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Critical Analysis of A Raisin in the Sun
Character analysis raisin in sun
Gender roles in english literature
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Mothers always have a prominent influence on what kind of person their children become. Mothers are supposed to show their children to the right path. Especially, the sons. The sons in the family represent the future men of the family. In her play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter wants to be the man of his family and leader, but Mama does not think he is ready for the responsibility. Walter wants to open a liquor store with the 10,000 dollar insurance check Mama receives, from the passing of her husband. Mama is the provider for the family, she still views Walter as her child, although he is 35 years old. In Act I scene II, Walter proposes his business to Mama. When Mama refuses to even listen to his business proposal, Walter becomes furious and attempts to leave the apartment. Mama tells Walter to sit down, Walter says, "I'm a grown man, Mama."(521) Mama tells Walter this, "Ain't nobody said you wasn't grown. But you still in my house and in my presence. And as long as you are-you'll talk to your wife civil. Now sit down." (521). Walter's lack of maturity has created Mama's mindset of Walter. Mama still sees Walter as a child, which prevents her from seeing Walter as the provider for the family. Walter; therefore, feels emasculated which causes him to isolate himself …show more content…
from his own family. Mama goes out to put a down payment on a house by herself in Act II, scene I.
Mama asks for Walter's approval, Walter says, "What you need me to say you done right for? You 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 me to say all right for? So you butchered up a dream of mine-you-who always talking 'bout your children's dreams'..."(537). Walter is further emasculated by Mama's decision to buy the house, without Walter's opinion or thoughts on the matter.Walter's manhood is jeopardized by Mama's mindset of him as a child and her decision to make such a large decision on her own for the
family. Mama notices how bad Walter is feeling about the money so, she gives him the rest of the money and tells him this, "..I'm telling you to be the head of family from now on like you supposed to be."(546) Mama realizes in order for Walter to gain maturity he must take charge as head of the family and be free to pursue his dream of owning a business. Therefore, she also supports him as head of the family and to pursue his dream. Walter loses the money, with this loss he also loses his sense of maturity. Walter calls over Mr.Lindner to the apartment, to sell the house back to him, however, Walter ends up being a man and stands up for himself and his family. Mr.Lindner tries to appeal to Mama, she tells him, "I am afraid you don't understand. My son said we was going to move there and there ain't nothing left for me to say.."(575). Mama mindset changes and she now fully supports him as head of the family. Walter finally gains his maturity by Mama's full support and approval. Maturity is not defined by a certain age. It is defined by character and through that person's action that makes them mature. In Walter's case, it took Mama's support in order for him to feel like a man, instead of a boy. Mama had to change in order for Walter to change.
Moreover, Walter is untrustworthy because he lost all of his family’s money that was trusted to him. Walter is forced to speak Mama about the money and says “Son is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha’s money too? ”(Hansberry 129). After Walter loses all the insurance money that the family had earned, Walter was forced to tell his family about the tragic event and Mama refused to accept that the money was gone. This event makes Walter untrustworthy because he promised his mother that he would place a portion of the money in the bank for his sister’s education, but he did not and lied to his mother. This shows that Walter is not truthful to his promises as he did not follow through with it and told his mother a lie to cover up his actions. This contributes to Walter being a overall irresponsible character because it shows that he is not capable of being responsible as he could not take good care of the money that was given to him. Furthermore, Walter is untrustworthy because he lied to his family about going to work. “Walter, you ain’t been to work for three days ...Where you been, Walter Lee Younger?”(Hansberry 105). When Walter’s boss called she revealed the information that Walter had not been to work for a while to the family. This event makes Walter untrustworthy because Walter told his family that he was going to
“Mama (To Walter) Son- (She goes to him, bends down to him, talks to his bent head) Son… Is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha’s money too?”(Act 2 Scene 3 Pg. 129). Mama told him that she did not want her late husband’s hard earned money to go into a liquor store. Walter did not listen; therefore, he was held responsible and Mama punished him by beating him( pg.129). She further makes him face the consequences by telling him that he got them into this mess, and as head of the family he needs to get the family out of this situation but not at the cost of the families pride (
Walter complains to Mama about the way he feels about his job. I open and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, "Yes sir no sir very good sir shall I take the drive, sir?" Walter wants to be the one sitting in the back of that limousine while someone else is doing the driving. Walter wants financial freedom, he doesn't want just enough money to provide for his family but rather he tells his mother "I want so many things." Walter is materialistic and greedy, he has been corrupted by a superficial “American dream”.
