Selfish And Irresponsible: A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry

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People can often change their existing character traits when they realize what they need to do in order to reach their aspirations. Whether it is a high schooler who wants to improve their confidence in order to get a job or a CEO who wants to be more understanding towards her employees, they may try to change how they act to achieve their goals. How people change after having an epiphany is often explored in literature such as Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun. Although the main character, Walter, was initially selfish and irresponsible, he realizes that in order to become a provider and head of the family he needs to become responsible and uphold his dignity.
Throughout the majority of the play, Walter is selfish and irresponsible …show more content…

When he says “I’m thirty-five years old; I been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the living room --- and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live”(Hansberry 34), he shows that he is ashamed that he cannot provide for his son and give him something more. Walter despises the rich white people because they have money that he does not and he believes money “is life”(Hansberry 74). “Although he denounces wealthy people who consider themselves superior [he] is willing to use flattery to make the wealthy assist him, and he wants to give his son a better life,” (Sova) showing that Walter is willing to do anything he can, despite his beliefs, to become the provider for his family and give his son a better life. When he first attempts to take control and become the head of his family, he plans to act like a stereotypical crazy black man that is portrayed in movies to get money by selling their newly obtained house to back to the white neighborhood that did not want them to move in in the first place. Although selling the new house would bring an income to his family, it would stip them of their dignity as they would succumb to the white people’s racist ideals as they did not want black people living in their neighborhood. Even Mama questions Walter’s choice of losing his dignity by stating, “You won’t have nothing left then, Walter Lee” (Hansberry 144). Although selling the house back to the white neighborhood would strip Walter of his dignity, he believes that receiving money and selling the house, in turn losing his dignity, is the only way he can become a provider for his

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