In Lorraine Hansberry's inspirational play A Raisin in the Sun, a working class African American family's life is turned upside down when death comes for their father. In this play, the main characters: Walter, Benetha, Ruth, and Mama(Lena), all dream of having a better life. Despite the living conditions that rule their lives, they each try to pursue the "American Dream." Although the "American Dream," is different for each character, by the end of the play and through many trials and tribulations; the Younger's come to realize who's dream is the most important. Walter's dreams are to be the head of his family, have a respectable job, and to one day own a liquor store. Throughout the play, he struggles to gain support of his dreams. "Man says to his woman says: I got me a dream. His woman says: Eat your eggs. Man says: Ive got to take hold of this here world, woman will say: Eat your eggs and go to work." (Act.1 Sc.1). Walter tries to talk to Ruth about his dreams, but she doesn't pay him any mind. She doesn't, because she thinks that he would not be able to make much of his dreams a reality, so long as they are Black and poor. Walter depends on the remainder of the 10,000 dollars that mama received, to fulfill his dreams of owning the liquor store. Mama is very wise and old fashioned, and she doesn't see fit to invest he husband's money in something as harmful as liquor. Walter, who only thinks on money, the grass the reason for his mother not initially giving him the money. Not only did Beneatha show no interest in his dreams, so did his mom. To Walter, Mama " butchered up a dream of his."(act. 2 sc.2). Walter, whose dreams are oppressed from lack of both physical and financial support, ultimately causes him to lose contr... ... middle of paper ... ... probably the most excited to move. This is the climax of the play, and it is at this moment that Walter, through his revived manhood, realizes which dream is the most important, and his mothers. Walter refuses Mr. Linder's proposal to buy the house back, and Mama's dream is once again carried through. Walter, Beneatha, Ruth, and Mama all struggle to attain their version of the American Dream. Like Mama, their dreams, at one point in the play, are deferred, and through many trials and tribulations; the Younger's ultimately realize that buying and keeping the house is the most important dream. The house, a symbol for unity,helped the Youngers ignore their own personal dreams, and focus on one important dream; they notice that sometimes allowing your dreams to defer, isn't entirely bad, and could direct you to bigger and better dreams you weren't even aware you had.
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.
Ruth’s dream is to have a happy and loving family. Ruth’s dream is revealed in act 2, scene 3, when she is ecstatic because she went to the movies with Walter and they held hands (111). This exposes Ruth’s dream because her greatest moments are when she is with someone in her family and they are happy to be together. Walter stands in the way of this dream because money is his first priority. In act 1, scene 2, Walter declares that money is life (74). This demonstrates Walter’s obsession with money because he informs Mama that money means everything to him. In act 2, scene 2, Mama tells Walter that she would do anything for him and gives him a lot of money; after Mama gives her heartfelt speech, Walter just stares at the money (106). This shows money is more important than family to Walter because his mother just told him she would do anything for him, but Walter only cares about the money in front of him. However,
The issue is whether Walter can distinguish between a fantasy of reality and a dream deferred. Essentially this play can be regarded as the mid-life crisis of Walter Lee Younger, passionate about his family, ambitious, and bursting with energy and dreams. Walter cares about his family, and he hopes that buying the liquor store will be a brighter future for Travis. ? And-and I?ll say, all right son-it?s your seventeenth birthday, what is it you?ve decided?.Just tell me where you want to go to school and you?ll go. Just tell me, what it is you want to be?
A Raisin in the Sun is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry. The primary focus of the play is the American Dream. The American Dream is one’s conception of a better life. Each of the main characters in the play has their own idea of what they consider to be a better life. A Raisin in the Sun emphasizes the importance of dreams regardless of the various oppressive struggles of life.
...ccomplish this if they all understand what is important in life. All of Mama’s dreams are eventually recognized, although they certainly appear hazy throughout the play. The question about whether or not they should keep the house forms inside Mama’s head near the end of the play, but she quickly changes her mind. Mama never lost sight of her goals, no matter how hard nature attacked them.
When people come to America they dream of the American Dream. The American Dream is having a better live in America than they did in their other country, Many people think that the American Dream can happen for their children, However; it may take generations for that dream to finally feel real. The Younger finally feel like that American Dream is coming alive when Mama receives a check from her husband death. Younger feel that with these money they can provide a better life for their family. However; each of the family members have different ideas for the money.
Dreams and Racism in A Raisin In The Sun At most times, the American Dream resembles an ideological puzzle more than a fully achievable image. Within the confines of her fantastical, theatrical world, Lorraine Hansberry attempts to fit a few of these pieces together and, in the process, ends up showing exactly how everything doesn't just snap-together all nicely. The problems in her play, A Raisin In The Sun, deal primarily with the basic nature of humans and their struggle to "make it" in America. & nbsp; The story, for the most part, centers upon an African-American family, their dreams for the future and an insurance check coming in for the death of the eldest man. Stirring into the mix later is the hugely oppressive, segregationist aspect of mid-twentieth century America.