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."
At the beginning of the play, Walter is a self centered character. In a conversation with Mama, Walter wants to make sure she does not spend all the money. Walter states, “Where were you, mama? Mama, You didn’t go do something with that insurance money, something crazy” (P. 90). It is revealed that Walter is desperate for money and achieving his big idea of owning a liquor store. It’s important to know that this money is Mama’s and not Walters to spend. Instead of being the man of the house
In the Play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry there are two main character’s that many people debate upon to be the protagonist of the play. Those two characters are Mama and Walter. The story is about an African American family living in Chicago in the 1950’s. During this time period race was a large issue in that area. The family consists of three generations, Mama being the mother and grandmother has a lot of responsibilities as what I see her to be as the families anchor. The next generation is Walter his wife Ruth and his sister Beneatha. Walter and Ruth have a song Travis who is ten years old at the time of this play. Mama is the moral supporter of the family and believes that everything has a purpose and that things should be done by design. One of the main events in this play is the life insurance settlement check for ten thousand dollars that Mama receives. This being a large amount of money during that time period creates many arguments between the families about what to do with the money. Walter is the type of guy that believes his family shouldn’t settle like everyone else and believes that they shouldn’t be held back just because they are an African American family living in what is referred to as a “white man’s world”. I believe that Walter is the protagonist of the play for two main reasons, he isn’t a selfish man, he doesn’t feel the family should be limited because they are African American and he has distinct options or plans for the future of his family.
He is working as a chauffeur for a rich white man and he has no room for advancement in his current career. Walter represents the typical man who wants to provide for his family, but he spends his days sucking up to his boss and not able to provide for his family. Mama Younger will receive 10,000 from her husband’s passing and the entire family has their dreams set upon what to do with it. Walter plans to use the money to invest in a liquor store with his buddy, Willy Harris. Walter’s entire family is against him opening up a liquor store and Mama Younger takes a down-payment on a house in a white neighborhood. A white man named Mr. Linder tries to get Walter to take money in exchange for not moving into the white neighborhood, Walter, the hero at this point, declines to take the money because he is not set on bowing down to the white man. When Mama Younger does this, Walter goes into a three-day drinking binge and decides to not go back to work. Walter eventually receives 6,500 dollars from Mama and she tells him to put 3,000 of the money for Beneatha’s education. Walter keeps the 3,500 to plan out his dream of opening a liquor store. When Walter believes that his dreams are finally accomplished, he turns into a kinder man towards his family. Walter becomes friendlier with his sister, hugs his mother and takes his wife for dates. The Walter Younger, who now believes that his family will acquire The American Dream, is a
Primarily, in A Raisin in the Sun Walter is an example of one struggling to achieve their dream or desire. Walter serves as the hero and villain of the play due to the actions he takes revolving his dream. “Walter, who firmly believes in the American Dream of economic independence, wants to own his own business, and a liquor store, because he despairs over what he perceives to be his inability to support the family and to provide for his son’s future” ( __ __ ). Walter’s dream is to be sole the provider for his household and give his family a better life. He plans by doing this through a liquor store investment with the insurance money given to Mama from Big Walters death. “In the play Walter loses much of the insurance money that he planned to invest on a liquor store to a con artist” ( ___ ___ ). Walter’s decision on investing in a liquor store turns out to be a horrific choice. In the play although Walter is regretfully deceived and looked down upon as a result of the liquor store ambition, he makes up for it by at the end finally reaching his manhood. During the time of the play the husband of the family is mainly the sole provider for the family. In the case of the play, Walters mother is the sole provider for the family. Walter strives to be the “man” of the house.“A job. (Looks at her) Mama, a job? I open and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, “Yes, sir; no, sir; very good, sir; shall I take the Drive, sir?” Mama, that ain’t no kind of job. That ain’t nothing at all. (Very quietly) Mama, I don’t know if I can make you understand” ( Hansberry , Pg.73). “Walter minimizes the position of a car driver because to him it diminishes his manhood and his sense of individual worth.
1. Walter - His dreams of owning a licquor store conflict religiously with Mama's value system. The conflict between Mama and Walter is amplified by the fact that it is Mama's apartment in which the family lives and Walter is unable/unwilling to make decisions because Mama is so domineering. Ironically, it is the one decision that she eventually lets Walter make which nearly destroys the family.
