Walter Lee Character Analysis Essay

A Character Analysis of Walter Lee Younger
The play “A Raisin in the Sun” was written by Lorraine Hansberry marking her first ever written play. Lorraine Hansberry was the first African American woman to write a play that was to be produced on Broadway. Although a brilliant writer, Hansberry’s opportunities of writing were cut short when she died at the age of thirty-five from cancer. Lorraine lived from 1930 to 1965, dying on the day that Broadway closed her second play, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”. “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” was written in 1964, only 5 years later than “A Raisin in the Sun” which was written in 1959. Later in 1959, “A Raisin in the Sun” won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, becoming the first

African American play to do so. “A Raisin in the Sun” was written in likeness of a true story that Lorraine had experienced growing up. “A Raisin in the Sun” was a play about a small African American family who went by the name of the Younger’s. The Younger’s were awaiting a $10,000 check from the insurance company for the passing of Walter Younger. After receiving the check, “Mama” Younger bought a house in a white neighborhood, only to find out that the bill was going to be extremely hard to pay because Walter Lee Younger had blown the rest of the money. Although the Younger’s still wanted to move, so they did so. Although the author portrays race and gender as two big focal points of the play, another huge factor of the play is the acquirement of manhood gained by Walter Lee Younger.
Walter Lee Younger is comprised of a mix of many positive and negative traits and characteristics.

One of Walter Lee’s negative traits is the bad temper that he has. Walter Lee’s bad temper causes him to spontaneously yell at his wife, sister, mom, and any other character who may aggravate him. His bad temper is caused by stress, but can also be blamed on another negative trait that he has which is drinking. Walter Lee is a heavy drinker in the play. He is constantly drunk. The author portrays Walter Lee’s bad temper due to alcohol consumption many times throughout the story. One moment during the play, the author states “Walter comes in during this performance (Beneatha dancing); he has obviously been drinking…he lifts both fists to the roof, screaming’ (Hansberry 474). Although mostly angered and hot-tempered during the play, Walter Lee did show positive traits of being kindhearted. Such as, for one moment, Walter Lee and Ruth were arguing in a very hostile tone and manner. But, the next moment, Walter Lee and Ruth were making up, as the author states that “He (Walter Lee) turns her (Ruth) to him and they look at each other and kiss, tenderly and hungrily” (Hansberry 480). At this moment, you could still see love between the two. Love had seemed to be missing throughout most of the entire

play.
Walter Lee causes his family to have a love/hate relationship with him. He loves each and every one of his family members, and they all love him, but the way he acts towards them and talks to them causes them to have a hateful relationship with them too. Walter Lee has love for his wife and family, so he works a job that he despises. Ruth, knowing that Walter Lee loves them, tries to brush off everything hateful that Walter Lee says or does. In one scene of the play, Walter Lee is talking to Ruth with a form of hostility and nonsense, in which Ruth repeatedly states “Eat your eggs, Walter” (Hansberry 451). Although, a positive moment of showing love occurred when Mama Younger gave Walter Lee the money left after buying the house. After giving him the money, Walter Lee felt a sense of pride and felt like he was finally in control of his life. Mama gave him the money and said “I ain’t never stop trusting you. Like I ain’t never stop loving you” (Hansberry 489). This action portrayed by his mother shows that Walter Lee is still being tested with his manhood and responsibilities.
Walter Lee is changed significantly from the beginning to the end of the play. Walter Lee matures in his manhood, parenthood, pride, and responsibilities in general. At the beginning of the play, Walter Lee is selfish. Walter Lee thinks that how successful he is, will be how successful and happy his family is. Walter Lee is constantly chasing his dream of becoming rich, Walter Lee basically thinks that money can buy happiness. As Mama hands Walter Lee the money, Walter Lee is filled with happiness, thinking that he is going to make his plan go through. After Mama gives the money to Walter Lee, he tells Travis that he feels like talking to him. Walter then says, “…what you want to be when you grow up?... just tell me what you want to be—and you’ll be it” (Hansberry 490). Walter Lee had already thought he was rich, making promises to his son, and fantasizing about his office and work. Walter Lee transformed from being irresponsible in the beginning, to being a responsible young adult by the end. Walter Lee had to swallow his pride, give up on his fantasy, and turn down the money that Mr. Lindner had offered them to stay in their apartment. Walter Lee told Mr. Lindner, “…we have decided to move into our house because my father—my father—he earned it for us brick by brick” (Hansberry 510). With this action, Walter Lee had finally taken a stand for his manhood and for his family. He made an unselfish action in which he gave up his dream so his son could have one. Walter Lee had grown responsibly and learned from his mistakes.
In conclusion, the transformation of Walter Lee and his change in heart is one-hundred percent realistic. Any man, including one as stubborn as Walter Lee, can decide to make a change in his life for the betterment of his family. This is exactly what Walter Lee did. Walter Lee took a stand for his manhood. Walter Lee took a stand for his race. Walter Lee took a stand for his family. Walter Lee made a realistic decision, because he turned down a horrible living environment for one far greater. Walter Lee performed a tremendous favor for himself and his family.