Which author is associated with the Modern and Contemporary eras among the listed writers?

• A. Nathaniel Hawthorne
• B. F. Scott Fitzgerald
• C. Herman Melville
• D. Lorraine Hansberry

Answer: (D)

The question tests era associations for authors. Lorraine Hansberry is the author linked to the Modern and Contemporary periods because her major works, like A Raisin in the Sun (1959), embody postwar modern drama with a sharp focus on real-life social issues—race, identity, and the American dream—using a realistic, issue-driven approach that resonates with both modern and later contemporary theater. Hawthorne and Melville are rooted in the 19th-century American Renaissance and Romantic traditions, far earlier than the Modern/Contemporary era, while F. Scott Fitzgerald is a central Modernist figure whose work sits primarily in the early-to-mid 20th century. Hansberry’s place in mid- to late-20th-century drama aligns best with Modern and Contemporary movements.