Have you ever found money coming between you and your family and disrupting love and life? Money can destroy families and change them for the worse. In the Raisin in the Sun, the author Lorraine Hansberry, uses events of her life to relate and explain how the Younger family, of Chicago's South side, struggles and improves throughout the book. One main cause for their family's problems is because of money and how it causes anger to control the family. The play deals with situations in which the family is dealing with unhappiness from money. Walter, the man of the house in the Younger family, tries impressing Travis, his son, too much with money instead of teaching him the more important lessons of life. Walter also dreams to invest in a liquor store and make a lot of money and becomes overwhelmed and badly caught up in his dream. Lastly, the Younger family is much too dependent on the check their Mama is receiving. The family has lost the fact that their mama tries to tell them, before, freedom was life but now money seems to have the controlling factor in life. When money becomes an obsession for a family, problems occur.
Walter and Beneatha’s relationship is very complex. The spiraling tension between the two siblings causes confrontation to form and creep into the Younger household. Walter needs his family to respect him as the man of the family, but his sister is constantly belittling him in front of his mother, wife, and son. This denigrating treatment taints Walter’s view of himself as a man, which carries into his decisions and actions. Beneatha also subconsciously deals with the dysfunctional relationship with her brother. She desires to have her brother’s support for her dream of becoming a doctor, yet Walter tends to taunt her aspiration and condemns her for having such a selfish dream. Mama as the head of the family is heartbroken by the juvenile hostility of her adult children, so in hopes to keep her family together she makes the brave move of purchasing a house. Mama’s reasoning for the bold purchase was,“ I—I just seen my family falling apart….just falling to pieces in front of my eyes…We couldn’t have gone on like we was today. We was going backwards ‘stead of forw...
In the introduction of book Raisin In the Sun, the author, presents each character ambition to compete with life’s reality in several ways her viewpoints revealed through gender roles, Black heritage, racism, religion, and money. Although the greatest critical problem that the family encounters is the death of their dreams, this occurs with the loss of the insurance money. The writer addresses the era a time during the fifty’s with racists apparently is in the forefront of society with the idea that she was involved in a crusade against this dilemma. Therefore in exploring factors of each character with their dreams and reality the first issue observed is gender roles the future, present and the past. Beneatha the youngest of the generation is the
The conflict that involves Walter and Mama superficially concerns Mama's receiving an insurance check for ten thousand dollars, which she hasn't yet decided what to do with. Walter has hopes for using the money to invest in a liquor store, with the profits providing him and his family a better quality of life than what they have endured in the past. What really is at stake here, though, is more than money. Mama and Walter have different visions of what happiness is and what life is all about. For Mama, the best thing to do with the money is to make a down payment on a house. This house is to be situated within an all-white neighborhood, and represents assimilation. This is Mama's dream, and the dream ...
Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun is a play about segregation, triumph, and coping with personal tragedy. Set in Southside Chicago, A Raisin in the Sun focuses on the individual dreams of the Younger family and their personal achievement. The Younger's are an African American family besieged by poverty, personal desires, and the ultimate struggle against the hateful ugliness of racism. Lena Younger, Mama, is the protagonist of the story and the eldest Younger. She dreams of many freedoms, freedom to garden, freedom to raise a societal-viewed equal family, and freedom to live liberated of segregation. Next in succession is Beneatha Younger, Mama's daughter, assimilationist, and one who dreams of aiding people by breaking down barriers to become an African American female doctor. Lastly, is Walter Lee Younger, son of Mama and husband of Ruth. Walter dreams of economic prosperity and desires to become a flourishing businessman. Over the course of Walter's life many things contributed to his desire to become a businessman. First and foremost, Walter's father had a philosophy that no man should have to do labor for another man. Being that Walter Lee was a chauffeur, Big Walter?s philosophy is completely contradicted. Also, in Walter?s past, he had the opportunity to go into the Laundromat business which he chose against. In the long run, he saw this choice was fiscally irresponsible this choice was. In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, Walter Lee's dreams, which are his sole focus, lead to impaired judgement and a means to mend his shattered life.
Mama is a powerful, strong witted person. She has a lot of control in this play and dominates as a woman character. This is unusual because this is usually a male’s position in life. She is a woman, “who has adjusted to many things in life and overcome many more, her face is full of strength”. In this play she is illustrated as taking over for the head of the family and controls the lives of everyone in her house. Rules are followed to Mama’s extent. She controls what is said and done in her house. After Walter yells, “WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO ME TODAY!” (70). Mama responds in a strong tone of voice saying, “I don’t ‘low no yellin’ in this house, Walter Lee, a...