became a new man or finally became a man due to having a large sum of money taken from him.
ReplyDeleteNow, Alex, I tend to disagree with you, the happy ending of Rocky is that he still has Adrian, not that he's a man, same with Walter.
ReplyDeleteRocky proved to himself And many other people that he is a tough fighter. He went the distance. Winning didn't matter for him.
ReplyDeleteGoing along with Quinn all Rocky was looking for was to fight hard and give it his all. He wanted to be different from all the other bums in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra has a really good point because at the end of the fight he really wasn't listening for who won. He was screaming and looking for his girlfriend Adrianne and once he had her in his arms that is all that mattered to him.
ReplyDeleteThe reason we watched this movie is because in both the book and movie, the people in it had a dream. In the book, everyone’s dream came true even if it didn’t seam like it and the same thing happened in the movie. Even though he didn’t win the fight his dream still came true. His dream wasn’t to win but to stay up against the best and to not give up no matter how hard he knew it would be, that’s exactly what he did. I agree with alexandra and quinn, that we wasn’t worried weather he won or not but he was more worried about his girlfriend. All he wanted was to do his best against the best.
ReplyDeleteRocky is similar to Walter in many ways. Rocky is not well known of a boxer and he has not much respect. You can tell that when his locker is taken away. And Walter is just like him. Walter has no respect and he just wants to start up a liquor store to prove to people that he can do something for once. When Walter got that big break with that money he had to try and go big and do something with his life, and when Rocky got that huge break to get away from the "gang" and fight Apollo Crede he had to show himself that he could do it.
ReplyDeleteRocky and Walter a very similar. Rocky is just an average man in Philidalphia trying to reach his high-point in his boxing career. He is also trying to earn respect from everyone around him. Rocky is always trying to get people to come see him so he can prove himself to them on how good of a fighter he is. Walter is similar because he is trying to earn the respect of his family to try and start a buisness. Walter goes off on a limb to prove himslef but it backfires. Rocky goes off on a limb to fight Apollo Crede so he can show everyone that he can do wahtever he sets his mind too.
ReplyDeleteIt's got a very similar concept between the two movies. They are both in similar financial situations and they both have a dream. They each work very hard and end up receiving a break. Rocky gets a chance to fight apollo and Walter gets a chance to invest in his business idea. Unfortunately it does not work out the same for both of them. But there are definite similarities between these two stories.
ReplyDeleteDavid Thompson
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