A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a play which tells of a black family’s experiences as they move into a “white” neighborhood. They attempt to improve their lives by using the insurance money following their father’s death. The American dream in that time period was to have a house, a yard, a car, and a happy family. In “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, the play illustrates the limitations of the American dream for the Younger family which is the limitation of money, the racism in that time period, as well as the deception by Willy Harris.
One limitation is the limitation of money. All of the characters have unfulfilled dreams. Mama’s dream is to move out of the ghetto and into a house. Ruth’s dream is to build a happy family by owning a better place to live than in an apartment. Beneatha's dream is to become a doctor. Walter’s dream is to become wealthy and to provide for his family. All of these dreams are deferred by the lack of money. When Mama’s husband died
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Willy Harris called walter and was coordinating the liquor store venture. When Mama used some of the money to buy a house, Walter was furious because he wanted to put all the money into the liquor store venture. Mama feels sympathy for Walter because of how upset he is. She gives him the remaining $6,500 and says to deposit $3,000 for Beneatha's medical school and to keep the remaining $3,500. Walter becomes much more happy and has a plan that will make him rich. A while later, Bobo, Walter’s friend, arrives. He announces that Willy Harris has ran off with all of the $6,500 that walter gave him. “I’m talking about the fact that when I got to the train station yesterday morning-eight o’clock like we planned… Man-Willy didn’t never show up.” (127, Bobo). This quote shows that Willy Harris only cared for himself. That is the reason he ran off with the money. Walter trusted him too much and that trust cost him $6,500 and two
Walter, distraught after Mama had denounced his ambition to run a liquor store, had skipped work for three days, borrowing Willy Harris's car to drive around the city. Mama, seeing Walter so defeated, decided to entrust the remaining 6,500 dollars of her 10,000 dollar check to him, saying, "It ain't much, but it's all I got in the world and I'm putting it in your hands." (Hansberry,) Having incessantly denied Walter's dream,
... buy the family a new house so that Travis would have a better place to grow up. Mama could have spent that money on something she wanted, but instead bought something that would make the whole family happy. After she buys their new house, Mama gives Beneatha $3000 dollars towards college and gives Walter $3500 dollars to better his future. Mama has given all of the insurance money to the people she cares about, and kept none of it for herself. She thought about her children’s future and decided to invest the money towards a better life for them. This is a very unselfish act on Mama’s part, a perfect example of putting family before oneself.
Living in a society where the fulfillment of dreams is based upon material wealth, the Younger family strives to overcome their hardships as they search for happiness. As money has never been a way of life for the family, the insurance check's arrival brings each person to see the chance that their own dreams can become reality. Whether in taking a risk through buying a "little liquor store" as Walter wishes to do or in -"[wanting] to cure" as Beneatha dreams, the desires of the family depend upon the fate of Mama's check. In the mind of Walter Lee Younger, the check is the pinnacle of all, dominating his thoughts, as he does not wait a second before "asking about money "without" a Christian greeting." He cannot see beyond the fact that he "[wants] so many things" and that only their recently acquired money can bring them about. The idea of money and being able to hold it "in [his] hands" blinds him from the evils of society, as he cannot see that the Willy Harris's of the world will steal a person's "life" without a word to anyone. When money becomes nothing but an illusion, Walter is forced to rethink his values and his family's future, realizing that there is more to living that possessing material riches.
Walter Sr. was Walter and Beneathas father he died and his wife mama received ten thousand dollar for life insurance. Walter wants the whole ten thousand dollars for himself and put it down on the liquor store. But Beneatha wants to go to medical school and be a doctor. Walter thinks that it is selfish of Beneatha that she wants to attend medical school because he then wouldn't get all of the money for the liquor store. Beneatha "that money belongs to Mama, Walter, and its for her to decide how she wants to use it. I don't care if she wants to buy a house or a rocket ship or just nail it up somewhere and look at it. It's hers. Not ours hers." Mamas getting all the money and it is up to her if she wants the money for herself give it to Beneatha for school or give it to Walter for the liquor store. Now that it is getting closer to the date in which the money will arrive. Walter is acting more and more desperate for that money.
