A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

656 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The American Dream in the Pursuit of Happyness

We all have dreams as individuals, but what is the American dream? When I think about the American dream the image of a family comes to my mind. But is the picture perfect family in front their home really the American dream? It most certainty is not. My family is far from perfect; the Youngers are also far from perfect. A family of six in a two-bedroom apartment as Ruth puts it is “Hell”. Living in a four-bedroom house with six people can get a little cramped, I cannot imagine living in a two-bedroom apartment.
The American dream is to own their own house. As simple as it may sound it’s not the easiest thing to get. It takes time and hard work. However, it’s also not the only American dream. Just like there are four generations of Younger there are four stages to the American dream.
Lets start with the youngest version and the most simple, Travis. As kids we’re pretty easy to please. Just give us a yard to run around in and were set. Its not until we get older that we begin to discover who we are, and what we want to do with our lives. I personally relate most to Beneatha. She wants to go to school to be a doctor and trying new things in order to express her self. We may not have the same dream but we are in the same stage of our American dream. Which is to go to school to better ourselves and discover our identity.
It is when we began to settle down, get married and have children that the stage of owning our own home comes into play. Walter and Ruth are in this stage of their life. Ruth wants a space for her family to grow and be happy in. I’m not saying Walter doesn’t want this for his family, he’s just is a bit caught up in how he thinks he can achieve this dream. Walter like some American goes about achieving his dreams in ...

... middle of paper ...

...r had the money to put a down payment on the house. Perhaps if they work hard enough and all pitched in it could be possible. If you truly want something I think anything is worth going after.
Our idea of success is owning your own home. This is the American dream because it is a place for your family to grow a place of privacy. Your house can say a lot about you and who you are. But it is also very materialistic. I don’t think it is the house itself that is the American dream but the family inside the home.
That picture perfect family we talked about earlier. Although no one is perfect, it dose not mean you cant have the happy family. A Raisin in the Sun may revolve around the theme of the American dream I believe that while there is a materialistic America dream there is also one that is a state of mind. A happy family is possible defiantly and worth achieving.

Show More
Related

  • Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

    570 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mama talks to Walter about her fears of the family falling apart. This is the reason she bought the house and she wants him to understand. Walter doesn't understand and gets angry. "What you need me to say you done right for? You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to. It was your money and you did what you wanted with it. So what you need for me to say it was all right for? So you butchered up a dream of mine - you - who always talking 'bout your children's dreams..." Walter is so obsessive over money that he yells at his mom for not giving him all of it. He doesn't know that what his mom is doing is for the family. He thinks that having money will make the family happy, when in reality the family doesn't need anymore than what they have to be happy.

    Read More

  • Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ruth was being prevented from having a baby because of money problems, Walter was bringing him self down by trying to make the liquor store idea work. Once Mama decided to buy the house with the money she had received, Walter figured that he should further go on with the liquor store idea. Then, when Walter lost the money, he lost his dignity and tried to get some money from the “welcome party” of Cylborne Park. Mama forced him to realize how far he went by making him show himself to his son how low he would go. But he showed that he wasn’t susceptible to the ways the racism created.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of America By Tony Hoagland

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    To me the American Dream comes right back to being stable in a financial aspect. I hate to think in a mind set that everything Is about money but that’s how I view The American Dream. Since I was a little girl I have always had the American Dream drawn up in my mind. This was far before I knew how I would have the means to support it such as a college degree and the job after graduation. Both things that I am still seeking but closer and closer to achieving every day. My America Dream has always looked like a large white house, newly build on a corner lot. The garage will be on the side of the house and a long drive-way which will include my black Land

    Read More

  • A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansbury

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    Walter feels as though no one in the family supports his idea of opening a liquor store, but they want him to be an entrepreneur, but opening a liquor store is against his mother's moral grounds. Walter's arrogance is clearer when he asks Beneatha about her decision to become a doctor: He asks why she couldn't just become a nurse or get married "like other women." When he comes home after drinking with his friends and Beneatha is dancing to the African music, he says, "Shut up" to Ruth, just before joining Beneatha in the dance. Walter is obsessed with getting money so that he can buy "things for Ruth"; he is unaware that treating Ruth more kindly and with more respect would be more appreciated and valued than any "gifts."

    Read More

  • Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers

    1254 Words  | 3 Pages

    Indeed, the American Dream has come to represent. the attainment of myriad goals that are specific to each individual. one person might consider a purchased home with a white picket fence her. version of the American Dream, another might regard it as the financial. ability to operate his own business.

    Read More

  • Nancy Clutter Character Analysis

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American Dream is something that anyone no matter their background, social standings, or ethnicity can improve their life through hard work.