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.
His dream is to start a liquor store. This goal is significant to Walter for multiple reasons. First, he believes that going into the liquor business would help financially support the family. Second, he thinks that this would give his son a better life. In the story he tells Travis, “You wouldn’t understand yet, son, but your daddy’s gonna make a transaction...a business transaction that’s going to change our lives…” It would give Walter a sense of control and pride. In the play, Mama trusts him with the rest of the money that she inherited from the insurance. Walter is supposed to save half of the money for the house and the other half for Beneatha’s schooling. Nonetheless, he decides that he wants to fulfill his dream and takes the money to invest in the liquor business. As a result of this, his friend, Willie, steals all of the money for himself. Losing the money leaves all of the families’ dreams in jeopardy. This shows that sometimes pursuing a dream can affect more than your life. In the worst case scenario, it can even ruin other people’s
During different points in the play, the dream of each character begin to emerge. Walter, who is a headstrong man, shows us his vulnerability when it comes to his desire to own a liquor store. During one of the later scenes in the play, his friend comes over to tell Walter that all of the money he put down to invest in his own liquor store was stolen. Walter breaks down in tears (126) right as he begins to understand what has happened. Moments later, he tells his family
The playwright ‘A Raisin in the sun’ was written by Lorraine Hansberry. This plays describe the condition of lower class black African American family lived in Southside of Chicago named “The Youngers”. After the death of Mr., Younger his insurance provides the opportunity to his family to escape the poverty by giving them S10, 000 check by which they can change their life. As they have many dreams and expectations to change. In Younger’s family, there is Mama (Lena) Mr. Younger wife, Walther Lee her son and Benetha her daughter. Ruth and his sons Jr. Younger is the family of Walter Lee. Everybody has their dreams and faith in God. Walter Lee, Mama, and Benetha are the main characters by which the story moving around. Walter Lee wants to invest this check money to open the liquor store but her mother totally against him because she want to spend this money to buy the new house for her family and to save some for her daughter’s education because Breathe wants to be a doctor and she is so confident about that to make her dreams come true. The dreams of Walter Lee, Mama (Lena), and Beantha shows that, despite great obstacles, the American Dream is still possible.
Mama ends up buying the whole family one big house, Walter isn’t too pleased with that. He is so angry and really wanted to pursue his ambition of owning a liquor store, but, Mama had gotten the whole family a house. She knows that he is angry that she “crushed” his dream, she feels as if she has let him down. So he asks his wife, Ruth, to try and convince Mama to give Walter the money for the liquor store.
Escaping poverty was one of their biggest desires, even though they struggled to achieve this goal throughout the play, a great deal of their joy and unhappiness was directly connected to their accomplishment of, or failure to accomplish, this dream of being successful. Walter is his own problem to attaining his goals– he wants to be wealthy and successful, but he only attempt get-rich-quick schemes, which doesn’t succeed over and over again. He has a sincere entrepreneurial disposition and wants to progress. He also feels that having money is an indication of his success. Beneatha is the base of many of the fresh ideas and viewpoints that penetrate the family's home.
He invests and loses a large sum of money in a liquor store investment, much to the despair of his family. Walter imagined his investment rocketing him to the top and resulting in endless wealth. He was wrong of course, and his plans did not result in wealth or happiness. Following the loss of the money and amidst their financial woes Walter considers giving up his families recently purchased house. The issue that had arisen was that the new house was in a white neighborhood whose residents wanted nothing to do with them. They offered Walter a way out, financial compensation, quick and easy money in exchange for the house. Walter then had to make a decision, he wanted so desperately to have the money and to redeem himself as well. Walter ultimately makes a wise decision. Walter’s family was very objective to the idea of giving up their new house and their hopes of moving into a better place. So Walter decides not to take the offer and moves into the house against the wishes of their white neighbors. Walter realizes that his original dream and instinct was not the one to be following. Walter finds that by making his family happy, he too is happy and content which is what he thought that wealth could bring him. Walter’s decision shows that he made this realization and instead of taking the quick money and trying to rocket to the top yet again he chooses his
Mama outlook on her family is that family everything to her. Mama tries her very best to maintain her family’s dignity, pride and happiness. Mama says “...I just seen my family falling apart today…just falling to pieces in front of my eyes…We couldn’t of gone on like we was today..” When Mama says this she is talking to Walter saying that she sees her family falling apart because of money. This quote shows how Mama is passionate about her family and their well-being. Mama’s dream is to own and house with a garden and keeping her family together. Mama says “ Well, I always wanted me a garden like I used to see sometimes at the back of the houses down town.” Mama says this because she has always wanted a little house in the suburbs with garden out back. Mama understands the significance of her dreams and eventually gets her home in the