Everybody has a dream in this play and they all wanted to achieve those dreams. Beneatha had a dream of becoming a doctor, but Walter had a different dream for her, “Who the hell told you to be a doctor?... Then go be a nurse like other women-or just get married and be quiet”(38). At that point, she had felt like giving up her dream, but then decided she wasn't going to let her brother tell her what she could or could not be. She had almost let go of her dream
Walter is a black man in his 30’s who is selfish and drinks a lot, lives with his mom, wife, sister, and his son Travis. He lives on the southside of Chicago and likes to be the boss of everyone. His dream was to open up a liquor store with his two best friend’s Willy and Bobo. As the story continues Mama finally decides to give Walter the rest of the money, $6,000 for his sister Beneatha and $500 for him from his father's life insurance. But Walter decided to be selfish and take all of the money that Mama gave him and give it to his friend WIlly so that they could invest it on the liquor store, but little did he know that his friend Willy had betrayed both him and his friend Bobo and
Walter lives with his mother, sister, wife and child Travis. After the receival of a life insurance check from the deceased Walter Lee Senior, Mama makes a decision to give it to Walter to make him feel like the man of the house. She places endless trust into her son; she gives him the money that is needed for his sisters school, and the house payments. She has high hopes Walter would not let her down by the use of it for something that goes against her values. Unfortunately, as he receives the money one can see how hastily he works to use it for a meer liquor store as he confesses his wrongdoings: “Mama… I never went to the bank at all… It’s all gone.” (Hansberry 129). Prior to this moment, Mama had asked Walter to
Mama only spent $3,500 out of the $10,000 from the insurance check, she decides to give Walter the leftover money, so he could “be the head of this family from now on” (107). Walter takes this matter upon himself and decides to “make a transaction” (108) that will “change our lives” (108). Walter then, takes all the money he is given by Mama and “never went to the bank at all” (129), he then gives all of the $6,500 to Willy Harris, who was trusted by both men, left with all of Walter and Bobo’s money. Mama, who is very upset by this, hits Walter for giving all the money away. Mama then turns to God for “strength” (130). Mama is a Christian woman and, despite her struggles, remains faithful.
Walter is Mama’s oldest son. His dreams are to be wealth but at the same time wanting to provide for his family. His own personal dream is to open liquor store with his money he receives from Mama.
Walter Younger is passionate and ambitious about his dreams. However, as the play progresses he becomes more desperate because he is desperate to escape poverty, and he feels that his business idea will solve all their economic and social problems. After receiving the $10,000 life insurance check, he has the dream of opening a liquor store with the money. However, Mama’s objects the idea of investing in liquor because of her religious objections, and refuses to give them the money. His dream becomes A Raisin in the Sun when he decides to trust Willy Harris with part of the insurance money, but he takes his money and runs.
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.
The two The main characters in the play, Mama and Walter, want this money to be used. for the benefit of the whole family. Even though both of them want to benefit the family, each one has a different idea of what to do with the money and how to manage it to benefit everyone. & nbsp; Walter Lee, like his father, wants his family to have a better life. and want to invest the money in a liquor store. Walter wants the money.
Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun shows how an African American family struggled to achieve their American Dreams. Hansberry is concerned with the issue of racial discrimination and for African Americans to demand equality (Nowrouzi). Racism was an issue in this play by the Younger family did not have any interaction with the white society besides work and a visit from Mr. Lindner. Another issue in this play was discrimination because the Younger family wanted to move out of the Chicago ghetto into a white neighborhood. They were struggling to move into the white neighborhood because the white society did not accept them because of the color of their skin.
After buying a house, Mama gives the remaining money to Walter, telling him to save some for Beneatha’s medical school, and that he can decide what the rest of the money can go to. Walter tells Travis that he is going to change their lives with the money: “One day...I’ll pull up on the driveway...just a plain black chrysler… though I’ll have to get something a little sportier for Ruth---maybe a Cadillac convertible...and I‘ll go inside...to see you sitting on the floor with the catalogues of the great in America all around you… just tell me what it is you want to be---… and I hand you the world!” (108-109). Walter fantasizes about owning classy cars and being able to pay for his son to go to any of the top-notch schools in America. His visions for the future reveal that his perception of reality is unrealistic and that wealth matters very much to him. He is very confident that he will be able to give Travis “the world”, which shows that he has excessive faith in his business deal. His delusions and excitement can hinder his ability to make calculated decisions. Without saving any money for Beneatha’s medical school, Walter gives the money to his friend, Willy, to invest in liquor stores. The next day, Walter’s other friend, Bobo, visits Walter to tell him that Willy ran off with the money. Walter melts down and yells, “Man, I put my life in your
Walter wants the insurance money so that he can prove that he is capable of making a future for his family. By doing well in business, Walter thinks that he can buy his family happiness. Mama cares for Walter deeply and hates seeing him suffer so she gave into his idea. Mama gives Walter the rest of the money and tells him to put half in a bank for his sister's schooling and he could do whatever he wanted with the other half.