    Read More

  • The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and its Illustrations of the American Dream

    1462 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American dream can be defined as the promise of living in America with opportunities for all, regardless of social class, and according to their ability and effort (Schnell, 2010). Proponents of the American dream believe that there is equal opportunity for all in the American society to achieve success. Success is not pegged on social status, race, or creed, but rather on an individual’s own efforts. The definition of the American dream has unique interpretations to different people. The most common meaning is that of a life of abundance and prosperity, characterized by economic rewards that enable one to live a middle class life of comfort. Here, success is measured by material possessions such as beautiful homes, cars, a high income, and the ability to spend on luxury items. America is considered a land of plenty, and as such, many who come to the United States in search of the American dream have this form of success in mind.

    Read More

  • A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, has often been dubbed a “black” play by critics since its debut on Broadway in 1959. This label has been reasonably assigned considering the play has a cast that consists primarily of African American actors; however, when looking beyond the surface of this play and the color of the author and characters, one can see that A Raisin in the Sun actually transcends the boundaries of racial labels through the universal personalities assigned to each character and the realistic family situations that continue to evolve throughout the storyline. As seen when comparing A Raisin in the Sun to “The Rich Brother,” a story for which the characters receive no label of race, many commonalities can be found between the characters’ personalities and their beliefs. Such similarities prove that A Raisin in the Sun is not merely a play intended to appeal only to the black community, nor should it be construed as a story about the plights of the black race alone, but instead should be recognized as a play about the struggles that all families, regardless of race, must endure in regard to their diversity and financial disparity. A succinct introduction and excellent writing!

    Read More

  • Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    The chasing of a mirage is a futile quest where an individual chases an imaginary image that he or she wants to capture. The goal of this impossible quest is in sight, but it is unattainable. Even with the knowledge that failure is inevitable, people still dream of catching a mirage. There is a fine line that separates those who are oblivious to this fact, and to those who are aware and accept this knowledge. The people who are oblivious represent those who are ignorant of the fact that their dream will be deferred. This denial is the core of the concept used in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. The perception of the American Dream is one that is highly subjective, but every individual dream ends in its own deferment.

    Read More

  • College as the Pathway to the American Dream

    2356 Words  | 5 Pages

    Achieving the American Dream has been the ideal for people living in the United States for decades. People believed that the way to get there was through hard work, also known as the “Protestant work ethic”. The American Dream can vary depending on the person. Some people think that owning a house with a white picket-fence is the American Dream while others think that it is becoming a celebrity with a lot of money.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On The American Dream

    1785 Words  | 4 Pages

    First, what is the American dream? According to David Wallechinsky, “the traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can improve their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life, and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire” (1). “The American Dream” states, “It has always represented the possibility for individuals to succeed and live a life of wealth and comfort, made possible by both the political and economic attitudes in the USA and the individual’s own hard work” (1). Daniella Nicole adds that “in years past, chasing the American Dream meant the sky was the limit. . .” (1).

    Read More

  • Characters Dreams Deferred in Raisin In The Sun

    553 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mama’s dreams were first deferred when she moved into the small apartment that the Youngers family stay in through out most of the play. She became too busy that she couldn’t accomplish her dream. She also could not for fill her dreams since she did not have enough money to do so. Her dreams were even more shattered with the death of her husband, but when she got the money from her husband’s death her dreams then became a reality again. Mama wants Travis to be happy and play in the garden but she cannot do this since they live in a dirty ghetto.

    Read More

  • The Illusion of the American Dream

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity.

    Read More

  • Stereotypes In The American Dream

    1991 Words  | 4 Pages

    The romantic idea of the American Dream is in a period of change. While it used to represent an ideal lifestyle that any citizen could achieve if they worked hard enough, that lifestyle is becoming a hard reality to achieve for the majority of Americans. Timothy Egan wrote that living the American Dream meant you could “buy new cars, take decent vacations, and enjoy full health care benefits” (106). Homeownership, a spouse, and a few kids are also commonly described in the American Dream, as well as having a job of which you could feel proud.

    Read More

  • Personal Essay: The American Dream

    1255 Words  | 3 Pages

    The idea that this country offers so much opportunity that can be obtained by anyone provides people with the ability to dream their own dreams. The American Dream can be a motivational fire, but it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, one must focus on building a balanced life for themselves, participate in honest work and practice their craft to have marketable skills are just stick out from the competition. People work their whole lives making money so they can satisfy their desires. The idea of being able to purchase the items people always dreamed of is an achievement in itself. Having a great family owning a home and having beautiful things to fill it with is a common dream amongst people. Many people take pride in what they possess. People want to own nice homes, nice cars, and nice clothes. Some need to look successful in order to feel successful. These people feel successful when they can admire what their hard work has given them and when they can see they build something their kids can also benefit from.

    Read More

More about A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Open Document